Welcome to Northern Maine where locked doors are not the norm and what's a dead bolt lock look like anyway?(Stratching head slowly, rubbing chin and pondering how to explain the lifestyle and attitude in Maine.) With fewer, friendlier people who respect personal property and other folks, you are safe owning property in Aroostook, Washington and Penobscot Counties. Real estate like hunting camps on a river, lake or middle of the woods do not get broken into. Our state is the 4th lowest crime area in the nation with a 4% index per thousand. Aroostook , the northern "Crown of Maine " County we enjoy half that again. The index is under 2%. Think about it..if local folks are brought up to show respect, know hard work and are raised with a sense of values because they take care of their property...and know how hard you worked for yours...they sure are not going to break in or steal or abuse your new Maine cottage or hobby farm or recreational land. There is so much open and wooded space to enjoy that no one is dying to get on your property. We are spoiled with town after town of 40 people, 28 people along the fringe of a few larger ones so this translates in to leave things like you found them.
Had one fellow recently purchased a forty acre property and at the real estate closing in Houlton, he asked afterward "Where's the nearest hardware store?" I told him if you are thinking of needing no trespassing signs every ten feet to make a fortress out of your land, and a paddle locked gate and a force field around your travel trailer, consider you don't see those kind of signs as a rule here for a reason. They are not needed, are ugly and tell the world, keep out. With 11 people per square mile, how many folks do you think are here or driving the 6.5 hours from Boston to mess with your property ? And once you get to know the farmer down the road who welded that broken sled ski for you and pulled your out of the spring hole where you went fly fishing last year, you have a friend for life. And don't forget the friendly town manager that will register your snow-sled and sell you a fishing/hunting combination license on a Saturday if you arrive late Friday night after office hours, you realize they are looking after you and your place too. If they happen to see some tracks or a strange pickup parked by the entrance to your camp, they will stop first to see if the person needs a jump 
start. (Everyone has jumper cables in their car or truck just in case.) And if something a little fishy is going on, they will let the person know they know you by name, and then casually but noticably take a gander at their license plate number. This person moves along and gets the hint and if they don't, you get a courtesy call asking what do you want them to do. Ring up the police, go back and tell them you had a little chit chat with the owner who does know a Zeke Repeat, the name they gave you during the first howdy do session. That's the way people are and would hope you would look out for them the same way if they had bought property, worked hard to get it ship shape on your end. There is community and a sense of pride, respect and honor that may be eroding in other urban areas of the country. These folks want to help. Personally, with local police, county sheriff patrol, state police and a beefed up collection of border patrol agents since 911 in the Northeast, I think we are ready for a crime wave should the Bat Signal show up in the sky some night.
We are fortunate to be far enough up the pike so it is much like being in a 4 season disney land but without the people... no line at Space Mountain but all the rides, thrills and fun though. Just natural wildlife, unspoiled scenery and everyone here after the 
same thing you want. Peace, respect for property and to enjoy the crystal clean lakes, Baxter State Park, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and miles and miles of trails thru unorganized townships that are unorganized and unpopulated. Mainers are among the most fortunate people on the planet with this setting and lower population. Hate to say it, and don't take it wrong but often times when you get wall to wall people, you start having problems because people start to act like labratory rats. Someone is invading your space, or making you late for work plodding along when you are wired for sound and in a major hurry. Or every one ignores everyone else, not wanting to get involved and expecting the worst in others as a general rule. We say hello, hold doors for you, let you go in traffic and only hope you say hello or thanks back. It is the right thing to do and how we want to be treated. We work hard, but we are not gerbils on a treadmill. And come quitting time, you'll see us on the snowsled trails, downhill family skiing, working in the garden or fields, at a local basketball or hockey game, or bean supper at a church and we are happy, content and grateful for all we have.
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