The survey interviewed 159 tenants of bungalows and flats: over 70 percent were women, 64 percent were over 75 years old, and 63 percent lived alone. Reports of street wardens employed by the social service departments to visit elderly tenants were studied. Respondents expressed considerable anxiety about crime, particularly burglary and vandalism. In contrast, wardens' reports on 1,818 properties for a 6-month period in 1982 revealed only 84 crime-related issues affecting 4 percent of the households. These incidents ranged from nuisance and vandalism to burglary. The common feature of these crimes against elderly people was their occurrence in or around the domestic environment. Elderly people were reluctant to lock their doors because it limited spontaneous contact with the outside world, expressed distrust in others, and reinforced a feeling of withdrawal and isolation. The article suggests that crime prevention strategies should consider the difficulties elderly people have in controlling their domestic space. Tables and 20 reference. (Author abstract modified)