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Security Hints and Tips
Operation Identification
Operation identification is a national program designed to deter thieves. By marking or engraving personal property, that property then becomes harder for the thief to sell or to "fence". To engrave property, mark the item with your driver's license number or your social security number, followed by the letters "OH". Police in any state can then obtain your address by your driver's license. The "OH" at the end, gives them a clue to begin their search in Ohio.Operation Identification gives police a solid base to begin with. If a police officer finds an article with YOUR license number engraved on it in some hoods car, he will have a tough time explaining why, and could end up explaining from jail.
Photographs
Photographs of your property are another aid that help police locate your missing belongings, and go a long way in satisfying your insurance man as well.You might know what your "all electric thing-a ma-bob" looks like, but a police officer might not know one if he sat on it at the donut shop. A photo can give him and his whole department a visual picture of what to look for.One good idea is to take a picture of the item, for example your VCR, and then record all of the vital information about the item on the back of the picture: serial number, model, make, date of purchase and price, where the item is engraved and any marks that can identify it. In the event the item is stolen, all of the information needed by the police will be handy.
Serial Numbers
Police property rooms are full of property that belongs to other people that will never be returned because the owner is unknown. In addition to engraving property with your name and license number, record the serial numbers of everything.Serial numbers can be entered into a national computer that police check to see if an item were stolen. It is frustrating however, that most people simply do not keep track of these numbers. Without them, there is no way to enter the item into the computer as being stolen.Police routinely run the numbers of items that they come across: firearms, electronics and everything else with a number on it. Once an article is discovered as being stolen, valuable leads about the theft can be uncovered.
House Numbers
One of the simplest and most important items from a police officers viewpoint is your house number, many of which are not visible at all.Your house number should be visible from the street day or night, in a color that contrasts with the color of your home. In an emergency where seconds can mean life or death, valuable time is wasted trying to locate house numbers that are too small to be read from the road, or are absent or obscured. Put these numbers on the front of the house or over the garage, using numbers instead of spelling the numbers out. Numbers on mailboxes are usually not enough, especially when the mailbox is on the opposite side of the street.
Shrubbery
Keep your shrubbery trimmed so that it does not block the view of your house from the street. Burglars use such places to hide in and as concealment while they work on your windows.
Re-Key Your Locks
After you move into a new home or apartment, have the locks changed immediately. There is no way of telling who has a key to the old locks. Keys are given to friends, old boyfriends or girlfriends, neighbors and a variety of others. Builders also usually have a key.
Hiding Keys
It is far better to leave a key with a neighbor than to hide one near the door. Burglars know that many people hide their house key and routinely look for such keys.
Lighting
Use several lights connected to timers to give the appearance that somebody is home. You may wish to leave a radio on as well, as it is often difficult to distinguish between music and people talking in the home. Outside lighting is one of the most important crime prevention tools available. Lighting that shines onto the house from a distance is excellent, because anybody that approaches the house will cast a twenty foot shadow. Infra-red and motion detectors that activate lights are another excellent deterrent, because their activation gives the impression that somebody in the house turned the light on.
Vacation Procedures
Secure your home and leave your lights on timers. Notify the police department of your departure time and return time. They will check your home, and by leaving contact numbers, can call you if any type of problem occurs.Notify your neighbors in your block watch program and ask them to keep an extra watch on your home while you are away. They can pick up your papers and mail as well. Ask a neighbor to park one of their cars in your drive while you are gone to give it that "lived in" look.
Solicitors
Seville has an ordinance that prohibits door to door sales. There are a few exceptions: newspapers, dairy product salesmen and recognized religious and charitable organizations. If you encounter a door to door salesman, please contact the police department.Check the credentials of utility workers who arrive at your home without being called. Southern Medina County had several incidents in recent years of people identifying themselves as utility workers. These people all fled the scene before the police arrived and have not been caught!
A Sample Solicitor's LicenseStrangers
Never admit strangers into your home! Many people often state that their car is disabled and request to use the phone. Often, these people are looking for an excuse to use on the unsuspecting person to gain access into their home, or are intoxicated and have wrecked their car and want to move it before the police arrive.Medina recently had an incident where a stranger asked to use the phone because his car was disabled on the interstate. When the homeowner advised that he would call the police for him, the subject fled. The car was found on the interstate--a stolen car out of gas.The police department is well equipped to deal with stranded motorists or others who need assistance. Never let them in to use the phone. Call the police instead.
Neighborhood Watch
This is the single best anti-crime device ever invented. It has no moving parts and costs nothing. Report all suspicious activities to the police immediately! A burglar who had been stealing from homes and cars in Seville was caught red handed on Hazelwood Drive because an alert neighbor noticed a suspicious person and called the police!Call the police immediately if you notice anything unusual. Maybe you will be wrong, but that isn't the point. Perhaps you are right! A five minute delay means that the chance of catching the criminal drops by two-thirds. Half the time, police never even get a chance to arrest the criminal because victims and witnesses only report one out of every three crimes. In may cases it is what victims and witnesses tell police about the criminal that results in an arrest, so tell the police as much as you can. No fact is too trivial!
What Number Should I Call
For any type of emergency or suspicious activity, call "911". This would include suspicious persons, fires, other requests for the police or for emergency medical treatment. |
