December 29, 2014

News from Seniors And Law Enforcement Together (SALT)

TriadBy Cpl. Hank Jacobsen
Davenport Police Department

The holiday season is a time to be especially alert to
burglars, thieves, pickpockets and cyber scams. Nothing can ruin the holiday spirit more than becoming a victim of a crime.  The following information will help limit the opportunity of a criminal.

Burglars look for occupancy clues, such as, lights that are on 24 hours a day, or no interior lighting at all, newspapers or mail piling up and walks that have not been shoveled. To solve these issues, install motion sensors for exterior lighting and timers on interior lights.  If you plan on being away from home for an extended period of time, stop mail and paper delivery, or have a trusted neighbor or family member take them in for you.  Before leaving, make arrangements for snow removal that might occur while away.

Whether you are socializing at parties, posting on social internet sites or simply leaving a message on your voicemail, do not give out information referencing upcoming trips or events in which you will be away from home. This provides information to a potential criminal as to when you are not going to be home.

The holidays are a time of year during which many of us will be busy shopping and running errands. Because of that it, is important to be alert and aware of your surroundings. Whenever possible, shop before dark. Coordinate shopping trips with friends. Never park in an unlit lot or an isolated area, no matter how convenient it is.

When shopping, do not allow yourself to be overburdened with packages.  Periodically, drop them off at your car, placing them in the trunk. Make sure you have your keys out and ready to use.

Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse under your arm and make sure you keep them zipped up and secure. Keep a wallet in an inside jacket pocket or front pants pocket, not in a rear pants pocket. If you are carrying a large amount of cash, keep a portion of the money separate from your wallet.

Shopping on-line can be safe. but there are some things to be aware of.  Watch out for bogus websites offering just about anything you would want for the holidays at discount prices. Do not trust a site or name you do not know, check them out. Use a one-time card number available from some credit card companies.

There are a number of things you should do as soon as possible with the presents you received that will assist law enforcement in the event you are the victim of a burglary. Record the make, model and serial number of valuable items.  A good place to record this information is on the inside cover of the owner’s manual. Whatever you copy this information on, keep it in a safe place.

You should photograph or video tape those valuable items. This is especially true of items like jewelry or antiques, which may not have an applied identifying mark.

You can also consider permanently marking items of value with a personal identifier, such as initials or a street address. Do not use your social security number.

After the holiday, do not pile up empty gift boxes from your new laptop, big screen TV, or video game consoles on the street for the recycle truck. Burglars appreciate knowing that you have expensive gifts inside for them to steal. Break the boxes down or cut them up.  It is best to wait until the morning of pickup to set those items out.

TRIAD wishes you a happy and safe holiday season.

Filed Under: Finance

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