Avoiding Crimes When Parking, Part 1

Theft and Vandalism

Your personal security is important to us. Although we sell pepper spray, stund guns and other personal security and self defense products, the ideal situation is one where you don't need to use them. You can decrease your chances of ever needing to use a personal protection product by following some of these safety tips:

1. Wherever possible, provide each dwelling with its own locked garage within the property boundaries. Locked garages outside the boundaries or well-lit and visible common car parks are the next best thing.

2. Where private garages are not feasible, a car-port or driveway parking is preferable to grouped parking away from dwellings.

3. As a general rule, underground or multi-story car parks should be avoided, as they are breeding grounds for vandalism and crime. If they already exist, danger could be minimized by limiting entry points and providing them with sturdy locked gates. Alternatively, each resident could be provided with a lockable garage in their own space, with robust, vandal proof metal doors - garages within garages, so to speak. Or users can be provided with a secure lock or a plastic keycard, which operates electronic doors.

4. Grouped car parks should be avoided in high-crime areas. If they cannot be avoided, they should be within view of some dwellings; they should be equipped with sturdy gates or tilt doors, and should never be sited near alleyways.

5. Open car parks should be small and within view of dwellings and visitors' car parks should be clearly identifiable, well lit, and visible from dwellings.