Residents of Demopolis, Linden and other locales in Marengo County are pretty fortunate.

They escape much of the violent and personal crime that plagues other parts of the world, the country, the state and even the region.

But all too often, residents and business owners can mistake that safety for security.

Unfortunately. crime and the people who perpetrate it are everywhere. Even in small towns like Linden where eight break-ins occurred in a single night last weekend.

Just because rural towns do not experience the volume of crime as larger cities does not mean its residents should become complacent. It is still important to invest in proper security measures to protect loved ones, health and property.