First Quarter Tip: SAFETY TIPS

In the last 3 months this has happened within a 1/4 mile of our neighborhood: Assault & Battery - 2,   Burglary to a vehicle - 1,   Robbery - 1,   Theft - 2,  Vandalism - 3   DON'T BECOME ONE OF THE NUMBERS

"Garaging" - It's a beautiful spring like day and you've decided to get some lawn and garden work done...maybe clear out the garage and get ready for a yard sale....halfway through the project you go in the house for a cold drink and to rest awhile...and you've left the garage door wide open for "just a few minutes" - THIS is a perfect opportunity for thieves to grab those garden tools and that edger and mower, and before you can put your empty lemonade glass in the sink...they've got your stuff and are taking off to go sell it - or even go into "business" using your lawn equipment! That's what is being called "garaging". Opportunity knocks for a thief cruising a neighborhood who notices an open garage door and no one in sight.

What is just a dangerous? Leaving the door from the garage into the house unlocked...where even more valuables are kept. These home burglaries can also occur when you "run out for just a few minutes" and leave a window or door to the house or apartment open/unlocked.

Auto Burglaries - During the spring months we're more inclined to leave a sunroof or car window open to help keep the vehicle cool and get that fresh air. In a flash, the opportunistic crook has your CD's; navigation device; access to the trunk; and if they check out the glove compartment, probably some documents with your home address or, even worse, your bank account. Keep the vehicle closed and locked, even when parked in your own driveway. Don’t park on the street as this invites problems.

Vehicles and Pets - are a very dangerous combination in the spring and summer. It takes only a few minutes for temperatures to exceed 110 degrees inside a car on a day that's not even really hot. That can be deadly for animals and humans, alike. Don't leave ANY valuables in an unattended car.

Social Networking on the internet - As summer heats up so do kids' activities. They are texting friends, or communicating via social networking sites such as Twitter, My Space, Face Book, etc. Please remind your children about the "rules" for safe internet use: NO chat rooms that the parents haven't approved. No releasing of personal information. Absolutely NO information should be posted on the internet that tells where you live; the family's vacation plans; new purchases for the home, such as a flat screen television, etc.