Personal Security: Be Just as Diligent Away from Home

Personal security is important to all of us. Given the circumstances of the first half of 2020, you could make the case that more people are thinking about their own security than ever before. That is good. But being as safe as possible in this evermore dangerous world requires being as diligent away from home as you are at home.

Vivint Smart Home recently published a blog post on their site offering readers a safety quiz. The quiz asked the question, “how secure is your home?” The idea behind the quiz was to encourage readers to assess their own homes for potential security breaches. Doing so is wise in this day and age.

As long as you are assessing the security of your home, why not ask yourself how safe you are away from home. Do you follow the typical safety procedures that experts routinely talk about? Do you have the same cautious eye when you are out and about as you do when you’re locking your home down for the night?

Attacked from Behind

Underscoring the need to be diligent away from home is a recent case of aggravated robbery in Dallas. According to news reports, an 84-year-old coin collector was returning home after visiting the bank. As he got out of his car, he was accosted by an assailant who stole his briefcase full of coins. The coin collector was injured as he fell to the ground. Thankfully, his injuries were not life-threatening.

What is interesting is that the robber appeared to know what he was after. In the briefcase were 80 Gold Eagle coins worth approximately $400, 10 additional gold coins worth $50, 20 silver coins valued at one dollar apiece, and a 1-ounce silver medal.

It could be that the attack was random and that the robber just got lucky stealing the briefcase. But it is more likely that he knew what was in the briefcase. This suggests he had been watching his victim for some time. That being the case, he knew when to lie in wait for him.

Pay Attention to Surroundings

It is fortunate that the robbery victim was not seriously injured or killed. His case is a classic example of the need to pay attention to surroundings. This poor man was at home, a place where he is supposed to feel safe and secure. And yet there was someone waiting for him when he got there.

The truth is that criminals are always among us. Very rarely do they show themselves as such until the moment of the crime. So just walking down the street, you could encounter an unknown number of criminals who simply pass you by. That is why remaining diligent is so important. It is critical to pay attention to your surroundings at all times.

Paying attention to one’s surroundings is often all the motivation necessary to make wiser and safer decisions. When you are paying attention, you suddenly realize that the darkest corner of the parking lot is not the right place to park your car when you go shopping. Paying attention makes you realize that you shouldn’t be walking around with your phone in your hand or so buried in a text conversation that you don’t know what’s going on around you.

Safety at home is made better with a home security system and 24-hour monitoring. Safety away from home starts with paying attention to your surroundings. The more you are aware of what is going on around you, the more warning you will have should someone attempt to make a victim out of you.