View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2009 > January > 21
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Crime & punishment
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
News from the Sandy Springs police blotter:
Burglary
Someone broke the lock and then entered a retail business in the 200 block of Sandy Springs Circle. The alarm activated so they apparently quickly forced open a cash register and then took a small amount of cash from the register. The register was damaged. This doesn’t always work but many times the crooks will take what you give them. If the alarm doesn’t scare them off, leave the register drawer open so they can see that there’s no cash. Some owners prefer to leave a ten spot on the counter so they’ll grab it and go. I’d leave a note: “Smile-You’re on Video.”
Someone removed a fifty-inch TV from an office in the 6100 block of Lake Forrest Drive No forced entry was found and normal entry is done by a keypad.
Theft
A man reported that someone took his wallet from his unlocked locker at a gym on Mr. Vernon Highway. They purchased $300 in MARTA passes with the two ATM cards they took.
An employee of a hair salon in the 5900 block of Roswell Road said while she was working, she placed her purse on the floor next to her station. She briefly walked to the back of the salon and when she came back, the purse was gone. She said an unknown woman had come into the store just before she walked to the back. I guess it doesn’t take a lot of time to figure out why this purse got gone? Secure items you would like to go home with, such as your purse or i-Pod or whatever you have.
A woman placed her rent money order in the deposit box but was contacted by the office some time later and advised they did not receive the money order. This happens occasionally and even though they don’t like you to do it, I think I would hand-deliver that check and get a receipt.
Forgery, Fraud, and I.D. Theft
A woman reported that someone obtained personal information and opened an account with Capitol One Credit. The victim found this out when the company called about the $1,400 balanced owed. What do you do if you find you’re a victim of credit fraud?
The venue is normally the victim’s home address so contact that police department and have a report made. That’s important. Contact the three credit reporting companies, Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax. They all have websites. Put fraud alerts on them. Contact the company and tell them you’ve been a victim of ID Theft. Provide a copy of the police report to them and find out what their policy is as far as any internal investigation. Don’t forget to get names and contact numbers for everyone you speak to. Provide whatever you can to the follow up officer or detective.
Pull your credit report with the three companies above and closely review it. Mark and follow up on any suspicious inquiries and offer to provide the police report to them.
Crime Prevention 101
Motion Sensor Lights A good piece of equipment is lighting. Outside lighting is a deterrent to crooks looking to sneak up and steal from your car or break into your garage or home. Motion sensors are even better. They’re easy to install and give you an unsystematic light schedule throughout the night.
Window Locks Although a window won’t keep someone out if they want in bad enough but most burglars are not at all interested in making a lot of noise or taking half the day to compromise a window in order to get into your home. Window locks come in a variety of shapes to fit every kind of window.
Sliding Glass Doors The easiest way to keep an inside panel from sliding is to drop a dowel or a piece of stiff tubing into the empty portion of the lower track. Cut it 1/4 inch shorter than the distance between the panel and the jamb.
Most burglars who look to enter a house prefer to do so from the back where there is more concealment. Many times the point of entry is a basement door or window. A good way to prevent this entry is to replace the back or basement door with a metal door. Plant some good Holly bushes under the basement-level windows, the kind of Holly that has the big points on them so they’ll stick anything near them.
Fit your windows with window locks so that it will take some time to get passed. Make sure your basement level is on the alarm system and the alarm is on each time you leave the house.
In order to make it even harder to gain entry into the main level of the home, replace the interior door leading from the basement to the upper level of the house with an exterior solid door and put a dead bolt on it. Make sure the dead bolt has a 1.5 to 2” throw so it will sink into the door frame making it difficult to force.
A good crime-prevention plan has several levels. Landscaping is important. If he gets passed the lights and big ol’ sticky bushes, then he has to fool with the window locks and then the alarm activation in the basement and then the dead bolt on the solid door leading upstairs. It can take time and burglars don’t have time and they don’t want to make noise.
While you’re at it, go ahead and wire up a recording of a big, loud, and foaming-at-the-mouth type dog or the mating call of the Siberian Moose, set to activate when motion is detected.
Bottom line: Whatever works.
Have a great week.
