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The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," is very true.
There is nothing mysterious about preventing and deterring crime. The easiest way to prevent crime is to AVOID IT . . . by not giving criminals the opportunity to perpetrate their crimes against you.
You do this best by not making yourself an easy, simple, weak, or lucrative target for criminals. Most criminals are looking for an easy target to victimize.
The more obstacles or adverse factors you place in their path, the less likely criminals will
target you. Criminals don't like to work very hard to obtain their desired, unlawful ends.
You must acknowledge that criminals come in all shapes and sizes. They can look like the scum of the earth or the most respected business person.
Don't let appearances fool you. Criminals act, think, and behave differently from
law-abiding people. They can be very unpredictable and can suddenly change to your detriment.
Always remember to stay alert, use your intuition, and be aware!
BASIC SAFETY TIPS
Walk steadily and watchfully. Communicate a sense of self-confidence and purpose.
- Avoid crime-ridden areas where trouble has or might occur.
- Carry few valuables. At the same time, have at least $20 on you to give to the criminal if you are cornered.
Carry it in a money clip with a couple of $1 bills tucked in between it to use as a diversion to get away.
Throw it in the opposite direction that you plan to run.
- Scope out safe havens should the need arise. Know where the nearest public phones are located and always carry extra change.
- Don't walk alone, especially at night. Your vulnerability to street crime is reduced as much as 70 percent by simply being in a group.
- Avoid poorly lit streets, alleys, parks, and driveways. Don't accept rides from strangers.
- At night, avoid public restrooms. Go to a well-established business restroom instead.
- Carry a whistle or other sounding devices so you can signal for help if the need arises.
- Avoid stopping for anyone. Never give out personal information to strangers like your name, children's names, or what you do for a living.
- At night, carry a flashlight and let your eyes adjust before entering into a dark area.
- If you are being followed, take a few dozen steps then quickly look back.
Do you see anyone behind you? If you do, abruptly change directions and check again.
After changing directions a couple of times and you determine someone is following you, try to get to a public place and call the police.
You could look for a vacant, unlocked car to get into and lock it. You should then honk the horn to draw attention.
- If you are forced into a physical confrontation, remember, try to stun your assailant enough to get away.
Scream or do whatever is necessary to draw attention to yourself.
- Keep doors and windows locked at all times. Doors should have a one-inch dead bolt and a door
viewer (peep hole). Look before opening your door to anyone.
- Leave outside lights on at dark.
- Never come home to a dark house.
- Before leaving your house, take a minute to look outside and see what is going on.
Take time to be aware of your surroundings.
- Don't let a stranger inside your house to use the phone. Make the call for him.
- If you haven't called for a repairman, don't let one inside your house. Leave him waiting outside and call his place of business to verify his reason for being in your area.
- Never admit to anyone that you or a neighbor live alone.
- Women living alone should use only initials on mailboxes and in phone book listings.
- Report suspicious activities to the police immediately.
- If you receive an obscene phone call, hang up immediately. Don't react.
- Be careful of the message you leave on your answering machine. Never tell people you are not at home.
- Never pick up hitchhikers.
- Keep car doors locked at all times.
- Before leaving your house or the store to go to your car, look around and be aware of what is going on.
- Always have your keys ready to unlock the door so you can enter without delay.
- As you are entering your car, look into the back seat.
- Always have at least a half tank of gas in your car. Never less.
- Keep your vehicle in good shape.
- Travel on well-lighted streets and avoid taking short cuts.
- If you are being followed, drive to the nearest open business for help or drive to the police or fire department.
Never go home while being followed.
- Park in areas that will be well lighted when you return to your car.
- Don't leave your house keys with your car keys when having your car serviced.
- Women driving alone should never stop to aid a stranger in a stalled car.
Proceed to an open business and report the car to the police.
- If you have car trouble, raise the hood, then stay in your car. When someone offers assistance, do not roll the window down.
Talk to them through the window and ask them to call someone for
you. Never go with a stranger.
- Notify family and friends of your travel plans in advance, and leave your
cell phone number, or other means of contacting you.
