Crime Prevention and Residential Safeguards

-Birdymckee

It is well recognized that the prevention of crime provides the best measure of protection. Therefore, your family must operate as a proactive crime prevention team that works closely with the members of the community to make your residence a safer place to live.

This Blog has provided you with presentations on topics such as personal safety, vehicle and residential security, office and equipment security, and rape/sexual assault prevention. Brochures and literature on crime prevention and personal safety are available through the many police department's investigations/crime prevention office around the country.

In order to increase the level of crime awareness and incidents of criminal activity within the community I have publicized in many ways a variety or articles detailing the manner and means in which criminal think and their thought process. By understanding this, you will begin to understand the reasons behind many of my various Blog entries.

In recent years society has experienced growth in the criminal activity whereby the criminals target safety and security, of persons living in society. For example, one need only read a local newspaper, or watch a news program or even listen to a radio, to fully understand the significance of this growth of criminal behavior, look as the booming prisons populations around the United States, indeed around the entire Planet. It is anticipated that as the population of the Country increases, so will the need for awareness of personal safety, property safety and community safety.

Please take a moment and a few minutes of your time to look at these listed items:

Protecting Yourself at Home, in Your Room or Apartment

• Lock your door, even when you intend to return home shortly or even if you are just going down the hall, or to the neighborhood store. It takes a thief ten seconds or less to enter an open room or house and steal your property.
• Lock or secure doors and windows when you are alone or asleep. As this will decrease your chances of burglary, home invasion and/or possible assault.
• Keep emergency numbers by your phone. This is a MUST DO, particularly if your family has children; also to remember that a child as young as three can be taught to dial 911.
• Do not leave messages on your door indicating that you are away and when you will return. As this is an open invitation for an unwanted stranger to enter your room/residence and steal your personal property.
• Do not let strangers enter your residence. Many professional burglars enters a residence looking at your layout and the property that is easily accessible. Thus, take this note of caution, a stranger that you do not know, is a 'stranger danger.”
• Do not prop open outer doors. As this provides easy access into your apartment/residence. It makes it easier for a person to enter an open door rather than taking the time and hassle of entering through a locked door or window.
• If someone asks to use your phone for an emergency call, offer to telephone for them instead of allowing them access. This is another trick of criminals, i.e., “Can I use your telephone to call the police, my ….” now that s/he has the phone, all the information contained thereon is open for viewing, including your phone number, which is often times used by the criminal element to call ahead to see if you are at home, prior to a beak-in.
• Do not put your address on your key ring. A thief only needs an invitation to enter into your residence for snooping and/or thieving purposes, and what a better way for him/her to do so that to get your keeps with a return address attached. Now s/he doesn't need anything more than to allow you to leave and since s/he has the key to the residence, consider your peronal property gone!
• Know your neighbors. Be well aware of who lives in your particular neighborhood, and make friends with them. For most friends who sees something amiss will call the police, remember that this street runs two ways, your neighbor will be grateful if you happen to see something amiss and s/he loses nothin in a break-in situation.
• Do not leave keys in hiding places. Thieves will find them. Carry your keys or make sure that anyone who truly needs them has their own copy. A hide-a-key is a good thing if you avoid hiding your speare key around your residence. The best bet is to give a spare key to someone you trust, just in case your in need, or have lost your keys.
• Open a savings or checking account instead of keeping money in your residence. Remember that most chance thieves are looking for some quick cash, if you have extra cash over a couple hundred dollars that you want to keep in your residence, put a little here, and a little there but don't keep it with a rubber band all in one lump. A crook is more than happy to find such a stash and relieve you of your extra cash!
• Keep automatic teller machine cards in a safe place, keep your PIN number secret. When possible, only use ATMs during the day. Also, when using an ATM. Look around you and know your surroundings, most thievery happens at night either coming back to an ATM or standing at an ATM.
• Instead of carrying large sums of cash use a charge card. Some charge cards insure property purchased with those cards against loss, theft or damage.
• If you find yourself in immediate danger, call 911; try to stay calm and get away at the first opportunity.
  

Protect Yourself When Walking

• Avoid walking alone at night unless absolutely necessary.
• Keep to well lit commonly traveled routes.
• Avoid shortcuts and dark, isolated areas.
• Walk purposefully, know where you are going, project a no-nonsense image.
• Avoid potentially dangerous situations.
• If you feel threatened, cross the street, locate an emergency phone, or enter a store or place of business even if you have just left it.
• Have your door keys ready; carry them in your pocketsand not buried in a purse.
  

Protect Your Automobile, Bicycle or Moped

• Always lock your car. (One in five stolen cars was left with keys in the ignition.)
• Lock bikes to immovable objects or bike racks with hardened alloy locks and chains or U-shaped lock
• Do not leave tempting valuables or property visible inside the car. Lock these items in the trunk.
• Lock mopeds as you would bikes.
  

Protecting yourself

• Look into your car before getting in. Lock doors and roll up windows once inside for protection.
• Never pick up hitchhikers.
• Carry change for emergency calls. Even though calling 911 is a free call.
• Drive to a police or fire station or open place of business if you feel you are being followed.
• Do not stop to help occupants of stopped or disabled vehicles, instead call the proper authorities. Continue driving to the nearest phone and call assistance for them.
• Raise the hood, then lock yourself into your car if it breaks down. If someone stops and offers you help, remain in your car and ask them to phone for help. Do not worry about seeming rude.
  

-Birdy