Securing Our Future Together
EXPERT SECURITY TIPS:
- Always keep your car, house, garage, shed, etc., locked at all times
- Good lighting is the cheapest night-time crime deterrent and one of the most effective
- Trim shrubbery to allow for visual sightlines from the street
- If you have an alarm, use it. If you don’t have an alarm, get one!
- Burglary can occur at any time but more and more residence burglaries occur in the morning
- Never hire casual labor if you aren’t familiar with the worker, either through personal acquaintance or a recent reference from a trusted source
- Be careful about hiring small contractors who drive around the neighborhood looking for work - they may be scam artists
- Be especially watchful if construction or repair work is going on in your neighborhood within a block or so of your location
- Use your patrol for escorts to and from your house. After all, that’s one of the reasons we’re there. When you call us, give us a precise arrival or departure time so we can coordinate multiple requests
- If you’re leaving town, call in a patrol request and we’ll keep an eye on your property
- If you observe a suspicious person in the neighborhood, call us and we’ll begin a surveillance
- Become “street smart” and make your personal security an unconscious habit
WALKING:
- Look confident and be aware of the environment around you
- Walk briskly, with someone else if possible
- Face traffic and stay visible
- Avoid isolated areas; stay away from parks and vacant lots at night
- Do NOT wear loose fitting, valuable jewelry
- Do NOT fight a purse snatcher- let him have the loot
- Do NOT talk to strangers- keep walking and call the patrol or 911
VEHICLE THEFT:
Remember that one car is stolen every 19 seconds in the US. Here are some safeguards:
- Close windows, lock car, take the keys EVERY time you leave the car
- Park in a busy, well lighted area
- Do not leave personal ID documents, keys or credit cards in the car, Take your registration with you
- Leave only the ignition key if you park in a commercial lot
- Keep all valuables in the trunk or out of sight
- Use devices that help prevent theft: Alarms, Kill switches, Steering wheel locks, Collars, Etching parts, Anti-theft systems
CARJACKING and HOW TO AVOID IT:
Car thieves find it much easier to steal a car when the owner is there with the keys in the ignition than it is to break into a car, especially one with an alarm. Most carjackers look for sleek powerful luxury cars to steal and sell, but will go after anything for a joy ride
- Before you enter your car, pay attention to surroundings, have your key in your hand
- If there is someone loitering near your car as you approach, keep walking and call for help
- Once you are in the car keep doors and windows locked
- Stay out of high crime areas
- Be suspicious of people approaching you asking for directions or handing out flyers
- When stopping in traffic, leave enough distance between your car and the one in front of you so that you can pull away quickly if necessary
- As you approach your destination, if you see someone walking that you don’t recognize, drive around the block and come back after the person has moved on
- If another driver bumps your car, or our tire goes flat, keep your doors and windows locked, call for help, and wait for the help to arrive
- Be alert when using ATM machines
- If confronted, don’t resist