- Avoid walking alone, when possible. Walk with someone or where other people are near.
- Stay in well lighted areas, away from alleys, bushes, and entry ways. Avoid shortcuts through parks, vacant lots, and other deserted areas.
- Don't hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.
- If a car pulls along beside you and the driver calls you over to ask a question, avoid getting near the car.
Leave a safety zone between you and the vehicle.
- If you are being followed, go to the nearest business for help. Turn around and walk in the other direction.
This will force the driver to turn around to follow you.
- Avoid carrying extra money or valuables on your person. If you must carry a purse, keep it close.
Don't dangle it.
- Remember to be aware of your surroundings and the people around you.
- Don't go to or leave from a club alone. You are safer in numbers.
- Don't accept blind dates.
- Don't accept rides from strangers.
- Don't take a first time acquaintance home.
- If you must leave with a first time acquaintance, make sure a friend knows the person and where you're going.
- Don't go to private places on a date until you are better acquainted.
- Don't give out personal information until you are better acquainted.
- Educate your children on how to talk on the phone and how not to let people know when mom and dad are gone.
- Instruct children to never open the door to strangers -- no matter who they say they
are.
- Encourage children to talk to parents, relatives, or a friend when they have a problem --
not to strangers. Create an "always open for
discussion" attitude for communication with your children.
- Make children aware of the dangers of accepting rides from strangers.
- Children should know a safe, well traveled route to and from school. Isolated areas need to be avoided.
- Teenage baby sitters should not accept jobs with people they do not know.
- Baby sitters should call the parents immediately if anything suspicious happens.
Be sure to leave all phone numbers available.
- Baby sitters should never open the door to strangers.
- Baby sitters should call his or her parents to let them know they are on the way home.
Every business owner, manager
and employee plays a part in making businesses safe. Here are
some things you can do to help prevent robbery:
- Have at least two employees open and close the
business.
- Do not release personal information to strangers.
- Keep purses and personal valuables locked in desks
or lockers.
- Install a robbery alarm.
- Place a surveillance camera behind the cash
register facing the front counter. Replace videotapes
regularly.
- Vary times and routes of travel for bank deposits.
- Don't use marked "moneybags" that make it
obvious to would-be robbers you are carrying money for
deposit.
- Keep a low balance in the cash register.
- Place excess money in a safe or deposit it as soon
as possible.
- Cooperate with the robber for your own safety and
the safety of others. Comply with a robber's demands.
Remain calm and think clearly. Make mental notes of the
robber's physical description and other observations
important to law enforcement officers.
- If you have a silent alarm and can reach it without
being noticed, use it. Otherwise, wait until the robber
leaves.
- Be careful, most robbers are just as nervous as you
are.
- Keep your business neat and clean. A tidy, orderly
place of business is inviting to customers, but not to
robbers. Dressing neatly also sends the right message.
- Stay alert! Know who is in your business and where
they are. Watch for people who hang around without
buying anything. Also, be aware of suspicious activity
outside your place of business. Write down license
numbers of suspicious vehicles if visible from the
inside of your business.
- Make sure the sales counter can be seen clearly.
Don't put up advertisements, flyers, displays, signs,
posters or other items on windows or doors that might
obstruct the view of the register from inside or outside
your business. The police cruising by your store need to
see in.
- Try to greet customers as they enter your business.
Look them in the eye, and ask them if they need help.
Your attention can discourage a robber.
- Keep your business well-lit, inside and outside.
Employees should report any burned-out lights to the
business owner or manager. Keep trees and bushes
trimmed, so they don't block any outdoor lights.
- Encourage the police to stop by your business.
- Learn the names of the officers who patrol your
business.
- Use care after dark. Be cautious when cleaning the
parking lot or taking out the trash at night. Make sure
another employee inside the business keeps you within
eye contact while you are involved in work details
outside of your building.
- If you see something suspicious, call the police.
Never try to handle it yourself. It could cost you your
life.
- Handle cash carefully. Avoid making your business a
tempting target for robbers. Keep the amount of cash in
registers low. Drop all large bills right away. If a
customer tries to pay with a large bill, politely ask if
he or she has a smaller one. Explain that you keep very
little cash on hand.
