Know your neighbors and observe patterns.  This cannot be emphasized enough. Know whether they work during the  day, whether they have children (and, if so, what they look like), and  what their needs are. Do you live next to an elderly couple that stays  home, but sometimes needs help? Or is there a teenage driver in the  family?  Are there small children you need to look out for? Knowing  these things helps you be aware of who is in your neighborhood and what  could be suspicious.      Keep up your property, and encourage all of your neighbors to do the same.  A neighborhood with mowed lawns, flowers, and freshly painted homes  looks like it’s cared for, and this alone can help deter crime. A  well-kept yard also provides fewer places for suspicious persons to take  cover. If there is a certain open lot or abandoned home that is an  eyesore, work together as a neighborhood to clean up weeds, plant trees,  and do a bit of fixing up on the exterior.    Be extra cautious when ...