From the President
From the President
With the temperatures finally breaking the 100-degree mark, summer is upon us! We’ve enjoyed some beautiful weather, but sadly we have about 3 months ahead with hot water coming out of both sides of the tap.
Along with warmer weather, we have summer break and that typically signals an uptick in crime. School is out, people are on vacation and many homes are vacant. This is the perfect storm for opportunity crime, graffiti and vandalism.
While our crime rates are some of the lowest in Arizona, especially for violent crime, Desert Ridge does have property crime, especially as it relates to vehicles. When it happens, it is nearly always because valuables were either left in plain sight or the vehicle was unlocked. Thieves understand this and will travel up and down our streets checking all of the cars to find one with the doors unlocked. Once inside, they will steal anything of value they can find. Worse yet, they will also search for a garage door remote to do the same thing inside the house.
The answer to eliminating 75% of crime in Desert Ridge is not adding more off-duty patrol. The answer is simple: secure your valuables out of sight and lock your vehicle.
Here a few things you can do to reduce crime and make your neighborhood safe:
- LOCK YOUR CAR
- KEEP VALUABLES OUT OF SIGHT
- Form a block watch group and partner with the police
- Trim all bushes and vegetation that can provide a hiding place for criminals
- Insure the doors and windows of your home are secure
- Install porch, yard and motion-detector lights
- Use timers for your lights, so that your home appears occupied
The Desert Ridge off-duty officer patrol has reduced crime in our community by over 50%. To make further progress, we will need your help! These simple steps cost nearly nothing and can make our community the safest place to live in Arizona.
On behalf of our board, I thank you again for your support and look forward to seeing you in the neighborhood.
Doug Dickson
President
Desert Ridge Community Association
