Spring Park Neighborhood Association

Street Crimes: General Precautionary Methods

Jul 18, 2005

Street Crimes: General Precautionary Methods

* Public Place
* Office Buildings and business
* Elevators
* Moving money
* Public housing and developments
* Walking or Jogging
* Automatic teller machines

Precautions to take against street crime:
When you are out in public, you face many potentially dangerous criminals. Criminals prey upon the public and are constantly looking for new vicitims. You can defend yourself against these street criminals by communicating to them that you are not an easy target for them to attack. You communicate best to these potential criminals by your conduct and behavior. Your conduct tells them you care about yourself and that if they try to confront you, they will be met with your resistance. Let's start to learn how to efficively communicate to potential criminals that we are not an easy target.

* Alertness
When in public places always stay alert to your surroundings and what is happening around you. Never walk the streets daydreaming: be mindful of your immediate environment. By staying alert, you are better able to adequately access potentially dangerous people or situations and take appropriate conter-measures. If you fail to stay alert, you can be easily surprised, attacked or be prevented from taking proper and timely action to avoid trouble. Stay alert by looking at the whole picure surrounding you. Avoid having your attention drawn to a specific thing, personl or object. Criminals avoid the vigilant person since alert individuals are not easy targets.

* Plan your street travel
Before you leave home, know exactly where your are going, the safest way to get there and options available in case of an emergency. Never go out in public without carefully thinking out where you are heading. Should you be traveling in a strange city or area, determine ahead of time the safest route ou should travel and what areas or places; high crime areas, you should avoid.

* Use your intution
When out in public you frequenty will have to make judgements about people or situations you will encounter. Many times you won't be sure but will feel or think something is wrong or dangerous. In such doubtful situtions, use your intuition, your gut feeling. For example; If you think or feel, I don't know if I can trust, then you shouldn't trust him. You should follow through under such circumstances by taking the appropriate contermeasures.

* Awarness
Awarness means that you not only keep your eyes open but that you also use your other senses such as hearing, touching, smelling to help you detect suspicious persons or criminal activities.

* If you are being followed
To determine if someone is following you, take a few dozen steps then quickly glance back. Do you see somebody behind you who appears to be following you? If you do, abruptly change directions and check again. After changing directions as couple of times and you still see that infividual following you, take the following countermeasures:
1- Look for a police officer of patrol car and advise of your suspicions. If possible, quickly walk/run to the nearest police or fire station.
2- Go to any public place where you know there are people. Do not go to unfamiliar buildings or any place where you think you could be trapped or boxed in and then attacked.
3- Look for a vacant, unlocked car that you can immediately get into and lock the door then start honking the horn.
4- If your assailant is gettng too close to you, start to run and screem as you run.

TWELVE WAYS TO PREVENT STREET CRIMES:
1- When in public, walk steady and watchfully. Commuicate a sense of self-confidence and purpose, head erect and vigilant. Avoid crime-ridden areas where trouble has or might occur.
2- Carry few valuables. At the same time, have at least some money on you to give a criminal should you be cornered.
3- Think ahead to safe havens to escape to and obtain aid should the need arise. Know where the nearest public phones are located and how to call for emergency services. Carry extra coins, if necessary to make the call.
4- Try not to walk alone, there is strength in numbers. This is especially important at night. Your vulnerability to street crime is reduced as much as 70% by simply being in a group. Many communities have formed escort travel for the handicapped and senior citizens.
5- Beware of dangerous places or conditions existing on the streets that could aid criminals in surprising or attacking you.
6- Avoid poorly lit streets, avoid shortcuts through parks, alleys, tunnells and driveways. Always travel main thoroughfares and well-lit streets. If you get lost, seek help from the police or businesses in the area.
7- Don't accept rides from strangers and never hitch-hike.
8- At night, avoid public restrooms. Use well-established business restrooms instead.
9- Carry a whistle, battery operated alarm or other sounding device so you can signal for help should the need arise.
10- Avoid being stopped by individuals, just keep walking. Never give out personal information to strangers such as who you are, what you do for a living, the names of your children, where you bank, ect.
11- At night, carry a flashlight to help illuminate your way. Long flashlights often deter muggers as they are afraid they will be hit with it. When moving from a lighted area to a dark one, try to take a couple of seconds to let your eyes adjust to the darkness.
12- If you are haveing a "bad day" and are not feeling well, are tired, mentally upset,avoid going out and restrict your public travel to only what you must do. Try the best you can to be alert and upbeat during those bad days.

