View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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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.
Comments
By Carlos
January 21, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this
Slow week which is a good thing. Guess everyone was in D.C.
By Fred Morrow
January 21, 2009 5:20 PM | Link to this
CNN reported that Cheney pulled a muscle and ended up in a wheelchair after trying to remove his man-sized safe from his office.
They’ve released a cockpit voice recording of the crew and just before the hudson river jet hit the water someone yelled, “Let’s Float”. In the background you can hear the stewardess informing the passengers, “Your seat cushion becomes a floatation device.” Who knew the whole plane would become a floatation device? Usually the plane becomes a sinking contraption! Why dont they make the whole plane out of seat cushions, or better yet, why dont they make the passengers sit on little model jet planes if they float so well? Who thought heavier than air flight would be so wet? When the passengers piled onto the wings they passed by the stewardess who said, Blub Blub, Blub Blub, BlubBlub, BlubBlub……
I’ll be here all week.
By Elizabeth
January 22, 2009 12:57 AM | Link to this
For women living alone, I’ve been told it’s a good idea to buy an old pair of large-man sized workboots from a thrift store, get them all muddied up and leave them on the back porch or patio in front of the door. Another idea for the back porch is a large-dog sized water/food bowl and a chain even if you don’t have a dog. Both might make someone stop for a minute to consider if they really want to take a chance that there’s a large man inside or worse yet a large dog.
My favorite, however, is the sign with the silhouette of the german shepherd on it along with the verbiage “I can make it to the fence in 2.8 seconds. Can you?” Priceless!
By Bob
January 22, 2009 7:29 AM | Link to this
12 gauge pump action
By Vexorg
January 22, 2009 7:36 AM | Link to this
The best thing one can do BEFORE moving into a city/neighborhood is check the crime statistics for that area.
(http://gbi.georgia.gov/00/channelmodifieddate/0,2096,6786295488103906,00.html)
Why become a “volunteer victim” for the thuglife element - do your homework. An ounce of prevention prevents a pound of cure!
By bobby c
January 22, 2009 8:03 AM | Link to this
simple solution, make the criminal afraid of the actions they take. if you steal, you go to jail full term, no deals, no priest coming in with a sad sack story about child hood, nothing but the time. the song says if you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. folks today have no concern for human life, property, or the pursuit of happiness. let those who break the law, pay the price, no exceptions. the guy with 8 dui’s is subverting the system, the criminal out on the street with multiple convictions has worked the system. fix the system, do the crime pay with time.
By WW5
January 22, 2009 8:06 AM | Link to this
WALK CONFIDENTLY, LOOK PEOPLE IN THE EYE, AND CARRY A LARGE CALIBER HANDGUN
By WW5
January 22, 2009 8:12 AM | Link to this
THE WORST OF THE WORST CRIMINALS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORST CRIMES CAN BE AVOIDED WITH TERM LIMITS.
By Opus X
January 22, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this
Arm yourself.
By Tim
January 22, 2009 8:23 AM | Link to this
Glock 23, Smith & Wesson 642, Smith & Wesson M&P 15a, Kel Tek PF9, Ruger LCP
By Mack
January 22, 2009 8:26 AM | Link to this
With a recent violent home invasion in our neighborhood, we have “enhanced” our security beyond the previous deadbolts and two large dogs — 2 9mm’s with hollowpoints and concealed carry permits, and one 12 gauge with 00 buckshot. My wife is po’d enough to have an itchy trigger finger. ‘Nuff said.
By cliff zeider
January 22, 2009 8:37 AM | Link to this
Hey, Bring back the Elect. Chair and use it. CZ
By sd
January 22, 2009 8:43 AM | Link to this
I always felt safe before my dog died this past summer. I have another dog, but she is just a little sweet old dog. I have already chosen a breeder for my next German Sheppard. I am getting him Spring of 2011 and he will attend obedient school. I am putting a picket fence all the way around the property so he can patrol.
Other than that, I suggest you be prepared to defend yourself physically. Either gun or other weapon, be ready. I have a small child in the house, so I don’t like to have a loaded weapon easily accessible. I have a bat instead.
You can’t count on the police to help you unless you live in a nicer part of town. I called them to my neighborhood to report a suspicious character breaking into a vacant house. They never came.
By lovelyliz
January 22, 2009 9:16 AM | Link to this
The reality is that many of these crimes are inside jobs. You would like to think that total strangers commit them, but it’s often some you know or who at least knows you.
My sister worked at a retail store for a number of years and the not so secret secret is that they suffer more in thefts from employees than they did from customers.
The office I used to work at was broken into and the thieves took electronics and were very specific about what they took and what they didn’t touch. A former employee was suspect but as far as I know the case was never officially solved.
A friend had her identity stolen. After umpteen bad checks were written and several credit cars were open, she filed a police report. They figured out that it was her husband’s sister-in-law, the one who was always over visiting, who did it.
