VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 6

PARTNERS IN CRIME PREVENTION

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017

INSIDE THIS ISSUE HOLIDAY PACKAGE THEF T—TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR GIFTS

HOLIDAY 1 Package theft is a year round problem If you are expecting a package, do one or PACKAGE THEFT– TIPS TO PROTECT which receives special emphasis during more of the following: YOUR GIFTS the holidays. In recent years, we have • HOLIDAY 2 Track the package. SHOPPING– seen security camera video of thieves tak- PROTECTING • Have it delivered to your work. YOURSELF FROM ing packages from front porches and THEFT quickly driving away. • Have it delivered to a UPS store or a

HOLIDAY 2 FEDEX/Kinko’s store. SHOPPING– Unfortunately, there is no one method to SAFETY TIPS protect your packages from theft. There • Require a signature. If you are not at

ID THEFT– 3 have been many suggestions for how you home, the drivers will not leave the PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY DURING can prevent package theft. You need to package at the door. The delivery ser- THE HOLIDAYS choose the method(s) that will work best vice will try to deliver the package in a HOLIDAY PARTY 3 for you. The key is to takeaway oppor- few days or you can pick it up at a GUIDE tunity for a thief to take your package. nearby distribution center.

PRESENTS UNDER 4 Amazon recently announce “Amazon • Ask to have it placed on your back THE TREE– PROTECT THEM Key” for its Amazon Prime members porch or out of sight of the street. FROM BURGLARS where Prime members allow Amazon de- • Alert a trusted neighbor- ask them to livery personnel access to their home to retrieve the package and give it to place packages just inside their front you when you get home. door. This solution may not be for every- one, but you can see how the program is Both UPS and FedEx offer options for the supposed to work at https:// management of your delivery. Here are www.amazon.com/b? links to their web sites, ie=UTF8&node=17285120011. UPS-

Amazon also has lockers at various loca- https://www.ups.com/mychoice/ Ty Trenary- Sheriff tions where you can pick up your package features/ Snohomish County (https://www.amazon.com/b/ FedEx- Sheriff’s Office ref=amb_link_366591722_2?

3000 Rockefeller _encoding=UTF8&node=6442600011. https://www.fedex.com/apps/ M/S 606 Everett, WA 98201 fdmenrollment/ 425-388-3393 http://sheriff. snoco.org SNOHOMISH COUNTY PARTNERS IN CRIME PREVENTION | 2

HOLIDAY HOLIDAY SHOPPING – PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM THEFT SHOPPING - The busy holiday shopping season has SAFETY TIPS • Have your keys in your hand returned. When you are at the mall When using your car lock before leaving the mall and walk remote, be careful in the looking for those precious gifts, take purposely to your car. Make sure mall parking lot. the following precautions to protect nobody is in the car before • If you have a tradi- yourself from becoming a victim: entering, and lock the doors tional key/remote, lock your car the old immediately when you get • Don't display large sums of cash fashioned way, with inside. the key in the lock. in public. Be discreet about the Don’t use the remote. The bad guys use money or other valuables you are • If you are leaving a mall alone at scanners to pick up your remote’s fre- carrying. night, request a security escort quency, and then to your car. open your car with • Be alert in public restrooms. If their own remotes. anything seems amiss or if a • Don't leave packages or valua- • Keep your keys safe. group of people is loitering in the If you lose your keys, bles visible on the seats or floor you lose your car. area, leave quickly and find of your car. Use the trunk. With your remote, the bad guys can use the another facility. panic button to easily • If you take packages to your car find your car. • Stay alert in crowds to protect trunk and want to go back to the your valuables. A thief can use mall, move your car. Most newer The holiday season is a the cover of the crowd to make a vehicles have a trunk release prime time for packages to quick getaway after stealing your inside the car (in the glove be delivered to our homes and for package thieves to wallet or shopping . or by the driver). If the thief sees steal them: something that you have just • Try to park as close to the • Ask a trusted neigh- purchased that he wants, he can entrance of the mall or store as bor to pick up your easily break a window and open package after deliv- possible. In a parking garage, ery. your trunk. park on the level that leads • Track the package’s directly to the mall, so you can progress online. Then • At an Automated Teller Machine you know when it is avoid elevators or stairwells. Stay (ATM), choose one that is locat- delivered. alert for people standing behind ed inside a mall, grocery store, • Ask to have the pack- parked cars or pillars. At night, or well-lighted location. Withdraw age placed on the back porch or out of park under a light whenever only the amount of cash you sight on the front possible. need. Shield the ATM keypad porch. from anyone who is standing • Make a note of your parking spot • Have the package near you so they cannot view delivered to a nearby so that you don't have to wander package store or your transaction or obtain your around the parking lot after where you work. PIN. Do not throw your ATM re- shopping. ceipt away. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PARTNERS IN CRIME PREVENTION | 3

