OSWEGO, NY – Law enforcement is more than just responding to complaints from citizens, according to Oswego City Police Chief Michael J. Dehm, Jr.
It’s also being proactive and helping to prevent crime in our community, he pointed out
“I would like to take this opportunity to outline a few safety tips that may help to reduce the likelihood of falling victim to personal or property crime,†the chief said.
While Out and About:
Be aware of your surroundings. If you can, try to avoid walking alone or at night.
Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area.
Never carry a large sum of money.
Keep your car doors locked and the windows closed whether you are in or out of your car.
Set your alarm or use an anti-theft device.
At night, try to park in a well-lit area, avoid parking next to cars, trucks or vans where you can’t see inside and park as close as you can to your destination while taking notice of where you parked.
Never leave your vehicle unoccupied with the motor running or with children inside, and do not leave packages or valuables visible inside of your car.
If you must leave something in the car, lock it in the trunk or put it out of sight.
Don’t spend time in a dimly-lit parking lot looking for your keys. Be sure to locate your keys prior to going to your car and keep track of your purse, handbag and parcels.
Try not to put them down or on top of the car in order to open the door and when approaching and leaving your vehicle.
At Home:
Recently, we’ve had a number of burglaries that have occurred during the daylight hours when you would least expect it.
Whether you are home or away, be sure all doors and windows of your residence are locked.
Use automatic timers on lights and /or radios when away from home so they can be seen and heard outside.
Never leave notes on your door that can tip off burglars.
Use outdoor lighting to your advantage. Doors, since they are the preferred entry point, should be the first priority to illuminate, followed by windows.
Remove bushes and shrubs from around the house, especially under windows and next to doors.
Keep your yard free of overgrowth. If you do have shrubs and bushes, select ones with thorns to deter potential intruders from hiding in them.
Install a security alarm system and register it with the city of Oswego. Choose a system with a loud alarm and/or flashing lights. This will attract the attention of neighbors.
If you install an alarm, display the decals, and remember to test the system periodically.
Do not hide spare keys outside your home and do not provide your house keys to service people.
Do not invite strangers into your home, and do not tell strangers your daily routines (be aware of what information you are providing on social networking sites such as Facebook, you may be tipping off criminals that you will be away from the home).
As with parked vehicles above, do not have valuables lying out in view from a window.
If possible, keep jewelry and other small valuables and important documents in a safe deposit box.
If you have children, discuss home security with them, such as not talking with strangers about their home, its contents or family schedules.
Avoid telling others about the valuables in your home and inventory and mark your belongings.
Hopefully, by observing some of the safety and security tips above, you can avoid falling victim to a crime.
As police, our best weapon in fighting crime is you.
Contrary to what you may see on television shows, most crimes are solved by good witness accounts.
Be a good neighbor and if you see something out of the ordinary, such as people around a neighbor’s residence that you have never seen before, or strangers acting suspiciously in the neighborhood, do not hesitate to call us to investigate.
