Watchdog Security Group chief executive Brett Wilson suggests car alarms, GPS trackers, well-lit parking spaces and models with good in-built security systems could help prevent theft.
They are great deterrents but unfortunately, some people can't take these measures due to financial reasons or location.
Another option could be mass surveillance with CCTV cameras on every street corner and each property. But anyone who has read George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984, will know that's not a great idea.
I'm not suggesting this is the answer because that would be far too extreme but maybe the answer to dealing with our sky-high crime rates is more severe punishment.
Last year, 5057 people were put in jail, Ministry of Justice data showed.
Community sentences were the most serious sentence for 20,987 people. These sentences included home detention, community detention, intensive supervision, and community work or supervision.
Charges for offences against justice (33,343) and traffic (32,976) were the most common last year, followed by theft (21,807), acts intended to cause injury (21,597) and illicit drugs (12,042).
It seems many criminals are not worried about getting caught or don't think they will be.
There are people trying to solve the problem, such as local police but as of February, they only numbered 770 full-time police officers in the Bay of Plenty and they can only do so much.
What's the answer?
Some people would say harsher penalties - but these alone will not solve the problem.
Better education and parenting, stronger family values and connection, employment, a sense of purpose, reducing alcohol and drug harm, better health support and respect for other people and their property would also help.
But it's a complex problem - and won't be solved any time soon.
