Sheriff's Dept. Press Release Regarding Social Media

Holiday Safety Tips

This list is borrowed from the Baltimore County Sheriff's Dept's website in Maryland. These are excellent tips to share with family and friends so that everyone is safe this holiday season.

http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/police/media/holiday_crimeprev.html

other great links for staying safe this holiday season are:

From the Elk Grove Police Dept. a handy little foldout:

http://www.elkgrovepd.org/prevention/printables/holiday.pdf

From the Los Angeles PD:

http://www.lapdonline.org/crime_prevention/content_basic_view/1376

“Be Aware,” Says Police Chief Johnson

Shopping takes up a lot of time during the holidays. Shoppers are so busy thinking about all the things that need to be done, they fail to be aware of their surroundings. It can also make people careless when they are out and about. This makes them easy pickings for purse snatchers and street robbers.

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” says Chief Jim Johnson. He says that people are not reading their environment and in too much of a hurry to add safety to their list of things to do. He says to scan your immediate area. Don’t assume that because there are people around you are safe and secure.

The Chief advises everyone, “Focus on your personal safety and the safety of those with you. Every good police officer is trained to read the environment. Likewise, you should ask yourself questions when you are out and about.”

When you are in a parking lot or garage, be alert to someone who appears to be standing around for no good reason. He or she might be waiting for someone or that person could be an opportunist waiting to grab your shopping bags or your purse.

Here are some things to think about when shopping:

• Always park in well-lit areas and park close to the entrance of the store or mall.
• Don’t talk on a cell phone when walking to and from your vehicle. Keep your full attention on your surroundings.
• Don’t electronically unlock your vehicle until you are within door opening distance. This helps stop a thief from getting into the car and waiting to strike when you least expect it.
• If you are ready to leave the mall and feel uneasy about entering the parking lot or garage by yourself, stay in the mall and ask for a security escort.
• Do not open your car door to anyone in a parking lot or garage. If you believe you are in danger, call 911 immediately.

Enjoy The Holiday Bustle - But Be Aware

The end-of-year holiday season - with all its hustle and bustle - is fast approaching. With all the distractions and activity, we sometimes forget the basics about safety on the streets and at home. Opportunity is the criminal's key to crime. By staying alert and following a few crime prevention tips, you can ensure a holiday season that is happy and safe. Crime prevention involves being aware of our surroundings and potential areas of danger, thereby closing the criminal's window of opportunity.

Busy shoppers can be targeted for purse snatching and other forms of street robbery. The malls are full of folks with money to spend. As we speed along, focused on getting through our treasure hunt, a criminal can size up a potential victim.

• Outside of the mall, stick to well-lit, well-traveled streets, walkways and parking areas for both walking and parking.
• Stay off the cell phone as you walk through parking lots and streets. It is a distraction that makes you vulnerable to robbers, and your cell phone itself is a tempting target.
• Don't flash large amounts of cash or offer tempting targets for theft such as expensive jewelry or clothing.
• Carry a purse or shoulder bag close to your body, not dangling by straps. Put a wallet in an inside pocket of your coat or front pants pocket.
• Don't fumble for house or car keys. Have them in your hand, ready to use when you reach the door.

Here are some additional tips regarding the car or house you've left behind while on your travels.

• ALWAYS lock your car and residence, even if you are away for only a few moments.
• Do NOT leave valuables - gifts, cell phones, purse or clothing - in open view in your car. Take valuables with you, lock them in your trunk, or cover them in an unobtrusive way. 
• Leave lights turned on both inside and outside your residence after dark. Criminals don't like bright places.
• If you will be away from home for several days, make arrangements for someone to pick up your mail and newspapers. An overstuffed mailbox is a sure sign that no one is home, and burglars are tempted to check those envelopes for holiday gifts.

