View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2008 > December > 10
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Prevent crime during the holidays
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Christmas time means robberies are up and thefts from cars are up.
Right now we have a trio of bad guys doing street-level robberies mostly in the southern area. Victims are usually caught off guard getting in or out of a car and it’s normally at night.
Some of the robberies were for money and one was a carjacking. At night, be very careful and look around before getting out of the car. These are quick hits and if you get caught in the worst-case scenario and are approached for money, don’t fight. Give up the money and get a good description of the perps.
Other things:
You know those “Secret Shopper” offers? Be aware, some are phony. Check them out. Most legit Secret Shopper deals don’t involve you putting money up front. Look into these offers closely and ask questions.
Thefts from gym lockers are expected to rise slightly. The most common scenario is a popped locker and either a credit card removed from a wallet or, if the wallet isn’t in the locker, thieves will sometimes take the keys, walk outside and hit the buttons until they find the car. Most of the time they ransack the car then leave.
Thefts from cars are up a bit. Just quit leaving all that stuff in them.
I’ve gotten some e-mails telling of stories of people who slash the victim’s tires then approach them offering to fix them, then robbing them. I hear about it but haven’t seen any of it here.
Apartment burglaries are quick. Kick the door, grab what they can from the front room and scoot. Most common item taken: PS3 and Xbox game systems. Aside from the door kickers, the second most common entry point is the sliding door. You can’t do much about the front door frame unless your apartment complex is very accommodating but you can buy or even make a door stop for the sliding door. You can buy a wooden dowel at the hardware store. Cap the ends with rubber stoppers and place it on the sliding door thus restricting it from opening. Most crooks won’t take the chance of shattering the big sliding door.
It’s a good idea to write down serial and model numbers of your valuables, especially electronics. Make the rounds with your digital camera and create a visual inventory of your items.
Believe me, it will pay off if you are a victim of a burglary.
Here’s more holiday news and tips
