Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012

Transcription

1 Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012 Car Crime Car crime refers to criminal action against any motor vehicle, including pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), and includes vandalism, burglary or theft of a vehicle and also car-jacking. To begin our discussion on the subject of car crime, let s have a look at a May 12, 2012 news article from Colorado Springs. Reminder for Everyone as Family Car Stolen A warning tonight from the victim of a recent crime, who was just feet away from her car when it was stolen. She wants her story to be a good reminder to all of us. On her way home from work around 10 at night, Rachel Beitz stopped by a Redbox at the McDonald's on Rockrimmon and Vindicator to rent a movie, leaving her car running. Despite just being a few feet away from her vehicle, as she was checking out, a crook stole the family car. "The excuse 'well I m just right there' doesn't hold water because I was just right there and it happened to me," Beitz said. CSPD found her car within 24 hours with a man sleeping inside. "He put his drug paraphernalia in my purse; my glasses case was full of needles," Beitz told us. She said the Rockrimmon area has always been a very safe neighborhood with a small town feel. But now, she's learned a tough lesson in the hardest way possible. "It just changes the whole way you think...i want to get the message out to other people that it's not safe to do that at all," Beitz said. Just last month, we saw the story of a father whose young son was inside a car just an arm's length away when a crook snuck in and took off. A Good Samaritan helped get the boy to safety, and their story ended happily. Beitz said she hopes folks can learn from her story and prevent this crime from happening to any other families. Her car was found quickly, but some might not be as lucky. Claude Tanner, 19, was arrested and charged in connection to this crime. He also had five felony warrants out for his arrest. We're working to find out if he could be responsible for any other local car thefts. ( As you can see, a crook will take even what appears to be a most unlikely opportunity to commit a crime. While there is never a 100-percent assurance that you won t be a victim, you can take measures to decrease the chances of you being the object of a car crime. Your best weapons are common sense, basic awareness of your surroundings and safe car habits. Tips To Prevent Car Burglaries and Vandalism If available, always park your vehicle in a locked garage (always keep your garage locked, this will help prevent residential as well as car burglary). If you don't have a garage in which you can park your car, keep it parked in a well-lit area. At home, park your vehicle near porch lights and install motion detection lights, which will illuminate your driveway at night. Always lock the doors to your vehicle, even when you are away from the vehicle for a short time. Pg. 1

2 Keep your windows completely rolled up and don't park in a dangerous neighborhood. Vandalism and theft can be avoided if you keep the car in an area where there are more people living in the area who keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Probably 40% of car break-ins wouldn't happen, if your keys or valuables didn't catch a thieves wandering eye. If thieves don't see any valuables in your car, they are much less likely to think about breaking into it. Remove all valuables from your vehicle. If you can't take personal property with you, store items in a place where they cannot be seen from the outside of the car. Lock items in the trunk; do not place them under the seat. This includes your purse or wallet, CDs, books, cash, keys, cell phone, ipod, laptop, garage door opener, gym bag, briefcase, jewelry, tools, packages, etc. Note that experienced thieves often stake out parking lots to watch for people putting items in their trunk. Help prevent car break-ins by putting valuables into your trunk before you get to the parking lot. Never leave your keys in the car and never keep an unattended firearm in your car. The loss of either one of these can lead to more serious problems later on. Cars have been seen in Colorado Springs with GPS devices mounted on the windshield in plain view, and the back windows cracked enough to reach in. So, if you have a GPS or "pull out" style stereos and/or removable faceplates of stereos CD player, remove them and store them in the glove box. After you ve put your stuff in the trunk, don t forget such telltale evidence as power plugs, MP3 adapters and navigation system windshield suction-cup mounts. Thieves know what they re looking for, so hide the electronic accessories, too. Break-ins may be deterred if you have stickers on your car that say a security system is hooked up to your vehicle too, even if all you have is a sticker and not an actual security system. Be sure to set any alarm or anti-theft device that is installed on your vehicle. Keep a list of what s in your car. If your stuff is stolen and police are able to track it down, it's nearly impossible to get the property back to the rightful owner unless the make, model, or serial numbers are written down somewhere. If you catch someone in the act of stealing from your car, do not confront them. You don't know if that person has a weapon if he s going to hurt you and you've got to think of your personal safety first. So, do not engage the individual, instead call 911 and provide the best description of the suspect as possible. The Home Connection to Car Burglaries Car break-ins can lead to more serious crimes like home invasions and identity theft. So, if criminals can get information from your auto registration or your wallet, they know where you live (and that you're not home) so they can go to your house and burglarize it. Also, if a thief breaks into your vehicle and finds your garage door opener and keys, they have easy access to your home. So, along with your wallet, it s a good idea to take your auto registration with you instead of keeping in your car (you only need to have it when driving your car anyway). Also, do not leave ANY mail in your vehicle because it will provide a potential home burglar with your name, address and possibly contain personal financial information that would lead to Identity Theft. If you can prevent Identity Theft, you ll save yourself a lot of trouble. No one really wants to take the time to have to go through that hassle of notifying credit card companies, banks, and then waiting to see if they are a victim of ID theft. CSPD Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012, Pg. 2

