Preventing Crime- National Crime Prevention Council

Tips

• Make sure you have sturdy metal or solid wood doors at all entries into your home and that sliding glass and similar doors are properly secured.

• Trim the shrubbery around your doors and windows so crooks don’t have a place to hide.

• Do not give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or know with whom you are dealing.

• If you’re a senior, use direct deposit for your Social Security check and other regular payments.

• If you notice someone following you when you’re driving, head for the nearest busy, brightly lighted area. Write down the license number and make and model of the car. Call 911 or your local emergency number.

• Always lock car doors and take the keys when you leave your car, even if you’ll be gone “just for a minute.”

• Don’t leave valuables in view in the car. Leave them in the trunk or, better yet, take them home immediately.

• As you walk down the street or through the parking garage, walk alertly and assertively. Don’t weigh yourself down with too many parcels. Take several loads to the car if necessary.

• If you carry a purse, hold it close to your body; if a wallet, keep it in a front pocket.

• Don’t display your cash or any other inviting targets such as pagers, cell phones, hand-held electronic games, or expensive jewelry and clothing.

• When traveling, carry only the credit and ATM cards you absolutely need. Leave the others at home, safely stored.

• Make sure your home is secure when you are traveling—all deadbolts locked, lights left on timers, newspapers stopped, and mail held at the post office or collected by a trusted neighbor who has your travel schedule.