PREVENT CAR BURGLARIES:

Car Burglaries are easily prevented but very difficult to solve. Very little physical evidence is left behind at the scene and most of the time there are no witnesses. Follow these tips and you will virtually eliminate your risk of being a victim:

• Always close your windows and lock your doors.
• Never leave your vehicle running unattended
• Even when you run in to get coffee
• Park in well lit, visible areas
• Parking far away to prevent your doors from getting “dinged” may make your car a target
• Make sure the exterior lighting on your residence is working properly
  • Do you have Motion sensor lights?
• Park in your garage when possible
• Always remove your valuables or at least secure them in your trunk
• Leaving a purse on your car seat can turn a regular person into a car burglar
  • This is often a crime of opportunity   
• Leaving GPS mounts, cell phone car-chargers, or satellite radio docking stations visible in the car will invite thieves to break your window. 
• Thieves assume that the electronic items themselves are probably in the car somewhere if the chargers are left plugged in. 
• Even worse is you may be left with a broken window even though you took your valuables with you. 
• Thieves are also known to target cars that have a suction cup mark on the inside of the windshield. 
• A thief who breaks into your car for the GPS is also going to take:
  • Your Revo Sunglasses from the glove box,
  • Your Ipod and cash from the center console,
  • Your keys if they’re in there,
  • Papers with identifying information,
  • And worst of all, your garage door opener 

We urge you to report suspicious activity and don’t hesitate to use 911.  If  you think it’s suspicious, it is.  You know your neighborhood so we need your help in identifying who doesn’t belong there. We had an 85 % clearance rate for car burglaries in 2008 even though incidents increased 70 %. One suspect who was under arrest and was being questioned stated that he comes to Darien for car burglaries because "not only is everyone’s car unlocked, they keep expensive items in them." 

IDENTITY THEFT

More than 400,000 people were victims of identity theft last year, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. It could affect you or someone you know at any time.

Identity theft occurs when somebody steals your personal information (credit card numbers, social security number, etc) and poses as you, running up charges or emptying your bank accounts.

It could take months or years to learn if you are a victim. Some people don't find out until they apply for a loan and get turned down because of a bad credit report.

Some ways to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of this type of crime are:

• Do not give out your personal information: Do not give this information over the phone or the computer unless you are sure of who you are talking to and initiated the contact.
• Destroy unused financial solicitations: Such as credit card application and other financial documents. Tear them up or shred them.
• Report lost or stolen checks, ATM cards or credit cards immediately.
• Make sure your mailbox is secure and remove mail as soon as possible.
• If you do not receive a credit card statement one month, contact your credit card company or financial institution: Thieves may remove mail from your mailbox or use other methods to obtain your statements.
• Check your credit report annually: This lets you know of any unauthorized access.Click here for a brochure on identity theft

TELEMARKETING FRAUD

It can be hard to resist a phone call from a charity seeking desperately needed funds for flood victims, endangered species, or the homeless. A postcard claiming you have won a prize if you'll just call and send in an "administrative fee." Or an investment offer giving you an "exclusive chance to earn potentially enormous profits. But you must resist. These are just a few examples of the kinds of fraudulent schemes Americans run across every day. Experts estimate that consumers lose more than $100 billion annually to a broad assortment of frauds, cons and scams. Fraudulent telemarketing and direct mail appeals account for $40 billion of this total.

Alarmingly, the elderly are a major target for con artists, especially phony fund raisers and for cons offering bogus investment and insurance schemes. Whether they are widowed and lonely, eager to help others, or merely intrigued by a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, increasing numbers of older Americans are falling for sophisticated and slick appeals that can wind up costing them thousands of dollars, not to mention untold anguish and stress.

Among the major scams of the 1990s are postcard sweepstakes offers. In a recent pole, 30% of Americans said they had responded to such mailings, sometimes sending hundreds of dollars to "register" for seemingly fabulous prizes or trips.

False charities are another popular consumer con. Telephone trouble makers claiming to represent everyone from police officers to the disabled take advantage of American's generosity to the tune of billions of dollars every year. Adding to the problem is an array of fraudulent appeals - in newspaper ads, on television and by mail - about business and investment opportunities, vacation homes, and even "miracle cures" for everything from baldness to cancer.

• If a caller asks for your credit card, bank account or social security number to verify a free vacation, a prize, or gift, say "NO" and hang up.
• If you are calling a 900 number in response to an advertisement or something you received in the mail, make sure you know all the charges up front.
• Before you agree to support a charity that calls seeking money, ask for written information about its finances and programs. If you feel you've been scammed, call the police or Better Business Bureau. Remember: consumer fraud is a crime. Finally, an offer that sounds too good to be true, probably is.

HOME SECURITY

A small investment of time and money can make your home more secure and can reduce your chances of being a victim of burglary, assault or vandalism. Get to know your neighbors. Watchful neighbors who look out for you as well as themselves are a front line defense against crime. In almost half of all residential burglaries, thieves walk through an unlocked door or crawl through an unlocked window. Check the following:

• Make sure every external door has a deadbolt.
• Secure sliding glass doors with commercially available locks or broom handles.
• Secure double-hung windows by sliding a bolt or nail through a hole drilled at a downward angle in each top corner of the inside sash and partway through the outside sash. Secure basement windows as well
• Don't hide keys in mailboxes or under doormats. Give an extra key to neighbor you trust.
• If you have moved into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks. Door locks aren't as effective if they are installed on flimsy doors.
• Make sure all exterior doors are solid wood or metal
• Doors should fit tightly in their frames, with hinge pins on the inside.
• Install a peep-hole or wide-angle viewers in all entry doors, so you can see who is outside without opening the door. Door chains are not a security device.

• Prune back shrubbery that hides doors and windows. Cut back tree limbs that could help a thief climb into windows.
• Illuminate porches, entrances, and yards - front and back. Consider timers or motion sensors.
• Keep your yard well maintained. Store ladders and tools inside your locked garage, basement, or storage shed when you're not using them
• Clearly display your house number so police and other emergency vehicles can find your home quickly.
• Help the neighborhood stay in good shape.
• Put lights and radios on timers to create the illusion that someone is at home when you are away.
• Update your home inventory, with complete description, serial numbers, photographs or engravings.

• Check with several companies and decide on the level of security that fits your needs.
• Look for an established company and check references before signing a contract.
• Learn how to use your system properly.

• If you come home and find a screen has been cut or a door has been forced open, don't go in. Call the police.
• If you hear a noise in the night that sounds like somebody breaking in or moving around, call the police and wait for them to come.
• If you can leave safely, do so. Otherwise lock yourself in a room, or if the intruder is in the room, pretend to be asleep.
Think carefully before buying a firearm for protection. Guns can be stolen and sold to anyone, or captured and used on you or the police. If you do own a gun, lock it up and learn how to use it safely.

MAKING SCHOOLS SAFER

Creating a safe place where children can learn and grow depends on a partnership among students, parents, teachers, as well as other community institutions. Some ways you can help:

• Settle arguments with words, not fists or weapons.
• Report crimes or suspicious activity to the police, school authorities or parents.
• Take safe routes to and from school and know good places to seek help
• Get involved in your school's anti-violence activities.

• Sharpen your parenting skills. Work with your children to build positive strengths.
• Teach your children how to reduce their risk of being victims of crimes.
• Know where your kids are, what they are doing, and whom they are with - at all times.
• Help your children learn non-violent ways to handle frustration, anger & conflict.
• Become involved in your child's school activities.
• Work with other parents in your neighborhood.

For more information on any of the above topics, or any other topics related to crime or law enforcement, you can contact us at 203-662-5300.