Downtown Police Center	826-5853
Area One Commander Lt. Mark Boyer	351-6045
Non-Emergency 24-Hour Police	787-7911
Volunteer Coordinator Rose Lane	826-5911
Telephone Report Line	826-5314
Crime Free Multihousing	715-3423
Safe Streets Now	715-3416
Graffiti Problems	351-6127
Code Compliance	826-5633

 

You Can Reduce Auto Theft Risk

Professional car thieves can open a locked car, remove what they want and get away in a matter of seconds. Fortunately, most car thieves rely on the carelessness of their victims. Security conscious drivers lose less than those who are careless. According to the FBI most cars are stolen because they are easy to steal. Eighty percent of all cars stolen are unlocked at the time and forty percent actually had the keys in the ignition. Top spots for auto theft include malls, apartments, stores, churches and office buildings. No matter where you are, you are always at risk.

TO REDUCE YOUR RISK

• Never leave your car unlocked, the windows rolled down or keys in the ignition.
• Never leave spare keys in the car, or in “hiding spots.” An experienced thief knows all the hiding places. Store spare keys in your wallet.
• No matter how quick the errand, never leave your car running unattended, not even in your own driveway.
• Remove the knob-type door lock buttons and replace them with tapered ones.
• If you have security devices, USE THEM every time you leave your car unattended.

WHEN PARKING

• Avoid leaving an auto unattended in public parking lots for an extended period of time. A car is five times more likely to be stolen from an unattended lot than from a street or an attended lot.
• At night, park in well lighted areas with pedestrian traffic. Auto thieves do not like working in spots where they are clearly visible.
• Whenever possible, turn wheels sharply toward the curb when parking to make it extra difficult for thieves to tow your car.
• If you have a garage, use it.
• Keep contents and valuables (car phones, purses, packages, etc.) out of sight. Lock them in the trunk or store them under the seat. If you can’t replace it, don’t leave it in your vehicle.

 

SECURITY DEVICES

Today many cars are taken for their parts and no car is too old. Typically an automobile in parts is worth three times its value as a whole auto. Anti-theft devices are not fool proof; however, they can stop the amateur or slow professional.

• Steering wheel lock. Steel rod locks to steering wheel and prevents wheels from turning. Recommended by some experts to be the most cost-effective auto theft deterrent on the market today. It will stop most opportunistic thieves.
• Ignition and steering column lock. Lockable steel cover encases steering column, preventing access to ignition.
• Remote fuel pump cut-off alarm. This device works through a button on the key ring. It can immobilize the vehicle from a distance and can also be used as a panic alarm.
• Ignition cut-off (kill switch). A key operated or hidden manual switch that interrupts the power supply from the battery to the ignition.
• A fuel cut-off. Integrated into the fuel line, this device prevents the flow of gasoline once the fuel to the gas line is used. Only a special key de-activates the cut-off.
• Door locks. Visible inside door locks should be smooth and tapered.
• Hand locks. A secondary hood lock should be installed to prevent access to the power circuit, battery or siren or an alarm system. A key operated bolt, which is accessible from inside the car, or a chain which is accessible from the outside, should be installed.

CAR ALARMS

There are several alarm systems that will serve to deter or discourage the car thief and alert others of forced entry into the car. However, your anti-theft devices are primarily a deterrent to the amateur thief. An experienced thief will not be deterred by any anti-theft device.
 

Some of the most common alarms are these:

• Sirens. The sounding device, used in lieu of a horn, is installed in the engine compartment and should have an audible range of at least 300 feet.
• Glass protection. A sensing device is available that discerns the sound of breaking glass and can be used in conjunction with switches for overall alarm protection.
• Motion sensing devices. Sends out sound waves above human hearing and is activated by any disturbance in sound wave pattern. (Note: This alarm system can and has been activated by vibrations of passing vehicles.)
• Switch lock. A key-operated electrical switch which turns the alarm system on or off. If placed on the outside of the vehicle it should be in an accessible location. A visible switch is an indication that the car is alarmed and may deter a thief.
• Pin switches. Plunger type switches installed on the doors, hood, and truck which, when released to their fullest extension, activates the siren.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

• Don’t leave your pink slip in the car.
• Have your registration information readily available in the event your car is stolen.
• Mark all your stereo equipment with your California driver’s license number. Use an engraving tool and record your serial number.
• If your car should be stolen, call the police immediately.
   

ARE YOUR CHILDREN EVER HOME ALONE?

There are an estimated five to twelve million children between the ages of five and thirteen who are home alone for some part of the day. Children who are in self-care of themselves are more likely to become involved in accidents, victimized, or engage in delinquent behavior.

If your children are to be in charge of themselves, please discuss the rules and routines they are to follow when tending to pets, household chores, visiting friends and having friends visit, and what to do when the telephone or doorbell rings.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

• To check in with you or a neighbor immediately after arriving home.
• To memorize their full name, address, city and state, phone number including area code.
• How to call 9-1-1 or call the operator.
• How to give directions to your home in case of emergency.
• Never to accept gifts or rides from a person not authorized by you in advance.
• Never to let anyone into your home without asking your permission, even if the person says it is an “emergency.”
• How to use the door and window locks and the alarm system if you have one.
• Never to let a caller at the door or on the phone know that they’re home alone . Teach them to say “Mom can’t come to the phone (or door) right now.”

KEEP YOUR MAIL SAFE AND SECURE

Along with car and identity theft, mail theft is an on-going problem. You can help assure that your mail is safely sent and received by following these suggestions made by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

• DO NOT leave outgoing mail in your unlocked mailbox. Do deposit mail in a blue collection box or inside at your local post office. Use a collection box that is NOT FULL!
• Promptly pick up your “incoming” mail once it is delivered to your box.
• Purchase a locked mailbox or convert your unlocked box to a lockable one. (Look in the telephone yellow pages under “Mail boxes--retail.” Make sure the mail slot is large enough and safe enough for the letter carrier to insert your mail.
• Consider having regular income checks deposited electronically into your bank account via Direct Deposit. Contact your bank for details.
• In case your mail is stolen, to avoid fraudulent use of your checking account do the following when writing checks:

A. Write out IN FULL the payee, memo and amount portions. Fill up the entire lines with letters or a squiggly line.
B. Use thick, dark ink to write your checks. Roller-ball, thick felt tip and fountain pens are best; ball-point and “permanent” ink pens are most easily altered.
C. Purchase checks through institutions tht use tamper-resistant paper and ink.

• Be observant of activities on your street, including those near your letter carrier, his or her postal vehicle, residential mailboxes and collection boxes.
• IMMEDIATELY report any suspicious persons or activity by calling 9-1-1 while suspects are still present. Remember, do not jeopardize your safety, but be a GOOD WITNESS.

The Postal Service pays rewards up to $10,000 for information and services leading to the arrest and conviction of mail thieves. Report suspect or crime information to Postal Inspectors, 24-hours a day, at 818-405-1200.
*Join a Neighborhood Watch program. Remember, if you not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.