'Tis The Season: Beware Of Purse Snatchers

The holidays are swiftly approaching. The stores are putting up decorations, and purse snatchers are practicing their skills. The Baltimore County Police Department wants everyone to be aware that thieves look forward to holidays as much as everyone else - maybe more so! The department asks women to beware of purse snatchers; women carrying pocketbooks are easy prey. The thieves know that during the holidays, shoppers are distracted and are not as careful as they should be when out. 

Here are some things that can be done to thwart the would-be thief.

• Keep your purse close to your body.
• If the pocketbook has long straps, shorten them.
• If possible, avoid carrying a large purse when shopping.  A fanny pack is compact and more difficult for a thief to grab and run.
• Carry only the credit cards you intend to use, leave the others behind.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Use checks or check cards.
• Use ATMs wisely. Have the card ready before approaching the machine, and use ATMs in high traffic areas.
• Be aware of the environment. Don't walk or park in poorly lit areas. Don't take shortcuts through wooded areas. Don't be distracted by a cell phone conversation.
• Have car keys ready before leaving the office, store or mall.
• If you believe someone is following you, cross the street, switch directions, walk into a store or restaurant. If you are really scared, yell. Don't be embarrassed. Your safety is more important.

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

A Holiday Shopping Reminder

As you do your holiday shopping, don't give a thief an opportunity.

Do NOT leave valuables in open view in your car. Put them in the trunk, or take them along with you. This is the time of the year when thieves do their own form of "window shopping." They look in parked cars for gifts and other merchandise, and they will break through car windows to get at such valuables.

It takes only a few seconds for a criminal to break into your car. So remember: when you leave your car, leave it empty.

Do Your Homework Before Donating To Charity

The holiday season is in full swing. Shoppers are out and about and the signs of the season are everywhere. The familiar red kettle and bell ringers are on street corners and in front of various stores. Charitable organizations are in need of funding to keep programs for the needy operating as the country struggles financially.

For example, the American Red Cross of Central Maryland solicits contributions via e-mail. However, the solicitation is only sent to those companies or individuals who are on the books as donors. The groups have also given permission to the ARC-Central MD to contact them in this way. This is a good use of today’s technology, but it can also open the door to criminal activity. These conveniences can bring pitfalls and fraud. Be wary of any organization that sends unsolicited e-mail asking for donations.

Do your homework when you donate to any charity. Chief Johnson says, “Give to organizations that have a history of service and commitment to the community.”

If you still have doubts about a group, there are other ways to access information on charitable organizations. Donors can check the groups at http://www2.guidestar.org/

It is wonderful to be generous, but think before you contribute your hard earned money.

Extend The Life Of Your Holiday Gifts: Get Them Engraved

Why not set aside some time right after the holidays to get your bike and gifts engraved with your ID number or driver's license number. Never use your social security number.

Easy-to-use engraving equipment and instructions are available free of charge to Baltimore County residents at County police stations, public library branches, and through many Citizens on Patrol chapters.

With the tool, you can engrave a driver's license number or Maryland ID number on your property - and that can pay dividends in the future. If the item is stolen, and later recovered by police, the engraved number will allow investigators to get that property back to you.

The engraved number might even deter a thief from taking your property in the first place, since the ID number makes it harder for criminals to dispose of valuables through underworld channels.

You don't need to limit engraving to your holiday gifts. You can engrave all of your precious possessions so they will be with you for many years to come.

Crime Report 11/25/12

Good morning and Happy Monday!

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the beautiful sunshine while enjoying their Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, it's been beautiful lately! Just getting out the weekly update for the crimereports.com page (you can check this out anytime at www.crimereports.com) and wanted to let you all know that if you have a smart phone, there are even easier ways to stay up to date with what is going on in the area as well as send in an anonymous tip to local law enforcement for graffiti, vandalism, and other non-violent crimes not in progress.

