Community Roll Call

On Tuesday November 27, 2007 at its monthly meeting the Wauwatosa Crime Stoppers held elections for it's Executive Committee and the results are as follows:

• President  -  Mr. Gary Datka who is the Vice-President and Co-owner of C&G Printing and Promotions in Wauwatosa
• Vice-President  -  Mr. John Baurenschmidt who is a Wauwatosa resident
• Treasurer  -  Ms. Teri Morgan who is the Vice-President and Branch Manager of the Wauwatosa Branch of Landmark Credit Union
• Secretary  -  Mrs. Cindy Datka who is the President and Co-owner of C&G Printing and Promotions in Wauwatosa 
• Sgt. At Arms - Mr. Patrick Harrington who is a Wauwatosa resident

Also at the November meeting the membership voted unanimously to award a $250.00 cash payout for information that lead to the arrest of a subject trying to sell narcotics in the City of Wauwatosa.

 And finally - the Wauwatosa Crime Stoppers need you! The Crime Stoppers is a volunteer board that serves to deter and prevent crime in the City of Wauwatosa. The board accomplishes this goal by advertising cash rewards for information leading to an arrest, fund raising so that there is cash to pay out when warranted and finally voting to approve pay out of reward money. The Crime Stoppers board meets on the last Tuesday of every month except December and has two major fund raisers, the extremely popular and successful Mother's Day Pancake Breakfast held every Mother's Day at Hart Park and look for our first annual "Shredding Day" in which you will be able to bring personal papers and such for proper destruction.

In order to become a member of the Wauwatosa Crime Stoppers you only have to meet the following three criteria:

1. Be a Wauwatosa resident or own a business, work for a business or own real estate in the City of Wauwatosa.
2. Be at least 18 years of age.
3. Be of good moral character.

If you are interested in joining the Wauwatosa Crime Stoppers or just have any questions please contact me.

 Officer Don Semega, 414-471-8430 Ext 5114 or dsemega@wauwatosa.net

There is a way the "Bad Guys" are scamming us on gift cards, even before we purchase them. How are they doing that? Well, some stores elect to have their gift cards on racks or hooks where you just pull them off and have the cashier charge them up with an amount. In stores like that the "Bad Guys" are writing down serial numbers off of the cards on the rack and they can later retrieve a balance by using the store's customer service telephone number. And to make matters worse, they can use the gift card online just by having that serial number they copied earlier and a known balance provided by the store.

 Here is a scenario:

On Monday Bad Billy goes to a national department store chain we will call Alfred's. At Alfred's their gift cards are on display for purchase and Bad Billy copies down 12 serial numbers. Mr. and Mrs. Dons decide to purchase 4 gift cards for their nieces and nephews who live in another part of the country. The Dons' charge each card up with $50.00 value and stick the gift cards inside Christmas cards and send them off via the US Postal Service.

 On Tuesday Bad Billy calls Alfred's customer service telephone number and asks what the balance is on gift card A0012 and finds it to be $50.00. On Wednesday and the following days Bad Billy calls about one card each day. The bad news is, even before the Dons' nieces and nephews open their cards, Bad Billy has already gone to the Alfred's web site and redeemed the gift cards for things he wants. Bad Billy will often have those items shipped to a friend's house or even a house he knows that is vacant or even the Jone's house. Why the Jones house? well there is no one home during the day and he can drive by and get the boxes off the Jones deck before anyone gets home.

 Okay, so how to we protect ourselves against this type of scam? Easy really, purchase your gift card from a store that keeps their gift cards behind the register or customer service counter. If the store you want to purchase a card from only keeps them in the open, insist they get one out of the back storage room. But buyers beware, because Bad Billy's sister Bad Belinda might be an employee of that store and she may write down the serial numbers before selling them to you. It might be a good idea to check the store's policy on refunds or procedures on how they protect their gift cards.

Well Ladies and Gentlemen we are one day away from Thanksgiving and the weather looks like it might give us our first driving challenge of the late fall. Forecasters are having a hard time pinpointing exactly what we are in for, but it does appear at a minimum that it could be a sloppy and slippery mess. We had a great summer and early fall weather-wise but now it is time to focus on getting the rust and dust off our winter weather driving skills. I am asking that you take the time to read the points below and give them some thought as you venture out on your first winter driving adventure, be it today or later in the season.

• We all have a route planned before we leave but have you considered an alternate route? Give it some thought should weather or traffic dictate change.
• Always give a "Flight Plan" to those you are leaving behind as well as traveling to; this includes your vehicle's description and license plate. Doing this will aid law enforcement in searching for you should the need arise.
• Carry extra cash or credit cards with you should you need to interrupt your trip and seek a hotel for an overnight stay.
• Make sure your car is in good working order. Brakes, tires, headlights, blinkers, windshield wipers, and windshield wash should all be inspected before departing.
• Use your headlights no matter what the time of day.
• If you can, have at least another person along while traveling. Maybe you can share driving to cut down on fatigue.
• If fatigue sets in, or the weather becomes too difficult for you to continue traveling in, find a safe place to park and wait it out or get a hotel room.
• Watch the mile marker and exit numbers as you travel, it will help you pinoint a location should you have to contact help for yourself or other motorists.
• The use of cruise control is discouraged on icy or otherwise slippery roads.
• Remember to drive defensively; leaving larger gaps between you and the vehicles in front as well as reducing your speed.
• Remember also that overpasses will ice up sooner than the roadway.
• Four wheel drive, all wheel drive and front wheel drive all have advantages in bad weather, but none of them are your "Pass" to drive less carefully.
• If you should become stranded, stay with the vehicle and run the vehicle intermittently. Crack a window to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.
• Carry a winter travel kit and consider the following items for it:
• Cell Phone
• Extra gloves, hats and socks
• Boots
• Blanket(s)
• Snack foods
• Bottled Water
• Flashlight
• Candle
• Matches / lighter
• Good book / magazines
• Cat litter for traction
• A portable radio, preferably with a weather band
• Lock de-icer
• Jumper Cables or portable jump back
• Road flares

