Updates, Scams & July 2011 Block Captain Meeting

Hello neighbors!

I apologize for being behind in posting information but I trust you've been having a great summer!  As you may have gathered, we didn't participate in the National Night Out this year but perhaps we'll attempt it next year.  It definitely spreads a positive message that we are fighting back against crime in our community.

Something that was recently brought to my attention, is that we have individuals in our neighborhood that have been throwing rocks, causing damage to vehicles.  One incident occurred around 10 pm Friday, August 12th.  The Elgin Police were notified and there had been other calls of a similar nature in the area.  Please be on the lookout for these individuals and don't hesitate to call 911 if you see them or call Officer Christy Schmidt in the Community Relations & Crime Prevention Division @ 847-289-2588 if you have any information.

Also, the Elgin Police Department is encouraging Elgin residents to be aware of door to door donation scams.  Often companies drop off young adults in a neighborhood to solicit donations.  They should have a permit to go door to door and should produce it upon request.  If they don't have one call the Elgin Police Department Non-Emergency Number.  The police may cite them with not having a permit to go door-to-door.  Ask them for their permit for yourself, your neighbors and your neighborhood.

In addition, the Office of the Illinois Attorney General is warning individuals about telephone scams.  They have coined the phrase, 'Just Hang Up' and say it's shrewd not rude to hang up on a stranger who asks you to send them money or for personal information.  Things to look out for are:

• companies that contact you
• you are asked for your bank account number, social security number or other sensitive information (this is a sure sign of identity theft)
• they promise a big reward (a large sum of money, vacation or a 'get rich quick' scheme)
• or you must pay them first

 Consider putting your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry if you haven't done so already.  This will block most unwanted telemarketing calls.  You can register your home phone or cell phone online at http://www.donotcall.gov/ or by calling 1-888-382-1222.  If you've fallen victim to or want to report a phone scam, you can call the Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-386-5438 or the Senior Fraud Hotline at 1-800-243-5377.

Finally, below are the highlights from the most recent Block Captain meeting:

Elgin Neighborhood Watch Block Captain Meeting
July 5th 2011
Speaker: Officer Chad VanMastrigt (With Intro by Police Chief Jeffrey Swoboda)
Topic: How to Make Your House Less Attractive to Burglaries

Intro

Crime is at a 40 year low in Elgin (down 20%).  However, there has been a 5% spike in vehicular burglaries by kids.  Lock your vehicle doors & garage to prevent being a victim.  There has also been an increase in elderly scams.

How to Make Your House Less Attractive to Burglaries

There has been a recent increase in residential burglaries on the east side of Elgin.  Perpertrators are generally 15 -25 years old.  Be suspicious of kids wearing hoodies & heavy clothing (especially on a warm summer day) and one or two backpacks.  If they stop at a house, make sure they are going from house to house, if not, they may be checking out a house for an opportunity.  Examples of things they are looking for are: an open window, a lot of mail in the mailbox or an uncut lawn.  Be aware that burglaries can happen at any time (60% are during the day). 

Preventing Burglaries:

• A dog is big deterrent to burglars
• Keep your outdoor lights on at night
• Outdoor motion detection lights should be high and unable to be reached (to be turned off) with no dark areas (eg. sides of house)
• Avoid tall bushes near your door
• Have a fence
• Purchase an alarm system
• Post a 'beware of dog' or 'ADT' sign (a burglar isn't going to know if it's true or not)
• Ensure that there is a metal bar in the middle of sliding door (otherwise they can be easily lifted out of the track)
• Lock your window well cover from the inside
• Don't store jewelry & cash in the master bedroom, under the mattress, dresser, bedside table or closet (store them in a safe in a bank)
• Large electronics are rarely stolen (too heavy & bulky)
• If you have a safe attach it to the structure, otherwise it could be taken
• If you see someone suspicious, watch them and talk to them (a burglar won't likely commit a crime in a neighborhood where he could be identified)
• Make sure you get the make and model of their car or if possible the license plate (write it down - it can be used as evidence)
• Make mental notes of what the person looks like and what they are wearing (start from their head and work down)
• If you take care of young children or a special needs adult in your home consider purchasing a $4 door alarm.  It could also deter a potential burglar.
• Also, if your car is stolen, you can deactivate your garage door opener (change the code) & don't list your home address on your GPS

Below are a couple videos that were presented during the meeting.  The first is a video of how to prevent a burglary from a burglar's perspective & the second discusses home security:

http://vimeo.com/18643268

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C857Ic4dodQ

I have asked Officer Chad VanMastrigt specific questions about how we can ensure our homes are secure and will forward that information via email once I obtain it.

Thanks for reading & have a great day!