Caroline Cove Owners Association, Inc.

Neighborhood Watch...From the JSO Summer 2003 Newsletter

Jul 28, 2003

Several great tips have come out of the summer Neighborhood Watch newsletter:
As many of you know, school is out for the summer and may of you have trips planned. Here are a few tips to help you make that trip safer:
(a) Cash: remember, there are thieves out there who target tourists. If you are going to be using cash, separate it so that you are not carrying all of it in one place and avoid ?“flashing?” a wad of it when you are paying for an item.
(b) Hotels: when staying in hotels, make use of room safes or the hotel desk safe to store your valuables and passports (if you are traveling overseas) and make sure you use the door locks anytime you are in the room, even if it is only for a second. If someone knocks on your door and you don?’t know who they are, call the front desk.
(c) Luggage: When traveling by plane, train or bus, remember to keep your luggage secure while at the same time recognize that authorities are going to be searching it. Use clear plastic bags to store common items in so that they may be readily seen. You also want to store dirty items in these type containers to help security personnel avoid contact. The most important thing to remember is to leave your valuables and other unnecessary items at home. If you must take them with you, hand-carry them, especially medicines.
(d) Vehicle Tips: When traveling by car, remember not to leave the engine running at rest areas. Take a spare set of key; there is nothing worse than loosing your car keys when thousands of miles from home. Also, do not leave cell phones, purses, cameras or other such items in plain sight. Place them out of view or in the trunk if you are going to be away. Finally, always park in a garage if possible. Remember to take the claim ticket with you, as thieves look for these on the dash.
(e) Foreign Travel: Before you leave home, make a copy of the picture page of your passport and leave it with someone who you can call if you suddenly find yourself needing a replacement. If you don?’t have this proof, you could suffer significant delays while your information is verified at the embassy or consulate. Remember to find the phone numbers to these valuable government agencies before you leave. They are available from the State Department?’s web site: www.state.gov.
(f) General Tips: Before you leave on any trip, you should tell someone you know and trust your travel plans and an anticipated return date. This is especially important if you are traveling overseas or by yourself. Also, if possible, have someone watch you house for suspicious activities and arrange for your newspaper and mail services to be held while you are away. Burglars love to see piles of newspapers in a driveway. If you can leave your lights on a random timer, that is smart too.