Take note of strange people in your neighborhood, and make sure they know it. Burglars often case the area, noting which houses are unoccupied and how they might enter unnoticed.
Get to know your neighbors. Getting together with your neighbors builds a sense of community and interdependence. A potential burglar should know that people are watching and the neighborhood cares.
Lock your vehicle! Do not leave valuables (cell phones, CD holders, iPods, purses, wallets, etc.) visible inside your vehicle.
Mark your major possessions with an engraver. Use your Washington Driver's License number. This makes your item identifiable and more difficult to pawn.
Keep a list of the serial number and model numbers of your electronics, bicycles, or any other item which could be carried off by a thief.
Use your imagination to protect your home and property. One person posts a sign "day sleeper" in his window, another puts a large dog dish and a pair of men's boots outside her back door. Leaving a radio or TV turned on creates the illusion that the house is occupied. Timers are now available that will vary the times that lights are turned on and off so the house seems occupied.
For businesses, consider investing in a quality video surveillance system. Such systems make identification of suspects and the subsequently closing of criminal cases by arrest more feasible.