Robbery and
assault are serious crimes. While money is often the motivation, these
incidents are considered crimes of violence because they involve the threat or
actual use of physical violence. The basic rules of prevention are to be
sensible and to be alert. The following tips will also help reduce the risk of
robbery or assault, against you or a loved one.
Personal
Safety Tips on the Street
- If possible, don't walk alone during
late-night hours. Walk in groups whenever you can—there is almost always
safety in numbers.
- Let a family member or friend know
your destination and your estimated time of arrival or return. That way,
the police can be notified as quickly as possible if there is a problem.
- Stay in well-lit areas as much as
possible. Avoid alleys, vacant lots, wooded areas, and other short-cuts or
secluded areas. They are usually not well-lit or heavily traveled, and are
favorites for hiding robbers, rapists and other nastiness.
- Walk on the sidewalk whenever possible.
Walk close to the curb, avoiding doorways, bushes, and other potential
hiding places.
- If you have to walk in the street,
walk facing traffic. A person walking with traffic can be followed, forced
into a car, and abducted more easily than a person walking against
traffic.
- Walk confidently, directly, and at a
steady pace. Don't stop to talk to strangers, remember the adage ‘Stranger
Danger.’
- Wear clothing and shoes that give you
freedom of movement. And don't burden yourself with too many packages or
items, as these might slow you down should you need to flee the scene
quickly.
- Always be aware of your surroundings.
If you are wearing headphones, don't turn up the volume so high that you
cannot hear outside noises.
- Never hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.
- Report any suspicious activity or
person immediately to the Police Department or call 9-1-1.
- Avoid carrying large sums of cash, or
displaying expensive jewelry in public.
Basic
Street Smarts
- Wherever you are—on the street, in an
office building or shopping mall, driving, waiting for a bus or
subway—stay alert and tuned in to your surroundings.
- Send the message that you're
calm, confident, and know where you're going.
- Trust your instincts. If something or
someone makes you uneasy, avoid the person or leave.
- Know the neighborhoods where you live
and work.
- Check out the locations of police and
fire stations, public telephones, hospitals, and restaurants, or stores
that are open late.
If
Someone Tries to Rob You
- Don't resist. Give up your property—don't
give up your life.
- Report the crime to the police. Try to
describe the attacker accurately. Your actions can help prevent others
from becoming victims.
Self-defense measures are most effective when applied as
preventive steps—avoiding the crime in the first place. These measures include running away, hiding,
screaming, and raising an alarm—remember, more people will respond to someone
yelling "Fire" than they will to "Help!"”
Safety in
Your Vehicle
The crime of
“carjacking” – which is stealing a car by force – captures headlines across the
country. Statistically speaking, however, your chances of being a victim of
carjacking are very slim, and taking preventive measures can reduce that risk
even more.
- If the carjacker threatens you with a
gun or other weapon, give up your car. Don’t argue. Your life is
definitely worth more than a car.
- Get away from the area as quickly as
possible.
- Try to remember what the carjacker
looked like—sex, race, age, hair and eye color, special features, clothes.
- Report the crime immediately to the police.
Automated
Teller Machine (ATM) Safety Tips
- Try to use machines you are familiar
with, and try to use terminals located in banks rather than independent
terminals.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Look
around before conducting a transaction. If you see anyone or anything
suspicious, cancel your transaction and go to another ATM.
- If you must use an ATM after hours,
make sure it’s well-lit.
- Never walk away from an ATM with cash
still in hand. If you are going to count your money, do so at the ATM.
- When making an ATM transaction from
your car, be aware of your surroundings. Keep your eyes and ears open, and
keep car doors locked.
Preventing
Assaults
Assaults are
basically fights carried out with or without a weapon at home or in a public
space, between strangers, (frequently) among friends, acquaintances, or loved
ones. The most serious assaults are
known as "aggravated assaults," "assaults with a deadly
weapon," or "assaults with intent to kill." Less serious offenses are called "simple
assaults." In many cases, simple assaults turn into more serious assaults
or even homicides, if the initial argument or fight is not scaled back or
resolved quickly. While some assaults
are unavoidable, use the following tips to make sure simple arguments do not
turn violent or deadly:
- If you are involved in a heated
argument that appears to be turning violent, walk away. If you stay and
fight "to prove something," you will only demonstrate poor
judgment in almost every instance.
- Never carry a firearm, knife, or other
illegal weapon. A weapon will definitely escalate the situation, and it
could ultimately be used to harm innocent people or yourself.
- Avoid excessive drinking, or if you
have been drinking, recognize its impact on your judgment. Alcohol is a
contributing factor in many assaults.
- If you see an assault in progress, call
the police or dial 911 immediately to alert the police. Do not jump into
the fray, unless it is a last resort to prevent more serious injury.
- Your chance at surviving any type of
physical assault depends greatly on yourself. In any situation there is a potential
that it can turn violent, always think things through, and never take
anything for granted, EVER!
Stay Tuned, More Tomorrow - Bird
