The Central West End Neighborhood Security Initiative

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  Vehicle Break-Ins Prevention Tips!!

 

1)    Keep all electronics stored out of plain view. If you can't take the items with you, secure them in a safe place in your vehicle, like a locked glove compartment or your trunk. Conceal them PRIOR to arriving at your destination.

2)    Hide power plugs, iPod adapters, or navigation system windshield mounts, as this can tell a thief what valuables are in your vehicle. Make sure to wipe the windshield so that the suction marks left from the GPS system are not visible.

3)    Do not leave items that may seem of value to others even if not to you such as backpacks, computer bags (even if there is no computer inside), gym bags, briefcases.

4)    Never leave spare keys in your vehicle: An experienced thief knows all the hiding places.

5)    Keep your car tidy. Criminals also seek mail, which can contain financial and personal information and lead to identity theft.

6)    Park your car in well lit areas where visibility is high, whenever possible.

7)    Get a vehicle alarm system if you don’t already have one. 

8)    Avoid leaving packages or shopping bags out in the open: Lock them into your trunk before you reach your destination

9)    Lock ALL of your vehicle's doors: even if you plan on only being gone for "just a second". Also, make sure car windows aren't left open. 

 Come to Our Next Public Security Forum!!!

 

at the Schlafly Library, 5:45pm the last Wednesday of every month!
 
March 31:Federal Agencies
 
 April 28: TBA
  
Give us your input! Tell us who you would like to see by emailing tardam@thecwe.com with your ideas!

 


 

 

 

 

  New License Plate Tabs

New theft resistant license plate tabs are currently available. This new program will print the actual license plate number on the tab itself making it possible for police to note that a tab has been stolen, therefore diminishing the incentive to steal a tab. The new tabs are currently available to everyone who renews their plates online and also at four St. Louis License Bureaus:
- St. Louis City Hall, 1200 Market Street, Room 111 
- AAA St. Louis at 3917 Lindell Blvd.
- 4628 South Kingshighway 
- Northside at 1330 Aubert Ave, Suite 102B
 
Click Here to  see what the new license plate tab will look like!
History and Development...

 

The Neighborhood Security Initiative was formed in 2007 to serve the community with a comprehensive plan for security in the Central West End. The NSI was formed by Special Business Districts, to unify crime prevention efforts and respond more efficiently to crime as a community. The NSI works to accomplish this goal with Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department, supplemental security companies, the CWE residents and businesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   
 
BURGLARY PREVENTION TIPS!!!!
 
Here are a list of  "things your burglar wont tell you" compiled from convicted burglars!!
 

1. Of course I look familiar.  I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week.  While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.


 3. Love those flowers.  That tells me you have taste... And taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.


4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway.  And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.


5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.


6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set.  That makes it too easy.


7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry.  It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there, too. 


8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.


9. I always knock first.  If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters.  Don't take me up on it.)


10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer?  I always check dresser drawers, the bedside  table, and the medicine cabinet.


11. Here's a helpful hint:  I almost never go into kids' rooms.


12. You're right:  I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables.  But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.


13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system.  If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)


 8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
 
 1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard.  Sometimes, I dress  like a lawn guy and carry a rake.  I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.
 
 2. The two things I hate most:  loud dogs and nosy neighbors.


3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise.  If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again.  If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing.  It's human nature.

4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?


5. I love looking in your windows.  I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like.  I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.


6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page.  It's easier than you think to look up your address.


7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air.  To me, it's an invitation.


8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

 

Sources:  Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book "Burglars on the Job".