The crime reports iPhone app can be found within the App Store at Apple.com for free or you can download it from this link https://www.crimereports.com/home/iphone_app

The tip submit app is available for Androids and iPhones at this link http://www.tipsoft.com/index.asp?P=TipSubmitMobile

This information was shared with the crowd at the recent Sheriff's meeting at Del Campo High along with a lot more information about the goings on in the area. Come out for the next meetings after the new year to meet your POP officer and interact with fellow neighbors :)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED BY SHERIFF'S DEPT FOR SERVICE CENTER

The Sheriff's Dept. also recognizes the great need in our area to reopen the Sheriff's Service Center that was located in the Raley's Shopping Center on Manzanita, and are still working to find ways to make it work within their extremely restricted budget. Location has not been determined (they may have another nearby business spot that would offer them cheaper rent for a space), but in order for the Service Center to be able to reopen, they will need to rely very heavily on public volunteers to help answer phones, handle paperwork, and direct people who use the Center to the proper source of information to help their needs. If you are interested in volunteering (I believe there may be a minimum hours/week you can volunteer for) please contact Sherrie Carhart at 876-5700 or by email at scarhart@sacsheriff.com.

Newsletter Update

Olivia has been hard at work putting together an informative newsletter to get out to the neighborhood and I must admit, I think I'm the lagging end of this string :) We will do our best to get a newsletter completed and printed in the next few weeks, well before Christmas, and would appreciate help in distributing newsletters to streets where there we don't yet have Neighborhood Watch groups in effect. Please contact either one of us if you can help out.

Wishing you all an excellent and safe week!

Crime Report 11/19/2012

How to Keep Informed!

Just wanted to point out to those of you who visit our little blog that you can sign up on the right sidebar at the top to receive updates via your email or an RSS news feed, depending on your preference. This way you can keep track of what's going on here without having to remember to constantly check back with us.
***Just for piece of mind about your privacy, If you choose to follow this blog using RSS feed or email, I do not have access to your email address, IP address, etc.and cannot tell who is following the blog or not from these methods.***

I also wanted to point out two very helpful apps if you have a smartphone that was shared during the recent Sheriff's meeting at Del Campo High School. If you have a smartphone or tablet, check out CrimeReports app and the TipSubmit app that will allow you to check the local crime statistics anytime and even submit an anonymous tip to local law enforcement right from your phone without having to talk to anyone! Definitely do not use the Tip Submit service when reporting crimes in progress, but it's an excellent resource if you see graffiti or drug oriented behavior while out and about.

Wishing you all a dry, warm, and safe rest of your evening.

Good news on the SMUD solicitor

Greetings,

We have good news about the solicitor reported previously by a neighbor, suggesting he was from SMUD. Another neighbor called SMUD for more clarification and it turns out the young man was from a legitimate business that has an association with SMUD, however he should not have characterized himself as an employee of SMUD. I think it's a great sign that we are alert, aware, and cautious about who comes into our neighborhood-thank you all for being good community members!

Neighborhood Watch Report from a Neighbor-Watch For Solicitors!

Greetings all,

This is a report from one of our local  NW members who wanted to share this with other neighbors to remind everyone that people are out there who will misrepresent themselves to try and gain access and information about your house. Please remember to:

1.  Never let anyone in your home without checking to make sure they work for the company they say they are from (SMUD, PG&E, AT&T, etc) f you experience any suspicious behavior from a solicitor at your door.
2. Never give private information about yourself or your neighbors to others at your door or over the phone unless you know them well.
3. Call the Sheriff's Dept. if you witness any suspicious behavior within your neighborhood.
4. Always trust your instincts and don't be afraid to be communicate in a direct and commanding method to strangers you do not trust. 

Reported November 14, 2012

This afternoon we had a young man come to our door (first rang doorbell then pounded on door).  He wanted to basically do an energy audit.  He is young, wearing a laminated badge that has the BBB symbol on it with a SMUD lanyard. He said that SMUD had sent him.   I told him no thank you and he made some small talk and moved on to the next house.  My neighbor across the street just came over and told me that the same guy came to her house and during his talk with her he said that all the people are so friendly in the neighborhood, offering him water etc.  He then asked if he could use her bathroom.  She said no and closed the door.

