The New Year started a little rocky at PGA National with four vehicle burglaries and one burglary to a business. Now for the good news: Palm Beach Gardens Police arrested a suspect, who was eventually linked to several vehicle burglaries and one home burglary.
In 2008, PGA National experienced an overall reduction in major crime by 16% according to statistics provided by Palm Beach Gardens Police. This makes the 3rd consecutive year that crime is down. This is not a very reassuring statistic if you were one of the unfortunate victims of a crime, but it does show that we as a community are on the right track.
During his presentation at the Annual Meeting, Chief Stepp of the Palm Beach Gardens Police made an interesting statement in regards to vehicle burglaries – of which PGA National has experienced 21. Vehicle burglary is one of the most preventable crimes you as a resident can fall victim to.
By doing two simple things, you can greatly reduce your odds of having your vehicle burglarized. One, lock your vehicle’s doors. I have preached this practice in meetings and you have probably read it more than once in my past articles. Second, do not leave valuables in your vehicle in plain sight.
As Director of Security for PGA National, I take all crime that occurs in PGA National very seriously. When I hear that our major crime is down by 16%, I feel proud of all of the hard work my security staff puts forth throughout the year. I will continue to work with my staff to ensure we are doing everything in our ability to make this a safe environment for you and your family.
In closing, please remember, you can have a substantial effect on crime by simply getting in the habit of locking your car doors when you arrive home and when you leave, making sure you have properly secured your home and set your alarm.
I am optimistic about 2009 and we, as your security provider, will continue to do our best to make sure your community is a safe one.