By Kezia Royer-Burkett, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
After dealing with what residents describe as a steady stream of break-ins, one Oakville neighbourhood decided it could not wait any longer for the problem to disappear on its own.
Residents in the Glen Abbey area say there were times when homes were being targeted several times a week, prompting neighbours to organize through a community group chat. Out of those conversations came an idea that residents say has dramatically changed the neighbourhood since last August: hiring a private overnight security patrol.
The group, known as The Glen Abbey Security Patrol Participants, now has about 52 households contributing toward overnight patrols provided by Dynamic Security. Homes that participate display signs on their lawns indicating that the property is part of the patrol area. Founding member and resident Kashif Chaudry said the neighbourhood’s geography made it especially vulnerable.
“Our neighbourhood is kind of unique, because we’re surrounded by forest and a golf course. There are only two ways to get in and exit,” Chaudry said.
After a series of break-ins, Chaudry said neighbours began discussing possible solutions in smaller offshoot chat groups. “We started brainstorming ideas like using a drone, robot dog, cameras on the street, then we landed on the night security guard idea,” he said. The neighbourhood now has a security guard patrolling overnight and updating residents throughout the night through the group chat. Chaudry said residents believe the visible presence alone has discouraged criminals from entering the area.
“On two occasions, the security was following a vehicle that kept circling the area,” he said. “Two guys jumped out of the van. When the security approached the vehicle, the two guys jumped back in the van, and it drove off quickly, and the security could tell there were at least five guys in the van.”
Chaudry said the neighbourhood has not experienced another break-in since the patrol program began. While Chaudry acknowledges not every neighbourhood can afford private security, he believes the larger lesson is about community involvement.
“We took six people from a group of 300, and we came up with this idea,” he said. “I’m not saying other neighbourhoods in Halton should have the same idea, but together, stop complaining and think about a solution, and you’ll come up with something, because the police can’t do it all.”
Stephen Tanner said break-ins remain a concern across the region, particularly incidents where suspects enter homes while families are inside.
“We had 946 break-and-enters last year,” Tanner said. “Some of those are garages or businesses too, but they’re always concerning, especially the ones where people are breaking in at 4:30 in the morning when the family’s home.”
Tanner said while private security is not a replacement for police, there is clear deterrent value in visible patrols.
“If you have a private security vehicle sitting at the end of a dead-end road with a number of houses, then somebody may go somewhere else to commit their crimes,” he said. “There is a deterrent value.”
He added that security guards would still rely on police if a crime was actively taking place. “If I was a security guard making $20 an hour and two people that may be armed with some sort of a weapon were breaking into a house, I would be calling the police to come deal with it,” Tanner said.
Tanner said police also encourage residents to improve lighting, secure vehicles inside garages where possible and use other deterrents to make homes less attractive targets. “There are even certain vehicles that are targeted more than others,” Tanner said, citing SUVs, pickup trucks, and some luxury vehicles among the most commonly stolen.
The police chief said he has advocated for bail reform at multiple levels of government, including through the attorney general and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, particularly in cases involving repeat offenders connected to violent break-ins, home invasions, and auto thefts.
“Some of the violent offenders who are breaking into houses using weapons, injuring people, those people should be spending more time before they get out of jail,” he said.
Despite supporting neighbourhood initiatives like the Glen Abbey patrol, Tanner emphasized that police services remain available to all residents regardless of whether they can afford private security.
“The 1,200 members of the Halton Regional Police Service are here for everybody,” Tanner said. “Certainly, sometimes in neighbourhoods that can afford private security, it may be helpful as a deterrent, and we support them, but we’re here for everybody.”
Correction notice: the security company name was incorrectly listed as Dynamic Security Solutions. The correct name of Dynamic Security is now included in the article.