3 Tips To Prevent Car Theft Visible anti-theft devices, like steering wheel locks, steering column collars or brake pedal locks, may discourage the would-be thief from breaking in. Use a security device like a steering-wheel lock or a gearshift column lock (and set any alarm or anti-theft device that is installed on your vehicle). Park in well-lit, public places when running errands. Obviously, a car will be safer in a garage than in a driveway or at a curb, so, whenever possible, keep your car in a garage and lock the garage door. Never leave your keys in the car even if it is in a garage. It is common sense that many thefts happen to unlocked vehicles, so remember to lock your car. The goal is to make your car less desirable than others, and a locked door is a simple deterrent. Also, keep windows closed when you park and leave your vehicle. A slender arm or clothes hanger can reach in through even a narrow opening to unlock the door. Many older cars tend to be more popular with car thieves than new cars because their parts can be sold for a higher value. Also, anti-theft technologies in new cars have made it more difficult for thieves to steal. Smart keys or a fuel cut-offs system, aka engine immobilizer, are standard on many late-model cars and can add security. Thieves won t steal a car they cannot start. If your car is not factory-equipped with security features, they can be installed at a local automotive stereo shop. A system with a visual warning device, such as a blinking light, makes a good deterrent. An alarm can be effective, but it is even better if the crook doesn t break into the vehicle in the first place. For advanced protection, install a GPS or radio frequency tracking system in your vehicle to help police find it. Never leave your car running unattended and always take your keys with you. Otherwise, you are inviting thieves to drive off with your car. In Colorado it is illegal to leave a car running without anyone inside. Use paint or a permanent marker to put the vehicle identification number (VIN) under the engine hood and trunk lid and on the battery. This number is usually found on the dashboard on the driver s side of the car. If your car is stolen, have the following information to give to the police: 1) Year, make, model, and color of the car. 2) Approximate time the car was stolen. 3) Description of anyone you may have seen loitering around your car before it was stolen. 4) Names of any witnesses. Car Jacking: Tips & Warnings Avoidance is the best way to prevent an attack. Use your judgment to evaluate the situation and possible reactions. Know safe areas to go to in an emergency. The first step to avoiding an attack is to stay alert at all times and be aware of your environment. The most likely places for a carjacking are: High crime areas Lesser traveled roads (rural areas) Intersections where you must stop Isolated areas in parking lots Residential driveways and gates Traffic jams or congested areas CSPD Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012, Pg. 3

