1213 A little extra vigilance can make the holidays more bright
By Robin Hauenstein
December 9, 2010
264
You excitedly post on Facebook and Twitter that you are traveling to the Gulf Shore this Christmas to meet up with family. Each day, pictures are posted of the sun and fun, and when you return on Jan. 2, you notice your back door is ajar. Upon further inspection, jewelry, guns, video games and that new Blu-ray DVD player are missing, not to mention that the door has been open for an undetermined amount of time, with cold air and snow blowing into the house, and the pets are gone, too.
The aforementioned scenario is not as uncommon as one might think. However, a few simple precautionary steps could have prevented all of it from happening.
If something is visible, its inviting, said Tom Vaughn, Millersburg police chief. Keep your homes locked. Lock your cars. Location doesnt matter, either. Living in town or in a rural setting, vigilance is always the key. For village of Millersburg residents, Vaughn said the police department provides vacation checks. He said its important for those going away to give police specific dates, and also if anyone will be stopping by to feed pets or check the house, so they have that information on file.
Jeff Urban, New Philadelphia chief of police, reminds folks to always keep lights on in and outside the home. Christmas decorations and lights are good, but dont forget to have lights inside the house on a timer. While saving energy and turning off lights may seem like a good idea, its not practical when going away for a few days or even just a couple of hours at night. He encouraged the idea of making the home look as if nothing has changed, whether or not the residents are home.
Thieves usually also know what to look for. Jewelry and guns are easy to dispose of. Those items are easily transferable. Not a lot of questions are asked, Urban said, noting that gold is a hot commodity to buy and sell these days.
Both Vaughn and Urban note that social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are not the place to post about upcoming vacations or special nights or days out. Anything you put on the Internet can be seen by anyone who wants to see it, Urban said, noting hackers can access anything they want. How much information do you want everybody to know?
Vaughn reiterated those points of his Tuscarawas County colleague. Social networking postings are not the best things to do, especially specifics.
This time of year also brings out more crimes involving money. We usually see an increase in shoplifting, and some increase in (passing) bad checks, Vaughn noted.
Urban also pointed to scams that appeal to a get-rich-quick mentality.You did not win the lottery (in a foreign country). People think they can get rich. There is no fast and easy way to make money.
Recently an alleged scam artist in the area conned large amounts of money out of his victims. Its unbelievable that well-educated people are giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to con artists, Urban said. Christmas is a time that people feel warm and fuzzy. He added that giving directly to persons in need, or through reputable international, national or local charities is the best way to help others.
Taking the time to notify law enforcement of an upcoming vacation, lock the car and home, dont buy into something that seems too easy and too good to be true, report suspicious behavior in the neighborhood or shopping center, and remember to save posting those vacation details and photos online until after the trip, to make holiday memories even more special.