OFFICE BUILDINGS AND BUSINESSES

If you work in or visit an office building you should take the following precautions:
* Be familiar with our office building and any crime problems in or around the area. Also, keep the office door locked as much as possible when such access is not necessary for the operation of the business.
* Avoid working late in office buildings. If you must, keep doors locked and don't open them to anyone you are not expecting. Make sure someone knows you are working late and have them keep in touch with you.
* Have your telephone close at hand and in a location where it can be immediately used in times of an emergency.
* Know your neighbors. Know who works at what time and who can be of help during emergencies. Extend your cooperation to your neighbors should they need your help.
* Be especially careful when leaving your office and going to your car. Garages and parking areas are prime attack locations. If at all possible, have yourself escorted to your car after dark.
* Should some stranger or suspicious person enter your office, immediately proceed to give them a story that indicates that someone is going to arrive very soon.

ELEVATORS

* Never get into an elevator with or if you see a suspicious person in the elevator. Should you arrive at your desired floor and see a suspicious person, lurking on the floor, don't get out. Take the elevator to another floor where there are other people.
* The safest way to ride is with someone you know,someone who lives, works in, or visits the building. Be wary of riding with people who simply appear, by their nature, suspicious.
* When entering an elevator, always position yourself within a hands reach of the control panel. This will enable you to hit the alarm button should the need arise.
* Avoid taking the elevator to the basement, especially at night. Basements are prime assault and rape areas of the building.

WHEN MOVING MONEY

Be totally unpredictable about moving money from your business to the bank. Change times, routes and methods of concealment. Avoid routes that require elevators, frequent stops or obstacles that prevent you from going straight to your destination.

WALKING OR JOGGING
As much as walking and jogging are good for you, always be alert when you are conducting such activities. Here are some helpful tips..
* Always be familiar with the area. Vary the times and routes of your exercise so you do not crate patterns of behavior.
* Carry proper ID and information on you, advising who to contact in case of an emergerncy.
* Avoid walking or jogging in the dark or in a high crime/drug area.
* Jog or walk with a friend or a dog as this makes you less desirable target.
* Advise someone close to you that you are going to take a walk/jog and when you will be expected to return. If you don't come back within a time period, have someone come looking for you.

USING AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES
You can avoid being robbed when using "ATM's" by following these safety tips:
* If you use your ATM to deposit money, keep an adequate supply of ATM transaction envelopes on have and fill them out before hand. Put this envelope in your pocket or purse before you leave for the ATM. Keep this envelope concealed until you are ready to actually deposit it in the ATM.
* When you recive money from the ATM, be sure to stand in such a way that you block or shield your body the cash outlet that is dispensing the money. By using this technique, you prevent strangers from seeing what you are receiving from the ATM. After receiving the money, place it in your pocket or purse immediatly.
* As you approach the ATM, be on the alert for any suspicious persons or circumstances. If you observe or sense something wrong or suspicious, do not use the ATM and leave the area immediately.
* Have your ATM access card ready and in your hand when you approach the ATM. Do not get to the ATM and then take out your card. Secretly punch in your pin number. Keep your pin number is a secret and never give it to anyone.
* When leaving the ATM, carefully watch for anyone following or approaching you. Always keep a safe distance between you and strangers. Should you still be confronted by a robber do not resist and give up the money. The amount you get from and ATM is not worth dying for.
* Remember to take your ATM card and receipt befor you leave.