The North Bay Police Service is hoping to use social media as a way to remind residents to lock up their valuables.
#9PMRoutine, was created by Pasco County Sheriff's Office in Florida and has now been picked up by police services' across the U.S. and now Canada.
The initiative encourages residents to protect themselves and their loved ones from becoming victims of crime by locking and securing their homes and vehicles every night at 9 p.m.
"We want people to recognize if you make it a habit it becomes second nature," said John Schultz, Community Safety Coordinator for the North Bay Police Service.
"It is like 'Lock it or Lose it' so we want to remind people if you make it a habit it becomes a habit. You lock up your bike, you lock up your car, you lock up your house. If you have motion detector lighting, would-be thieves don't like to be lit up, so if the lights come on they are likely going to pass you by, and that is the same with your car."
The concept is one of a number of initiatives that have been released by the Police Service during Police Week.
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Schultz believes if you have locked it up and removed all the valuables, it makes you less likely to be a victim of a thief.
"By making it a routine and looking around your house it also becomes a good neighbour thing as well. As you look out to make sure your bike is locked up, that you have locked up your car, you are scanning your neighbourhood. You can then pick out anything that is unusual. If you see a person or a vehicle that does not really belong it may be something you want to document or call us to make us aware of it," he said.
Aside from making it a routine to check if your doors are locked at 9 p.m., he believes in making it a routine to make sure valuables are not left overnight in vehicles too.
"They are after quick grabs, so by locking it up and having everything removed the thieves are just going to pass you by," notes Schultz.
"We have had windows that have been broken and that was because the thieves saw something on the inside that was valuable so they broke the window in order to grab the valued item from inside. So if you have removed it and you have locked it up, they are going to look in, try the door and if it is not open they pass by because, let's face it, these people are looking to steal something from you. So if you have removed it, they are not going to break a window for nothing because that attracts attention.
"If they are attracting attention by breaking a window, someone is going to call the police and that is not what they want. They want to be able to do a quick grab and keep moving along down the block."
