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The "Alert Neighbors Program"
which has been instituted in several areas of the United States, has
dramatically demonstrated that an alert and cooperative citizenry, cooperating
with an effective, responsive police force, can make a great contribution
in waging an intensive and effective attack on crime resulting in a
substantial decrease in the number residential crimes.
We are enlisting the eyes
and the ears of the public to broaden and boister the Northampton Township
Police Department and to be concerned for their neighbor's protection
and well-being. Each person is requested to be alert for any trouble
concerning his neighbors' on his right, on his left, in back of him,
across the street, or for any other suspicious circumstances in his
neighborhood. Each participant is also requested to display a window
sticker bearing the "Operation Identification Program" emblem
(and to attach a sticker with the telephone number of the Northampton
Police Department
(357-8700) to his telephone).
Crime prevention is everybody's
business, but enforcement and investigation are Police Duties. Residents
should not take action of an enforcement nature. We are
asking simply that you "observe and report to 357-8700"- that's
all there is to it. Assume the responsibility in any suspicious situation
for calling the police to investigate.
Our records indicate that
most burglaries occur between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
This is the time to be particularly alert for any suspicious circumstances.
If your going out for dinner or leaving your home unattended for any
reason, give your neighbor a call and ask that he keep an eye and an
ear tuned for any activity at your home during your absence. All too
often when investigating a burglary, we learn that a neighbor did see
or hear something but didn't think anything of it at the time.
Please be alert for any
suspicious persons in your neighborhood and notify the police if you
find such a person. These thefts from unattended vehicles are occurring
during the late night hours. Thieves are targeting vehicles that are
unlocked or not alarmed. They look for cellular phones, stereo equipment
and other valuables. Please don't leave valuables in your car! Keep
all cellular phones and stereo equipment out of sight if possible
Burglary
Prevention Tips
BURGLARS DON'T WANT
WITNESSES - THEY PREY ON EMPTY HOUSES
WE WANT YOU TO CARE!
Below is a list of precautionary
measures every citizen should take for the possible prevention of burglaries.
1. Keep
your home safe from the outside:
a. Change
locks when moving in a new house.
b. Do not hide a spare key outside
- give it to a trusted
neighbor.
c. Have
a good safe lock - use a bolt when out - a plastic
card can open many locks
- but it can't slip a bolt.
Remember, the best locks
are useless if not locked.
d. Never
admit strangers without full identification!
e. Report
broken or inadequate street lights.
f. Don't
leave home and car keys together. Your address
can be obtained from
plate numbers and keys can be
quickly duplicated.
g. Don't
give out personal information over the
telephone - report all
suspicious phone calls to the
Police.
h. Report
to Police any suspicious strangers in your
neighborhood or people
coming to your door asking
strange or vague questions
about your neighbors and
there whereabouts.
i. Do
not put your name in front of your house - burglars
can use it to find your
phone number and call to check
whether you're home.
j. Don't
"advertise" your possessions - open draperies
and blinds can make
a "showcase" of your home.
2. Keep your
home safe from burglars.
a. Store
all ladders, etc. inside.
b. Be
alert for unusual activities, suspicious people, or
sounds such as
breaking glass, ringing alarms or
hammering.
c. Report suspicious cars or panel
trucks parked on your
street.
d. Keep
garage doors closed when not it use.
e. Place
a strip of wood on the inside tracks of sliding
doors
and windows. (See illustration).
f. Use
lights effectively:
1. Leave several lights
on in different areas of the
house.
2. Outside lights illuminate
possible hiding places.
3. Outside lights should
cover entire area surrounding
home
and be placed high enough to prevent an
intruder
unscrewing them.
g. Secure
all doors and entrance ways at night and
when leaving.
Don't forget patio doors on higher
levels.
h. Have effective window locks
- insert a small nail
through
the top and bottom of window sash. (See
Illustration)
i. Carefully
check references of maids and cleaning
women.
j. Keep all valuables in a
safe.
3. While your
away on vacation.
a. In
summer, have lawns mowed and yard kept up.
In winter, have
your sidewalks shoveled.
b. Put
all outside articles away -- inside storage.
c. Stop
all deliveries of milk, paper, cleaners, etc., have
a trusted neighbor
pick up your mail, and of course,
any clothes the
cleaner left hanging between the
storm door and
the front door.
d. Notify
Police of your absence and length of stay and
where you can
be reached during an emergency.
e. Don't discuss your absence in
public - give
information to
the newspapers after you return.
f. Arrange a daily check by a trusted
neighbor.
g. Don't close blinds, shades or
drapes to "advertise"
house is empty.
h. Use a clock timer for your lights.
Ask your neighbor
to replace any
burnt-out light bulbs.
i. Arrange for a neighbor to park
in your driveway.
j. Valuables should be stored
in a vault or safe deposit
box.
4. A burglary every
12 seconds
As reported by the uniform crime report. Many would say
this is a national disgrace. Some might say it is
nothing
more than
a manifestation of our economic
situation.
Still
others
would say that it is directly related
to narcotic
addiction.
However, all would agree that theft
is one
of
the most
prevalent crimes in America and that it
is rising
drastically.
Regardless of what philosophy you
adhere
to,
one point
is exceptionally clear, and that is: ..
Theft
can be curtailed drastically by proper,
inexpensive, preventative methods. This can start with
neighbor's watching neighbor's homes, and calling the
police when a suspicious activity is observed.
5. Identification
a. Keep
a list of all serial numbers.
b. Have
your silverware and jewelry engraved.
c. Take
photographs or make sketches of valuable
property.
6. Operation
Identification
a. The
idea of "Operation Identification" is to persuade
burglars that breaking into a home
where the items
are marked is too unprofitable
to be worth the
increased risk.
Burglars
usually sell their loot through a "fence" or
middleman. Since marked valuables
can lead to the
rightful owner and provide proof
of theft, the burglar
knows that such items would be
hard to sell, and that
possession of them amounts to an
engraved invitation
to jail.
Any
homeowner or business man may borrow an
etching
tool at Northampton Township Police
Headquarters.
The
individual citizen borrows the tool free of
charge for 24 hours and uses it to inscribe
an identifying
mark such as your driver's license number
on anything
of value at home from TV sets to jewelry.
After
the citizen completes the job, he returns the
tool to the Northampton Township Police
Headquarters
and is given free decals which read "We
have joined
Operation
Identification - - WARNING - - All items
coded
for ready
identification by Northampton Township
Police
Department."
These he puts on doors and windows most
likely
to be used for illegal entry.
Click
Here For Suspect Description Information
Call
(215) 357-8700
Business Number
(215) 322-6111
1-888-UNDER21
Pennsylvania has a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week,
toll-free hot-line, 1-888-UNDER21, which callers can use anonymously
to report underage drinking parties, creation and use of false identification
or establishments serving alcohol to minors.
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