I hope this helps and has refreshed your memory as sooner or later you are going to have to drive in less than desirable weather. Also, please look to the tags at the right of this blog and click on "Accidents" for some tips on what to do should you become involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Below you will find some tips on improving the security of your home. I fully understand that everything you read here may not work for you or fit your desires, but by employing the tips listed below you will make it harder for unauthorized persons to enter your home. Like any chain is only as strong as it weakest link, your home is only as secure as your weakest security precaution.

• Shrubs should be below the window and no higher than 2'. Consider thorn bushes as well
• Tree branches should be a minimum of 7' high
• Tree branches should be no closer than 6' to the edge of the roof

 Windows:

• All windows should be pinned so as not be opened more than 4"
• Double hung windows should have working sash locks
• Casement windows should be closed and latched when the home is unoccupied
• Basement windows should have security bars installed across them. A key should be kept 40" away on the same plane to allow unsecuring the bars for escape.
• Basement windows can be replaced by glass block windows as well

 Doors:

• Sliding glass doors should have a lift barrier strip or screws left protruding on tap track to prevent lifting of the doors from the tracks
• Sliding glass doors should have auxiliary key locks on the top and bottom
• All windows / glass on wood or metal doors should have a security screen or film installed
• Doors without glass should have peep holes installed
• Dead bolts should be employed on all exterior doors with at least 1" of bolt length
• All strike plates (The plates that are mounted on door way frame) should have screws of 3".

 Exterior Lighting:

• The entire exterior should be lit up with low level lighting during hours of darkness
• Dusk to dawn sensors are recommended above motion sensors
• Landscape lighting is very effective
• Do not forget to light up the garage exterior

 General Items:

• House numbers should be lit and visisble from the street
• Caregivers should be trained in lock and window operation
• If an alarm system is in use, make sure your key holder list is up to date
• If going out of town ensure the grass cuttting, snow removal, mail and newspapers are taken care of
• Consider leaving a radio tuned to talk radio while the house is unoccupied
• Conisder timers on interior lights if out of town or you return from work after dark

 As always, the recommendations made here are designed to make your residence more secure. While there is no guarantee that you will not be the victim of a crime regardless of the precautions you take, by adopting these recommendations you should reduce your risk. The recommendations made on this blog are made in good faith and there is no guarantee implied or stated.

 As always, contact me with questions or concerns.

Officer Don

If you have been to Mayfair Mall this week you have seen the Christmas / Holiday decorations are up. Add that to the fact that the busiest retail day of the year, the Friday after Thanksgiving is just two short weeks away; not to mention the fact that the ladies in my family are about to embark on the annual shopping weekend this second weekend in November; well I am compelled to write about shopping safety tips.

Please take the time to review the tips listed below and should you think of some additional tips, add them in the comments section or give me an email.

Ø      Always park in a well lit area.

Ø      Remember where you parked.

Ø      Keep your car locked at all times.

Ø      Walk with authority, always making eye contact with others.

Ø      Shop in groups.

Ø      Dress casually and comfortably.

Ø      Leave the expensive or even expensive appearing jewelry at home.

Ø      Avoid carrying a purse if possible.

Ø      Take only the cash, credit cards and identification needed.

Ø      If carrying cash, credit cards and identification on your person, keep it in your front pocket.

Ø      Don’t flash large amounts of money around.

Ø      Always double check to make sure you have your credit cards back.

Ø      Never allow your credit card to leave your sight.

Ø      Always be alert to your surroundings.

Ø      Do not allow yourself to be overloaded with packages. Make several trips to your vehicle if needed.

Ø      Never leave packages or anything of value in view in your vehicle.

Ø      When returning to your vehicle, look around, inside and out of your vehicle before opening it up.

Ø      If using an ATM, use one in a busy area, have a friend with you.

And from the Better Business Bureau, here are some online shopping tips.

Ø      Shop only at Internet Merchants you know and trust. If in doubt visit www.bbb.org

Ø      Beware of emails offering cut-rate prices, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.

Ø      Check the merchants refund policies before making a purchase.

Ø      Make sure the merchant is using a secure server.

Ø      Refrain from using a debit card or online check, it exposes your personal checking/savings accounts to fraud.

Ø      Always print and save any confirmation or order forms.

Ø      Frequently check your accounts online, no need to wait for a paper statement.

• Never leave your vehicle running unattended.
• Never leave your keys in the ignition.
• Always roll the windows up and lock the doors, even if parked at home.
• Install tapered door lock buttons, discard the ones with the lips on them. This will prevent the opening of your doors with a coat hanger or similar device.
• Never leave anything of value in the auto; this includes the change left over from the convenience store and drive through.
• Never hide a key on or under the vehicle, thieves will take the time to try and locate "Hidden" keys.
• Park in busy and well lit spots.
• Consider having the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) etched on the entire vehicle's glass.
• Consider installing an ignition kill or cutout switch in a hidden location.
• Consider using a mechanical steering wheel locking device.
• Consider installing an alarm.
• Consider a vehicle monitoring and tracking system.
• If you install an alarm or employee a tracking system, display the provided stickers on your vehicle.
• If you have recently purchased a used vehicle, especially from a private party, consider changing the ignition switch.