Yes Donna it sure is, I remember when my american friend came over (this is like 16 yrs ago,) he thought New Zealand was so crime free (and it was and probably still is compared with the US)that he could leave his car unlocked, but even then you still couldn't , there is always the opportunist thief just waiting to pounce.

I really detest mindless vandalism though, it bugs the hell out of me, the council here put in beautiful young trees(of which my rates help pay for) to beautify the roadside, and now most of them have never matured, because mindless idiots with nothing better to do have destroyed them, UGH!!!!