Home and Family Safety: Cell Phone

Whether you live in a high-rise apartment complex, a mobile home park or an upscale gated community, you can be the victim of crime. No matter what your circumstance, there are steps that you can take to increase security and protect your family.




Here are some ways to get an Apartment Watch going and growing.
* Help arrange with local police for apartment security surveys and Operation Identification.


* Organize citizen patrols to walk around the apartment complex and alert police to crime and suspicious activities. Don't forget to patrol parking lots, stairways, laundry rooms, and playgrounds.


* Publish a newsletter that gives local crime news, recognizes Apartment Watch captains, and highlights community activities.


* Organize a reception in the lobby of your building or a cookout on common property so neighbors can get to know one another.


* Keep pressure on management to make sure it provides adequate security.


* Start a Safe Haven Program for children -- places where they can go in emergency or scary situations.


* Check the complex on a regular basis for problems such as burned-out light bulbs, dark corridors, uncollected trash, or broken locks on mailboxes and doors. Report problems to the building manager.


* Organize meetings to brainstorm how you can help each other, such as starting an escort service for the elderly or after-school care for children.






Auto Theft Prevention Tips:  Mimimize Your Chances


Taking precautionary measures can minimize your chances of becoming the victim of auto theft.


In the United States a vehicle is stolen an average of every 21 minutes. Not only does auto theft costs the victim time and money, but it cost society, because it drives insurance premiums up and many times stolen vehicles are used to commit other crimes.


Car thefts seem to occur with greater frequency where large groups of cars are parked for extended periods of time in places such as shopping centers, colleges, sporting events, movie complexes, and large apartment complexes, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Car thefts can occur anytime -- at random on different days of the week and times of the day, depending on the locations.


Below are some tips you can use to avoid being the victim of a car thief:


* Never leave your car running unattended, even to dash into a business, stores, etc.;


* Never leave any keys in the car or ignition, inside a locked garage, or in hide-a-key boxes;


* Always roll up your windows and lock the car, even if it is parked in front of your home;


* Never leave valuables in plain view, even if your car is locked. Put them in the trunk out of sight;


* Always park in high-traffic, well-lighted areas, when possible;


* Install a mechanical device that locks the steering wheel, column, or brakes. These devices will deter some criminals;


* Investigate the purchase of a vehicle theft tracking/security system, especially if you own one of the frequently stolen model vehicles;


* Never leave personal identification documents, vehicle ownership title, or credit cards in your vehicle;


* If you must leave your key with a valet, attendant, or mechanic leave only the ignition key. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable firm.


* In high theft areas the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) should be etched on windows, doors, fenders and trunk lid. This makes it difficult for a thief to market your stolen car parts.


* Copy your license plate and vehicle information (VIN) numbers on a card and keep them with you. If your vehicle is stolen, the police will need this information to take a report; and,


* Many vehicles today come with some type of security system from the factory. Normally there are upgraded systems available if you ask. The best choice is: systems that shut off the fuel supply so that a car can't be started or driven.


* If your vehicle is stolen, report it to the police immediately.


Source: Los Angeles Police Department, Troy, OH Police Department




iPod Muggings - A Growing Problem For Owners
Tips On Keeping Your Digital Audio Player and yourself Out Of Harms Way


Thieves have moved from designer sneakers to iPods and they aren't playing around. Here are tips on safeguarding yourself and your iPod or any small hand held electronic device.


Make Wise Choices


    * Some people choose to wear their mp3 players, cell phones and PDAs clipped to their belts for all the world to see, like some kind of 21st Century status symbol, but that may not be the best safety practice.


    * Change out the popular white iPod headphones for a pair of old dingy unidentifiable ones. Using the white headphones while out in the public is advertising that somewhere on your person you are carrying an item worth over $300 and has the capability of holding over 10,000 songs -- certainly a temptation for any thief.


    * Avoid carrying your iPod to and from school. Thieves who want to steal an iPod are going to head for the 'pond with the biggest fish' which is almost any high school campus throughout the country.


    * Consider purchasing something along the line of Apple's iPod Mini Armbands. It will free your hands and help you secure the iPod to your body instead of displaying it with a clip on your belt.


More Ways to Avoid Having Your iPod Stolen
    * Do not leave it unattended in public places.


    * Do not leave it on or in your desk at work.


    * Do not leave it in your school locker.


    * If you leave it in your car, lock it in the trunk.


    * Wear your iPod inside your clothing so that it cannot be easily snatched by a thief.


    * Be wise about where you choose to use it.


These same principles apply to all digital audio players, PDAs and cellphones or any small electronic device that you want to protect.


Until makers of digital audio players come out with a theft deterrent manufactured into the products, owners of these great devices should use the same caution that they would use if they had a few hundred dollars in their pocket.


An interesting note: in a recent segment on The Apprentice, the teams developed clothing designed to hold small electronic devices. Maybe this is a hint of things to come in helping to safeguard our growing inventories of small hand held electronics.