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Crime and Safety

Safety and Crime Prevention Tips

Crime and Safety

Safety and Crime Prevention Tips

Three factors must be present for a crime to occur: desire, ability and opportunity. You can have a significant impact on the last one – opportunity - and reduce crime by following these simple crime prevention tips.

Crime Prevention Tips

A printable brochure with helpful tips and contact information

Tips for safety and crime prevention in the home

Use a door viewer before opening your door. Always demand identification from strangers (even repair or sales persons).
Always lock up your home before leaving and don't hide your house keys outdoors anywhere.
Have keys ready and in your hand for immediate use when you return home.
Use interior and exterior lighting at all times.
Always use Safe Internet Shopping practices.
Shred credit card offers and bank statements before you throw them away if you do not plan on using them.
Hide or destroy boxes from expensive purchases.
Do not answer personal questions about your home such as type of alarm, daytime occupancy, etc.
Do not let people inside your home (to use the bathroom, phone, etc.).
Avoid mail theft by obtaining a locked mailbox and dropping off outgoing mail at the local post office.
Do not give out your personal information or credit card number over the phone unless you initiated the call.
Safeguard your home and yourself while you are away with Vacation Safety.

Check out our Home Burglary Prevention page for additional information and helpful tips!

Personal safety while walking

Plan your route ahead of time.
Never walk alone at night, walk with a friend or with your dog.
Use well-lit streets, not dark alleys or bushy areas.
Carry signaling devices like shriek alarms or a whistle.
Carry defensive devices such as pepper spray.
Be alert to what’s all around you, be sure to look behind you occasionally.
Never ask for or accept a ride from a stranger.
Don't carry large sums of money or wear valuable jewelry.
Don't resist an armed robber. Hand over whatever is demanded quickly and quietly.
Remember, your life and safety is worth more than any personal property.

Teen dating violence

Teen dating violence is similar to adult relationship violence. It includes hitting, yelling, threatening, name calling, and other forms of verbal, sexual, emotional, and physical abuse. The number of incidents and the severity of the abuse increase as the relationship continues. Teen dating violence can be as lethal as domestic abuse. Dating violence affects about 1 in 10 teen couples. Very few tell anyone who could help, such as a parent, teacher, counselor, or the police.

This information is provided by the California Attorney General's Office of Crime and Violence Prevention Center. A pamphlet titled Teen Dating Violence is also available.

Purse and wallet protection tips

If possible, don't carry a purse.
Never carry anything you can't afford to lose in it.
Carry your purse across the front of your body, with your forearm across the front of the purse and your elbow held tightly against your side.
Carry your keys, wallet or other valuables in pockets in your clothes and not in your hand.
Carry minimum amounts of cash and credit cards. Keep a record of all of your card numbers.
Check out how to prevent Identity Theft and what to do if your purse or wallet has been stolen or lost.
Pleas also look at our tips on ATM Awareness.

Automated teller machine (ATM) awareness

Be careful when using an ATM, especially when getting cash. Follow these precautions:

Always watch for suspicious persons or activity around an ATM.
If you notice anything strange, leave and return some other time.
Even if you have already started a transaction, cancel it and leave.
After dark, take a companion along, park close to the ATM in a well-lit area, and lock your car.
If the lights around the ATM aren't working, don't use it.
Use your body as a shield while you enter your access code, so no one can see you type it.
Take all of your transaction receipts with you; don't throw them away near the ATM.
If you get cash - put it away right away; don't stand at the ATM and count it.
Never accept offers of assistance with the ATM from strangers; ask the bank for help.
If you use a drive-up ATM, your vehicle's other doors should be locked with the windows up.
Memorize your access code. Don't write it down and/or carry it with you.
Don't use an access code that is the same as other words or numbers in your wallet.
Never tell your access code to ANYONE (including bank employees, the police, etc.).
Never lend your ATM card to anyone; treat it like cash or a credit card.
If you lose your ATM card, notify your bank or credit union immediately.

Internet shopping and online transaction safety tips

The Internet is an incredible shopping resource, but can also leave you vulnerable to con-artists, frauds and scammers. Here are some safe e-shopping tips:

Unsolicited e-mail should always be treated with suspicion. Never respond to bulk e-mail, even to ask to be unsubscribed (when you unsubscribe, that just tells them that they have reached a valid e-mail address).
The safest way to purchase things online is with a credit card because you can dispute the charge if necessary. If your credit card number is stolen and used by someone else, you are only liable for the first $50 of charges (provided you inform the credit card issuer right away). Many banks will even cover the $50. ATM cards are safe ONLY if your card limits your liability to $50. Even then, a thief can empty your bank account quickly, which is a major inconvenience even if you ARE covered. A credit card for online purchases is better.
Print hard copies of all online transactions on your printer (a respectable e-commerce site will tell you to do that). Printed copies of purchases are concrete evidence of a transaction if a dispute arises.
Be careful of stores asking for a lot of personal information. An online transaction with a credit card should not require giving a merchant more information than is needed to verify your card and ship you the product. If they do, they may be collecting information about you that they can sell to someone else.
If you use online auctions, use the protections they have put in place for you. Check the posted comments about both sellers and buyers. Use escrow services (with caution) if you are buying or selling big ticket items.
The old adage, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is" really applies on the Internet. Be careful of "great deals" and "special offers." Watch out for very cheap name-brand software - there are lots of copies of old (and no longer supported) versions of well-known products out there. Make sure you always know exactly what you are getting, no matter what you purchase.
Watch out for free advice. Whether it's a stock tip from a chat room or unsolicited e-mail, avoid advice from total strangers. Why would they want to give you free advice? There's usually a motive involved, and that motive is simple: they want to make money off of you. Don't listen.

Safety tips when driving and parking

always look inside your vehicle before getting in
lock all doors immediately after you are in the vehicle
never pick up hitchhikers
if a stranger approaches while you are in a vehicle, keep the windows up, doors locked and engine running
honk your horn if you need to attract attention
park in well-lit areas at night
always lock your car when leaving it
consider installing an auto burglar alarm system, and
don't leave anything valuable in your car if at all possible.

Tips on preventing metal theft

Learn how to prevent Catalytic Converter Theft.

Protect your home against Air Conditioner Theft.

Learn how to prevent Tailgate Theft.

Additional safety links

The following safety categories contain links to additional helpful safety information from outside agencies.

Child Protection

Community Safety

Disaster Preparedness

Fraud and Fincancial Scams

Internet Safety

School Safety

Home Burglary Prevention

Neighborhood Watch

Preventing and Recovering from Identity Theft

Vacation Safety

ON THIS PAGE

Search for content

Safety and Crime Prevention Tips

Tips On-the-Go!

Tips for safety and crime prevention in the home

Personal safety while walking

Teen dating violence

Purse and wallet protection tips

Automated teller machine (ATM) awareness

Internet shopping and online transaction safety tips

Safety tips when driving and parking

Tips on preventing metal theft

Additional safety links

Child Protection

Community Safety

Disaster Preparedness

Fraud and Fincancial Scams

Internet Safety

School Safety

More