Basic Safety

I am from Denver, Colorado so I think my perception of crime might be different from other Americans who come from small towns where you can leave your doors unlocked. I just thought I would touch base on a few tips and facts about basic safety in the UK.

First off, the crime rate is relatively low here.

Here are some tips:

• Put 999 in your phone- this is emergency number.
• Lock your doors even if you are home. Like I said most crimes are petty and people are opportunists. 
• Keep keys in a place that is not in sight, people might just quickly grab car keys from an open window or door and go. 
• You can look up crime in any area here.
• If you are going to be away, get timers for your lights and leave a radio on. 
• Do not lock anything in your car. This is why American cars are often targeted. If you do, put it out of sight.
• Do not let any salespeople in your house without seeing an ID first.
• Avoid walking in dark areas at night, try to stick to a well lit route.
• Keep purses zipped up and be aware of your  surroundings.
• Register your property here.
• If you have a bike, lock it even if it just for a quick in and out stop (I learned this the hard way). 

Some of these seem like common sense but people forget that they are in another country but I don't want you to panic, it is very safe here.

I come from Colorado and I would always lock my house and car. It is always best to error on the side of caution. Even when I was stationed at Minot AFB, I would lock the doors to my house.

Americans can be targeted for several reasons, British people don’t spend their money on things as much as the Americans as things are expensive here and Americans love to have expensive TVs and other electronics. The cars you drive make you a target. It is very easy to spot where an American is living just because they have a huge F-150 outside a small English house.

It is not a dangerous place to live, the crime rate compared to the States is very low. You just need to be vigilant and take precautions. Here is the Government's information about crime.

All the Best!

American to Britain