CRIME PREVENTION TIPS
Making it Tough for the Burglar
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH is based on one of the oldest and simplest concepts known to man—neighbor helping neighbor. When neighbors get together and cooperate with law enforcement, crime CAN be reduced. Numerous convicted burglars have admitted that they are simply not prepared to take the added risk of working in NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH-protected communities.
• Arrange for Home Security Surveys - One of the most effective ways to educate NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH participants to protect their property is to arrange for detailed security inspections of their homes. The Miramar Police Department can assist you in this effort.
• Mark valuable property with an identifying number (Operation I.D.) to discourage theft and help law enforcement agencies identify and return lost or stolen property. Operation I.D. also deters the burglar by making it more difficult to dispose of stolen goods and increases his chances of discovery and conviction.
• Participate in Citizens On Patrol - Patrol during designated areas and times to detect suspicious activity.
• Arrange for Vacation Watch - Tell the Miramar Police Department when you are leaving and when you plan to return; they will check on your house periodically.
Burglars usually seek the easiest target —
and you can take steps to make your house less vulnerable.
MAINTAINING AN ACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM MAY MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SAFE COMMUNITY AND ONE AFFECTED BY BURGLARY.
LEARN HOW TO GET INVOLVED—AND PLAY A ROLE IN A SAFER MIRAMAR.
For further information, please call:
Miramar Police Department
954.602.4000
Personal Safety Recommendations
The following precautions will not guarantee safety, but they will minimize criminal opportunities:
In your home or apartment:
- Have lights at all entrances.
- Have a wide-angle door viewer on all exterior doors.
- Have good locks on all doors and windows – and use them!
- Do not leave a schedule of your times away from home on your answering machine.
- Check who is at the door before opening it, and do not open the door to an unexpected visitor.
- Do not let strangers into your home or apartment to use the telephone. Offer to make the call for them.
In a car:
- Keep your car in good working order.
- Always park in visible, well-lighted areas.
- Have your keys ready when approaching your vehicle to reduce the time needed to enter.
- Drive with all the doors locked.
- Any valuables in your car should be placed in the trunk or otherwise kept out of sight.
- If someone approaches your vehicle and attempts to enter, blow your horn to attract attention and drive away.
- Do not pick up hitchhikers.
In a building:
- Avoid isolated corridors or hallways.
- Be extra careful in stairwells and isolated or poorly-lighted restrooms.
- Avoid entering an elevator which is occupied by only one other person who is a stranger.
- In an elevator, stand near the controls and locate the emergency button.
Crime Prevention Tips for Kids
- Make sure children know their full name, address (city and state), and telephone number including area code.
- Be sure children know how to call 9-1-1
- Teach children never to accept rides or gifts from someone they don’t know.
- Teach children to go to a store clerk or police officer for help if lost in a store, mall or street.
- Children should always be accompanied to public restrooms.
- Show children safe places they can go in your neighborhood in an emergency.
- Inspect your neighborhood for areas that threaten children’s safety, such as overgrown shrubbery or poor lighting.
Prevent Auto Burglaries
- Always lock your doors, trunks and wind windows up.
- Never leave your motor vehicle registration, insurance policies, credit cards in your car.
- Never leave the car keys unattended.
- If possible, avoid parking next to larger vehicles – these large vehicles can “hide” yours and make it more difficult for others to observe.
- Always park in a well-lighted area.
- Have your car “VIN” etched. “VIN” etching is a process by which a vehicle’s Identification Number is permanently etched (with a non-corrosive gel) into the windows of an automobile. When a motor vehicle has had its windows permanently etched or engraved a thief would be forced to replace all of the vehicle’s windows to resell or change the vehicle’s identity.
Gun Safety
- Look for ways other than firearms to protect yourself in the home. Invest in high quality locks, an alarm system, a dog, etc. Start or join a Neighborhood Watch program.
- Studies have shown that a firearm in the home is more than 40 times as likely to hurt or kill a family member as to stop a crime. A gun in the home increases the likelihood of homicide three times and the likelihood of suicide five times.
- Firearms kept in the home should be kept in a locked gun or pistol lock box at all times. An adult should carry the keys to the locked gun cabinet with them at all times or keep the keys locked in a location known only to them.
- Secured firearms should have either a trigger lock, barrel lock or cylinder lock.
- Ammunition should be stored separately from guns, also in a locked container.
- A firearm should never be stored on, in a bedside table, or under a mattress or pillow.
- Firearms should never be displayed at a social gathering.
- Firearms should never be displayed when alcohol or drugs are used.
- Children or adolescents who use a firearm for hunting or target practice should have adult supervision and should receive a certified firearms safety-training course of instruction.
- Children should be encouraged to report any weapons they know about on school grounds to the police or school authorities, or their parents.
- Children should be encouraged to report to their parents the presence of any unsecured firearms they are aware of in the homes of their friends or playmates.
- Any firearms lost, stolen or missing from the home should be reported to local law enforcement authorities immediately.
HOLIDAY PREVENTION TIPS
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