Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Recent burglaries in the Hortensias and Gardenias areas of Puerto Vallarta have given rise to increased concerns about safety and security in Colonia Amapas.

Please be advised to exercise more caution since many of us have welcomed the cooler weather and refreshing breezes with open doors and open windows. However, in doing so, we have made the life of a thief that much easier.

Thieves want to sneak in and out quickly and bring little attention to themselves. Yes, we're in paradise, but a false sense of security may allow others to enter your private space and leave with some of your treasured items.

Please share these safety tips with your renters, as well. They are the most vulnerable and need to be the most aware.

Puerto Vallarta Home Security Tips:

• Keep your doors locked at all times - even when home.

• Insert PVC tubing or metal bar in between the middle track of a sliding glass door.

• Older sliding glass doors need an anti-lift device, as well.

• Use a timer to set lights to go off and on during the night. Random lights are even better so as to not create a schedule.

• Use exterior lighting or motion detectors to light up places where a burglar might hide.

• Install an alarm system and/or cameras.

• Don't leave extra keys outside. Give one to a neighbor instead.

• Use drapes and blinds to obscure a potential intruder's view. They make it difficult to see which rooms hold high value items.

• Keep your most valued items out of sight - TVs, stereos, game systems, cash, jewelry and other valuables. Place out of line of sight. Use a safe or put it in a bank.

• Make friends with neighbors so they know a "suspicious" character when they see one.

The ANA WhatsApp Group is an ANA members Only group so you can immediately access the police while a crime is occurring. It's a second step in preventing crime. If you are a member of the Amapas Neighborhood Association, stop by the office in Villas Loma Linda at Hortensias 115 to sign up.

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The Amapas Neighborhood Association is the official association of residents and business owners in the Colonia Amapas of Puerto Vallarta. A volunteer and not-for-profit association with about 350 members, the ANA was founded in 2002 to improve the quality of life in Amapas. We work to keep our neighborhood safe, beautiful, desirable and welcoming to tourists and residents from all countries and walks of life. We are also the official "Junta Vecinal" or neighborhood council for Amapas, the legal representative of the neighborhood to the city government. Visit our website at AmapasPV.com to learn more about us and what we do. For details on how you or your building can join, email membership(at)amapaspv.com.