Are you familiar with the “9 p.m. routine?” Make it a habit every evening to take some basic crime prevention steps around your house:

• Turn on porch lights.
• Bicycles, lawn equipment and power tools should be put in the garage or moved to the backyard.
• Close garage doors.
• Bring in valuables from your car such as laptops, firearms and purses.
• Lock car doors.

Set an alarm on your phone, or put a sign on your refrigerator to remind you of the 9 p.m. routine every night. Better yet, turn it into a family activity which could teach some basic principles of safety and crime prevention to kids.