- Use only one register at night. Leave other
registers empty and open. Tilt the register drawer to
show there is no money in it.
- Leave blinds and drapes partially open during
closing hours.
- Make sure important signs stay posted. For example,
the front door should bear signs that say, "Clerk
Cannot Open the Time Lock Safe."
- If your business is robbed put your safety first.
Your personal safety is more important than money or
merchandise.
- Don't talk except to answer the robber's questions.
- Don't stare directly at the robber.
- Prevent surprises, keep your hands in sight at all
times.
- Don't make any sudden moves.
- Tell the robber if someone is coming out of the
back room or vault or working in another area of your
business.
- Don't chase or follow the robber out of your place
of business.
- Leave the job of catching the robber to the police.
After the robbery:
- Lock your business.
- Ask any witnesses to stay until the police arrive.
- Call the police and remain on the line.
- Call your business owner, manager, or other designated person.
- Call the security hotline, if applicable.
- Don't touch anything the robber may have touched.
- Write down a description of the robber and the weapon as soon as
you are able.
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SAFETY FOR YOUR CAR
Car break -ins, also known as Larceny From Autos, is a
crime that occurs in every area of Elizabethtown. Whether a car is
parked on a street, a driveway or parking lot, it can be a target of a
break-in by thieves. The thief commits the break-in and theft in
less than a minute. Examples of property stolen are;
car stereos, cell phones, CD's, checkbooks, purses,
tools, wallets and laptop computers. Car break-ins can be reduced
by encouraging citizens to use the listed car break-in prevention tips:
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Always lock your car after parking it.
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Do not leave valuables in the car.
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Do not leave keys in the car. Keys left in the car often
result in the car being stolen.
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Park in well lighted areas.
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Mark your car radios,. other car equipment, CD's and tools
with your operators license number.
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Lock your packages and gifts in your car's trunk, especially
during the holiday season.
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Use heavy duty locks for tool boxes and if they are stored in
pickup trucks, secure the tool boxes to the bed of the truck.
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Be observant. Notify the police if you see anyone acting
in a suspicious manner such as loitering around cars or looking into cars.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU OBSERVE A CAR BREAK-IN IN PROGRESS!!
If you observe a car break-in in progress, do not
intervene but call 911 to notify the police. When reporting the
crime to police communications personnel, please provide the following
information:
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LOCATION: such as an address or block number or a
specific
location in a parking lot.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE THIEF: provide identifiers such
as race, sex, age, height, weight, hair color and length, color and
length of facial hair, and any identifying marks such as tattoos and
scars.
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DIRECTION: give a direction of travel if the thief
flees from the scene.
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DESCRIPTION OF CAR: give a description of the
car if the thief flees from the scene in a vehicle. Describe
the make and type of car, color and year, special designs or
features such as a vinyl top, mag wheels, body damage, pin striping,
etc.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE VICTIM'S CAR
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CAR HAS BEEN BROKEN INTO
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Notify the Elizabethtown Police Department. A
report of the break-in alerts the police to crime activity in
certain areas and allows the police to respond with an investigation
or extra patrols.
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Provide complete information on the stolen property,
especially property that have serial numbers or other identifying
numbers or marks.
If you are placed under arrest for whatever reason, comply with the officer.
Follow the officers request and allow the officer to handcuff you. You will be patted down to see if you have any weapons or drugs. You will then be placed in the back seat of a police car and transported to
the police department or jail. If the officer is going to question you about a particular case, you will be read the Miranda Warning. Once at the
police department or jail, you will be taken inside and the handcuffs will be removed. You will again be searched. The officer will verify your name and address and complete the necessary paperwork. During this time you may be placed in a holding
area. After all of the paperwork is completed, you will be finger printed and photographed. If you were arrested for a misdemeanor, you may be
eligible for pretrial release. If you were arrested for a felony, you will have to be arraigned before a judge. Remember, the street is not the place to determine your guilt or innocence. Do not resist arrest. You could get injured and possibly charged with resisting arrest.
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Basic Safety Tips