4 Learn to avoid these areas and situations if possible. If not, take steps to prevent an attack. If you're not familiar with an area and you feel vulnerable, there's a good chance that you are. Stay on major highways as much as possible. Avoid driving through unsafe urban areas at night, because this increases the chances of a car-jacking. Always keep the windows of your car shut and doors locked whether you re in or out of your car. In traffic, look around for possible avenues of escape. Keep some distance between you and the vehicle in front so you can maneuver easily if necessary--about one-half of your vehicle's length. (You should always be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you.) When stopped, use your rear and side view mirrors to stay aware of your surroundings. Also keep your doors locked and windows up. This increases your safety and makes it more difficult for an attacker to surprise you. Accidents are one ruse used by attackers to control a victim. Following are common attack plans: The Bump the attacker bumps the victim's vehicle from behind. The victim gets out to assess the damage and exchange information. The victim's vehicle is taken. If you are bumped from behind or if someone tries to alert you to a problem with your vehicle, pull over only when you reach a safe public place. Stay inside with the windows shut and the doors locked and drive to the nearest police or fire station. Good Samaritan the attacker(s) stage what appears to be an accident. They may simulate an injury. The victim stops to assist, and the vehicle is taken. The Ruse the vehicle behind the victim flashes its lights or the driver waves to get the victim's attention. The attacker tries to indicate that there is a problem with the victim's car. The victim pulls over and the vehicle is taken. The Trap Carjackers use surveillance to follow the victim home. When the victim pulls into his or her driveway waiting for the gate to open, the attacker pulls up behind and blocks the victim's car. Think before stopping to assist in an accident. It may be safer to call and report the location, number of cars involved, and any injuries you observed. Stay alert to people lurking near or moving toward your parked car. Don't stop at isolated pay phones, cash machines, or newspaper machines where you could become a carjacking victim. DURING A CARJACKING In most carjacking situations, the attackers are interested only in the vehicle. Try to stay calm. Do not stare at the attacker as this may seem aggressive and cause them to harm you. There are two options during an attack non-resistive, non-confrontational behavior and resistive or confrontational behavior. Your reaction should be based on certain factors: Type of attack Environment (isolated or public) Mental state of attacker (reasonable or nervous) Number of attackers Weapons Whether children are present In the non-confrontational situation, you would: Give up the vehicle freely. Listen carefully to all directions. CSPD Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012, Pg. 4

5 Make no quick or sudden movements that the attacker could construe as a counter attack. Always keeps your hands in plain view. Tell the attacker of every move in advance. Make the attacker aware if children are present. The attacker may be focused only on the driver and not know children are in the car. In a resistive or confrontational response, you would make a decision to escape or attack the carjacker. Before doing so, consider: The mental state of the attacker. Possible avenues of escape. The number of attackers; there is usually more than one. The use of weapons. (Weapons are used in the majority of carjacking situations.) In most instances, it is probably safest to give up your vehicle. Think of saving your life first. Saving your car is not worth angering a criminal and possibly getting killed. If you are car-jacked, do not try to retaliate if the thief has a weapon. Do whatever the thief says, as you could lose your life if you try to drive off or fight back. Nonconfrontation is often the best response. The objective is not to thwart the criminal but to survive! AFTER THE ATTACK Safety Always carry your cell and immediately alert someone regarding your situation. If you are in a populated area, immediately go to a safe place. After an attack or an attempted attack, you might not be focused on your safety. Get to a safe place before contacting someone to report the incident. Reporting the Crime Describe the event. What time of day did it occur? Where did it happen? How did it happen? Who was involved? Describe the attacker(s). Without staring, try to note height, weight, scars or other marks, hair and eye color, the presence of facial hair, build (slender, large), and complexion (dark, fair). Describe the attacker's vehicle. If possible get the vehicle license number, color, make, model, and year, as well as any marks (scratches, dents, damage) and personal decorations (stickers, colored wheels). The golden rule for descriptions is to give only that information you absolutely remember. If you are not sure, don't guess! Crime Prevention Training If you are interested in some Crime Prevention training, you can find dates and times for upcoming Crime Prevention training events on the CSPD Crime Prevention Calendar at: Classes are open to the public with No RSVP required and are free of charge. Training will be held in the Community Room of the respective CSPD Division. CSPD Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012, Pg. 5

6 Important Phone Numbers Emergency: For life threatening emergencies, please dial 911. Colorado Springs Non-Emergency: To report a non-life threatening crime or suspicious activity in Colorado Springs, please dial (719) Other Non-Emergency: El Paso County Sheriff, ; CO State Patrol, On the Road, *CSP CSPD Patrol Divisions: Falcon, ; Gold Hill, ; Sand Creek, ; Stetson Hills, CSPD Crime Prevention Offices: Falcon, ; Gold Hill, ; Sand Creek, ; Stetson Hills, Police Operations Center 705 S Nevada Avenue Colorado Springs, CO Other Contact Information: Crime Stoppers, 634-STOP (7867); Drug Hotline (Narcotics Tips), ; Impound Lot, CSPD Crime Prevention Newsletter, June 2012, Pg. 6