Submitted By:  Marc A. Valenti 
 
Safety & Security CommitteeHere in VOWS we experience theft from motor vehicles and from our homes and other on site structures.  As a member of the Safety and Security Committee I have done some research regarding solutions to this problem.  It appears some, if not most of the break-ins are crimes of opportunity.  As homeowners we need to reduce the opportunity that the criminally minded person might have. Our committee along with the Maintenance and Pool Committee have been successful in installing lighting in most of our common areas that in the past were affected by criminal behavior.  We have been very fortunate and the vandalism and theft to those illuminated areas have reduced drastically.
 
Please consider utilizing the existing lighting that surrounds your house to the maximum.  Ensure that all street lights are working and please report any inoperative street lights immediately to the management company.  You can report the inoperative lights by sending an email to Justin.lahue@premiere.communities.net, and give him a very specific location so he can report it to the power company.
 
You can also purchase timers that will operate your exterior lighting.  They have programmable motion sensor timers that when installed and utilized become an excellent way to knock out the opportunity for the criminally minded.  The person committing the crime prefers to do their work in the dark and shadows, so a well-lit driveway and yard can make your house a less appealing target.  If you do install this type of system, please be courteous and ensure that the light does not shine into any neighbor’s window(s). 
 
A motion sensor hooked up to the outdoor lights is an easy way to get the best of both worlds.  Not only do lights turn on when anyone with nefarious intent approaches, but they also welcome you home in the evenings, so you don’t have to worry about leaving a porch light on and again running up the energy bill.