HOLIDAY PARTY ID THEFT– PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY DURING THE HOLIDAYS GUIDE ID thieves need to steal personal information • Don’t carry credit cards or ID cards With the holiday party season upon us we want to commit ID theft. Once a theft is made it’s you don’t need. downhill all the way for you the victim. Accord- to remind everyone not to ing to the Attorney General’s Office, Washing- • Use a locking mailbox for your mail. drink and drive. If you will ton State is Number 8 in the nation for ID be hosting a party here Theft. • When ordering new checks, pick are some tips to ensure them up at the bank instead of hav- that your guests do not Here are some ways to avoid becoming an become involved in an ing them mailed to your home. identity theft victim: alcohol related crash:

• Use a micro cut shredder to shred • Ask guests to appoint a • When you make purchases with your credit charge receipts, copies of credit ap- designated driver before card, put the receipt in your pocket. Do not plications, insurance forms, physician the evening begins. carry it in your shopping bag. statements, bank checks and state- • Offer a variety of non- • Do not give your Social Security number, ments, expired charge cards and alcoholic beverages for mother’s maiden name or account num- credit offers you get in the mail. the designated drivers bers to strangers who contact you, espe- or for those who choose cially by phone, Internet or mail. not to drink alcohol.

• Pay attention to what time of month your • Prepare plenty of food bills arrive. If they don’t arrive on time, call so guests will not drink the creditor and verify your address. on empty stomachs.

• Put strong passwords on your credit card, • Invite guests who are bank and phone accounts. compatible so that no • Don’t carry your Social Security card. Leave one feels left out - lonely or unfriendly people it in a secure place such as a safe bolted often drink to excess. to the floor in your house or a safety de- posit box. • Avoid too many salty snacks-they tend to make people thirsty, so they drink more. SHOPPING SAFELY ONLI NE • If preparing an alcoholic • Know who you are dealing with. Confirm through a secure web page with “https” punch, use non- the seller’s phone number and physical in the web address. carbonated base fruit address. juice - alcohol is ab- • Check out the terms of the deal, such as sorbed into the blood- • Know exactly what you are buying. Read refund policies and delivery dates. stream faster with a the product description closely. Look out carbonated base. for words indicating product is in less • Keep a trail. Print and save the • Never serve alcohol to than mint condition. Watch out for prod- product description and price, the online someone under the ucts with “too good to be true” prices. receipt and any correspondence. legal drinking age, and • Know what it will cost. and pay with • Never email your personal information. never ask children to credit card. Be sure the transaction is serve alcohol to guests. • Check the privacy policy. SNOHOMISH COUNTY PARTNERS IN CRIME PREVENTION | 4

OFFICE OF PRESENTS UNDER THE T REE– PROTECT THEM FROM BURGLARS NEIGHBORHOODS

You have safely transported your gifts • Don't leave Christmas presents un- MAKING OUR from the mall. Now they are in your home NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER der the tree in full view of burglars ready to wrap and sit under your tree. This who may be peering through windows is a time of year when burglars steal - keep them in a secure place until Homeless Outreach- Sgt. Ian Huri Christmas gifts from homes. You can im- the big day. prove the security of your gifts through the Phone: (425) 508-8291 Email: neighborhood- following steps: • Don't put your empty from [email protected] Christmas presents (or any new pur- • Always secure and lock your doors chases) out until your col- and windows, even if you are just pop- Community Outreach- lection day and make sure you break ping out or when you are in the back Sgt. Nathan Alanis up the boxes and secure them to- garden - about one in four burglaries Phone: (425) 388-5250 gether - the boxes and wrappings Email: happen simply because the house- provide burglars with just the infor- [email protected] holder left windows or doors un- mation they are looking for to see locked. what new gadgets and items await • Make sure your security lights are in them inside. working order and put internal lamps SHERIFF’S OFFICE CRIME on timer switches to come on when • Note down the serial numbers of all PREVENTION WEB PAGE: dark if you are away. electronic goods such as TVs, videos, computers and camera equipment http:// • If you have a security system, use it. and keep the list out of sight in a www.snohomishcountywa.go secure place. Also photograph valua- v/289/Crime-Prevention • Don’t hide your house keys near a ble items such as jewelry. door. Burglars know all of the secret hiding places

NEWSLETTER INFO AUTO THEFT PREVENTIO N CHECKLIST

 All car doors locked  Anti-theft device on (Club, alarm sys- tem, kill-switch) EDITOR  All windows rolled up Steve Moller

 All personal belongings have been If you have questions regard- removed or stored in the trunk ing this newsletter or any articles that appear in it,  Vehicle is parked in a well-lighted please contact the editor at area neighborhoodwatch@ snoco.org  Vehicle is parked in a high-visibility location (avoid isolated areas)

TIPTIP LINES Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office: 425 -388-3845

http://snohomishcountywa.gov/303/Anonymous -Tips

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound: 1 -800-222-8477