After the experiences my sister’s father-in-law and one of her neighbors had with the too long lead time between the alarm going off and the police showing up, I chose not to renew the monitoring of my alarm system. It was too expensive anyway. Whether the cops were short staffed, overworked or had higher priorities, the bad guys were long gone after the alarm companies made the call. As for protecting me and mine, I got a good-sized dog. She looks scarier than she is, but as long as that’s enough to keep the bad guys at bay, it’s good enough for me.
I also don’t advertise that I have stuff worth taking or that I could be easily victimized. If somebody wants to get you, they probably will, but for everything you do that makes them pause…..
By Jeff
January 22, 2009 9:18 AM | Link to this
My wife has a Bersa 380 in her nightstand and a pistol grip 12 gauge pump under the bed. I opted for a Beretta 9. I guess I shouldn’t forget the 30 lb dog that should grow to around 65lbs who thinks we hung the moon.
By Gimme a Break
January 22, 2009 9:18 AM | Link to this
If I were a burglar, I would be laughing my rear end off at some of these tips.
1) Guns?- guess what folks, they don’t work if you are not home to pull the trigger and are a prime item to steal. When you are home, do you carry it with you 100 % of the time? If it’s in a drawer, you may not have time to reach for it.
2) Dogs?- a real one or the recording of one isn’t going to stop someone who has a gun.
A properly designed alarm system with a cellular connection to connect to an alarm company is much better than a phone or cable line connection becuase the intruders are now cutting phone lines BEFORE they enter to disable most alarm systems.
I believe the motion activated lights are essential, but remember a majority of these intrusions occur during the daytime while you are at work.
By Jeff
January 22, 2009 9:20 AM | Link to this
My wife has a Bersa 380 in her nightstand and a pistol grip 12 gauge pump under the bed. I opted for a Beretta 9. I guess I shouldn’t forget the 30 lb dog that should grow to around 65lbs who thinks we hung the moon.
By Bearded_One
January 22, 2009 9:21 AM | Link to this
Pass lynching laws and watch the crime rate drop.
By sd
January 22, 2009 9:23 AM | Link to this
Gimme a break,
While I agree that a dog will not deter a determined burglar, it will serve as a deterent to a burglar who is indiscrimantly choosing victims. I have nothing in my home that would be more valuable than anyone else on the block. There is nothing to make my home seem like it would be a bigger prize than the next door neighbor. So a burglar looking to break into any one home on my street will probably not choose the house with the large dog when there are others to choose from with no dog at all.
sd
By RealityKing
January 22, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this
Automatic Remington 12 gauge shotgun works for us.., everytime.
By lovelyliz
January 22, 2009 9:35 AM | Link to this
Ditto sd
By Iboverstanding
January 22, 2009 9:45 AM | Link to this
I say go to topnotchsafety.com or securityboosting.com. They have amazing personal safety products from pepper spray, stun guns, to hidden camera surveillance systems. Also, they sell home and business monitoring systems at great prices. Utilize affiliate code i5000 to find out more about neighborhood safety programs.
By dj
January 22, 2009 10:08 AM | Link to this
I agree with Gimme a Break, most break ins occur while people are working. Our home invasion happened while my wife and I were working. I caught the rats on their second break in attempt on our home because they thought we were gone for the day. Little did they know, I was off that day and I went to Home Depot. I returned home and the two teen thugs were surprised when I busted them attempting to break down the back door of our home. While I chased the punks down, I used my cell phone and called the police. Now, I am waiting for a trial date to receive restitution. By the way, the thugs were neighbors who recently moved into our neighborhood and they were watching our comings and goings. So, I learned: 1) be very observant of neighbors because they maybe watching you 2) Change your daily pattern 3) Have a cell phone at all times - they come in handy!
By sd
January 22, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this
Its a good idea to know your neighbors, and know them well. I am always surprised when people tell me they don’t know their neighbors at all. i know everyone’s name within 5 houses of me and we have a good relationship all around. We watch out for each other.
It helps a lot when you live in an area where the police won’t come.
By Jill
January 22, 2009 10:45 AM | Link to this
I have some tips. For men and women: Don’t be out alone around 3:00, 4:00 a.m. walking around and certainly don’t be drunk at those hours walking home. Walk around like you have a purpose and be organized. Carry one bag and clutch firmly. If you look disorganized you are a target. Don’t stop to exchange money, transit passes, etc, or give to pan handlers. Say no and keep on walking. Give directions with caution and at safe distance from strangers. Drive around with your doors locked and speak to strangers with caution.
By gadyke
January 22, 2009 12:01 PM | Link to this
I always learn at least a few good tips on here. One thing I am grateful for is that I notice the Holly Springs police do a patrol of our neighborhood at various times of the day. It makes me feel safer about burgleries and home invasions. When something does happen (usually medical or fire emergencies), they are there rapidly.
By Tom T
January 22, 2009 6:47 PM | Link to this
The police do a remarkable job in most cases. That being said, they can’t be everywhere at once. Your personal defense is in your hands. Remember, when seconds count the police are minutes away.