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Crime Doctor

Making Places Safe

Apartment Crime Motivation Point of View Through Criminal Eyes

January 30, 2023 Chris McGoey

Apartment Crime Motivation understanding is key to designing a security plan.

  • How do criminals view crime opportunities in an apartment community?
  • Does the level of criminal motivation make a difference in deterrence?

Apartment Crime Motivation Factor: The Risk

For the property thief, the decision to commit a crime on an apartment property is a risk versus reward exercise. The risk of committing this crime is the chance of getting caught, losing the property, and possibly their freedom.

Apartment Crime Motivation Factor: The Escape

Many property thieves will view the lack of suitable escape routes in an apartment community as a trap and will simply choose another property to victimize.

Apartment Crime Motivation Factor: The Reward

The reward is the perceived benefit obtained upon the successful completion of the crime. A good apartment security plan will address this concept by using crime prevention measures that will increase the perpetrator’s perception of being caught (risk) while diminishing the perceived value of their target (reward).

Apartment Crime Motivation: Size Matters

Criminals prefer large apartment complexes where they can feel invisible because everyone appears to be a stranger. It’s difficult to know all your neighbors and guests with frequent resident turnover. Burglars and thieves have told me that they can walk about as if they lived there and become familiar with the property and potential targets. As long as they don’t look or act suspiciously nobody ever questions their presence on the property.

Apartment Crime Motivation: Criminal Mindset

Property criminals view an apartment community differently than a new resident prospect looking for a place to live.

For property thieves, it’s more like going shopping and looking at the various items available to steal. They have a choice of where and when they will commit a crime. If the thieves don’t like the merchandise or the shopping experience at your property, they will go elsewhere.

For them, the available targets equate to money. The things they steal can be converted to money or can be used so they don’t have to spend their money. Property crimes are usually one of stealth, where the criminal does not want a confrontation or be identified.

However, it is possible that the property crime may become violent if the opportunity presents itself or if surprised, cornered, or captured.

Those arrested for property crimes and usually male and between 18-21 years old.

The studies show that most property criminals live nearby their target areas and are familiar with the neighborhood. It is an important comfort factor for them to know the terrain and all the potential escape routes.

They will usually work the property on foot unless they need a vehicle to transport the stolen merchandise. Sometimes the property criminal will have lived in the target apartment community or have a friend who is a current resident.

Apartment Crime Motivation Factor: Deterrence

For apartment managers, recognizing and addressing the lower levels of criminal motivation is the first key to successful deterrence. A good crime prevention program works best on moderately and poorly motivated criminals.

There are some key points to remember:

  • A criminal’s motivation to commit a theft is at its lowest level during the first visit to the property
  • Criminal motivation increases as they become more familiar with the property
  • Success, in committing crimes on a property, will increase the level of motivation to continue to commit more crimes
  • It is three times more difficult to deter a criminal who has been successful in committing crimes on your property

Address Low-Level Apartment Crime Motivation at the Perimeter

The best places to address lower levels of apartment crime motivation are at the entrances to the property, the perimeter of the buildings, and most importantly, in the leasing office.

Good perimeter fencing and a reduced number of entrances after hours will often create that perception.

Criminals read the signs that say, “Security Patrol” or “Neighborhood Watch” or “Crime Free Multi-Housing Program”, even if we don’t.

Property thieves want to blend into a community, and they get uncomfortable when residents look suspiciously at them.

  • I urge you to participate in your local Crime Free Multi-Housing Program and make the right impression for keeping crime out of your community.

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    Jonesborough, Tennessee

    951-461-8950

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    Premises Security Expert; Premises Liability Security Expert; Service area: Eastern and southern USA, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida. After 39 years of serving California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington.

    Tagged With: apartment security, home security, security plan

    About Chris McGoey

    My biography spans 53 years of studying, evaluating, and developing security plans worldwide. I'm a habitual skeptic, a chronic people watcher, a golf fanatic, and a relentless traveler.
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    Podcast Reviews

    • Great information and insight
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      I have been listening to this podcast now for several months. It is one of the best sources of information concerning crime, security, and ways of making your home and business safe. Keep up the good work. Thank you for all you do to help so many people. DJ in Scottsburg, IN

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      I am not one of those people who believes there is a bad guy behind every bush but Chris offers good advice that can be very useful to all of us. His tips can prevent us experiencing a home robbery due to our own carelessness. It amazes me that people use social media to advertise their absence from their homes. There are plenty of other points of carelessness Chris describes that also advertises to burglars. His voice is easy to understand and listen.

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      October 22, 2015 by taylor826 from United States

      He pretty much covers the gamut of high-risk scenario from personal safety to commercial property security. He provides insights to how criminals could perceive potential victims as vulnerable. I don't own commercial property or a business, but the security best practices he outlines which mitigate potential crimes in multiple industries, also increases my awareness to avoid such businesses/locations that don't implement those policies. You don't want to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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      Chris has been the ‘crime doctor’ for many businesses over the years - not much he hasn’t seen and fixed! Great to have his expertise coming to us directly through his podcast interviews. Highly recommended!

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      As a security expert, Chris McGoey was and continues to be a trailblazer. First, his informative website and book. Now this convenient, cutting-edge and educational podcast. Chris has an uncanny knack for knowing just what the world needs. With this show, he delivers vital information on safety and security in plain language that everyone can benefit from.

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      Outstanding! Very thorough. I would like to see police departments link to this audio as part of their crime prevention education of their citizens.

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      A great resource for new and veteran crime prevention practitioners. I have subscribed so I won't miss and episode.

    Chris E. McGoey CPP, CSP, ICPS, CAM
    McGoey Security Consulting
    Jonesborough, Tennessee
    951-461-8950
    Chris@CrimeDoctor.com

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