Happy Monday?
It makes us all sick to our stomach when we hear about a
child being abducted. For a Battleford’s area family it’s been a roller coaster
after their running vehicle with their six year old daughter in it was stolen on Sunday. An
AMBERT ALERT was issued and many of us shared it in our news feeds on social
media trying to help any way we could. My wife Heidi and I thought of all the
clients we had in the Battleford’s area with HD Security Cameras that we could
ask to check for footage. The family made a tearful video appeal asking for the
return of their daughter with no questions asked.
It is a Happy Monday because the AMBER ALERT was cancelled
as their daughter was safely found by a city worker in an industrial area. Prayers were answered and our
worst fears were avoided. It appears to be a crime of opportunity. It’s
possible the suspect(s) didn’t know there was a passenger in the vehicle.
So, what can we learn from this?
1. REDUCE OPPORTUNITIES
After running a security business for nearly two decades and
visiting multiple crime scenes I can tell you that most crimes are crimes of
opportunity. If you want to reduce crime, you need to control the odds and take
away the opportunities. This means taking active precautions such as locking
doors and windows, having proper lighting at night, and installing a security
system. You are 400% less likely to have a break-in by taking action.
2. SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS
Many parents went to social media and shared news about the
AMBER ALERT including photos of the abducted child and the vehicle that was
stolen. It wasn’t just the RCMP working on their own anymore. Thousands of
additional eyes and ears across the prairies were actively spreading the word
and creating awareness. It certainly made it difficult for the suspects(s) to
hide. Did it play a role in the decision to return the child safely? The
investigation will tell the story.
Social Media also works when you share video footage from HD
Security Cameras. Next time you experience a theft make sure you contact the
POLICE and share images on FaceBook and Instagram. You never know who will
recognize the suspect(s).
Virgil Reed
Founder, CEO
Reed Security