After he left she called SMUD and talked to their security supervisor Michael Boggs, he said that they had not sent anyone out to do energy audits.  If we ever have someone show up at our door claiming SMUD sent them, we should call him to report it.  He suggested that we send the number to our neighborhood watch people and let them know to call him if they have someone claiming to be sent by SMUD and we suspect they are not from SMUD.  Michael Boggs number is 916-732-5900.

Our concern is that this young man may have been casing the neighborhood.

News to Share

Good morning all!

Just wanted to quickly share with you all that the Stoney/Slate NW group is now active and are ready to put their signs up very soon. Congrats to another group in our area getting organized and getting active! You can keep up to date on a specific street groups status by checking their page on the left sidebar of this blog. Which leads to...

Attention Coordinators!!

Please share with me anything you would like posted to your NW groups individual page or as a general blog post anytime. I would love to have coordinators contact information (at least names) available on each street groups page, and post any important dates for meetings, etc on the blog for easier access. If you would like to be an editor of the blog, have suggestions for our upcoming newsletter, or have any questions, please contact Carmen Hirkala at ecobatt@att.net

Sheriff's Meeting Tonight!

Come out to Del Campo High School's library this evening at 6:30 p.m. and meet our local POP (Problem Oriented Policing) officer, and share your concerns with the local community. Call Sherrie Carhart, Crime Prevention Specialist (876-5700) with any questions.

Holiday Reminders

Last, but not least, please remember if you are going out of town this holiday season to have a plan in place to keep your house safe. Share your whereabouts with your NW street group coordinator and neighbors, have neighbors check on your house for you, have your mail/newspaper held for you or picked up by family/friends/neighbors, timer your indoor and outdoor lighting, secure all your entryways, and take care when packing to be aware of your surroundings for suspicious behavior.

Here are a few links to websites that will give you further tips to keep you and your family safe and help prevent crime during the hustle and bustle of the holidays:

http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/police/media/holiday_crimeprev.html

http://www.elkgrovepd.org/prevention/printables/holiday.pdf

http://www.lapdonline.org/crime_prevention/content_basic_view/1376



Veterans Day

Finally, thank you so much to the men and women in our neighborhood who are veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Your sacrifices are so appreciated by all those you protect and serve. We honor your bravery and hope you had a great Veteran's Day.

Crime Report 11/9/12 and Newsletter and Park Watch

Greetings all! Remember you can access the crime report for our area at crimereports.com or follow the link on the left side of this blog anytime to see the latest reports to the Sacramento County Sheriff's office, Sacramento Police Department, and Highway Patrol.

Newsletter Contributions 
We are also looking to coordinators to give us any information they would like to share on the next newsletter, and asking if there is anything anyone would like to see more of, or learn more about, so that we can provide the information you all care about most! If you would like to be a contributor or help volunteer with the editing and dispersement of newsletters, please do let Olivia or Carmen know-we'd love your help! Please leave a comment here or email Carmen at ecobatt att att dot net to let us know any concerns or questions you may have, and tell us what you want to read about!

Park Watch
Also a good reminder to please keep us up to date on any disturbances or violations you report in Jan Park. We are continuing to keep notes on suspicious behavior, calls made to the Sheriff's Dept., and other concerns on our Jan Park Incidence Report page, you can find a link to here on the left sidebar of the blog.

Rangers were out to enforce the "No Entry After Dark" rule on the park on 10/27/2012, thanks to Keith Maddison of the Carmichael Parks and Recreation District. Thank you Keith!

Remember- Dog Leash Laws are in effect throughout the park, so please keep your dogs and your neighbors safe by always having your dog on a leash.


One more reminder that there is a Sheriff's meeting where you can meet your POP officer in charge of this area, and learn more about what the Sheriff's Dept. is doing on November 13th at 6;30 p.m. at Del Campo High School. Contact Sherrie Carhart 2500 Marconi Avenue, Sacramento , CA   95821

(916) 876-5700  scarhart@sacsheriff.com with any questions you may have.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy weekend and an excellent Veteran's Day!