It’s the Season for Robberies. The holidays present thieves with great opportunities. Here are some measures you can take to avoid being a victim of crime.
Don’t have your car broken into
1. Don’t leave packages in your car. Place shopping bags in your trunk. Bags on the back seat of on the floor of your car may cause thieves to break your window.
2. Don’t leave your GPS (even the if it is just the suction cup on the windshield) visible. Ensure you carry a paper towel or tissue to remove the rings the GPS suction cup leaves on your windshield. Remember, thieves will break your window thinking your GPS is stored in your glove compartment.
3. Do not leave your cell phone charger or satellite radio antennal visible in your car.
4. Do not put your purse, brief case or other valuables on the passenger seat when driving. When you do this, you become a prime target for a thief at a red light. Thieves will break your window and take your package knowing that there is little you can do at a red light.
5. Look around and make sure you’re not being followed when leaving a store to put bags in the trunk of your car to continue shopping. Many thieves will follow you to see if you leave packages in your car and go back into the stores to continue shopping.
Don’t have your home burglarized
1. If you are going away for the holidays, ensure you stop mail delivery and newspaper delivery. Newspapers on your front door or a full mail boxes let thieves know you’re not home.
2. Leave a light on inside the home or a light on a timer.
3. Ensure your front and back yard lights are on. Flood lights with dusk till dawn setting are the best for security and energy conservation purposes.
4. Get an alarm system. Most home monitoring systems can be installed for around $100 and $35 a month for monitoring.
5. Let a neighbor know you’ll be away. A neighbor will know to call police if they see someone in your home while you’re gone.
6. Have a friend check on your home while you’re gone.
7. Ensure you lock all windows. You may take an old broom stick or similar object to place on your window track; this makes it nearly impossible for a window to be opened from the outside.
8. Do NOT change your answering machine or voicemail greeting to say that you’re out of town.
Make this a Safe and Happy Holiday Season
Your BACA Public Safety Committee
Bates Area Civic Association 
I am always very aware of what I leave lying around in the car, but I must confess that there are a couple of precautions listed here I had never previously considered.
Prime example: the ring left by the suction cup on my windscreen as an invitation to thieves.
Thank you for the detailed advice, I agree with most of the points that you make. My only concern is that if I spend time looking over my shoulder to see if I am being followed I may start to believe that people have cause to do so. Is that not a just little bit paranoid?
Gari – I wish I could say you are paranoid, but you’re just cautious. 90% of crimes are crimes of opportunity. It is sad that we have to take so many precautions and be as guarded as we are because others have no respect for personal property and respect toward others.
Our car and the one behind us was broken into Friday night on the unit block of N St. They busted out the back small triangular window on the passenger side of both cars. They didn’t take anything but some change in the ashtray.
There has been a rash of car break-ins in the area, so I encourage everyone to mention this to any police representative every opportunity you get and request extra police presence in the neighborhood. I have made calls to the district office doing the same.
That’s awful Mac, sorry you got hit.