Status symbol security

Subtopia has a little article on security as status symbol in Mexico City.

I remember when I was in San Jose, Costa Rica, a couple of years ago, I remarked on the intense security fences which encaged nearly every house in every middle class neighborhood in the capital (which gave the appearance of a high degree of crime in the area), and someone told me that it wasn't for the fear of crime or break-in's (San Jose is actually a pretty safe place), but the crazy household bars and garage cages were more so for pure status symbol, as if to suggest there was much value inside the house worthy of being robbed....