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Personal Safety
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- Keep your head up, know your surroundings and know where to go for help if you need it.
- Avoid distractions like cell phones, head phones and personal music players. (Cell phones are useful to carry for emergencies).
- Plan your route to avoid isolated areas.
- Don't overburden yourself with heavy parcels or a bulky purse.
- Use a money belt or pouch to conceal valuables.
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| Senior Safety |
- Direct Deposit - Have regular cheques sent to your bank via direct deposit.
- Automated Teller - When using automated teller machines (ATM) be aware of who is around you. Do not make it obvious that you are taking out cash.
- Shop around, always get a minimum of three estimates on major purchases or service contracts.
- Be wary of something for nothing or get rich quick schemes. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is a scam.
- Be careful of door to door sales people or telemarketing. Do not allow yourself to be pushed into buying something you don't really need or want. Take a day to think about it. Read the contract, ask the salesperson to explain all the costs involved.
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| Child Safety |
- Always let your parents know where you are going and when you will be home.
- Walk with a buddy or a group of friends.
- Know your neighborhood and safe places to go if you need help.
- Stay away from cars occupied by strangers. Do not approach a vehicle even if the occupant asks for help or directions.
- Never flash money, bus passes, cameras or other possessions. Don't tell people what you have in your locker.
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Home / Apartment Security
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- Install your house numbers on the front and rear of your house and ensure they are large, visible and well lit at night.
- Trim trees and shrubs so doors and windows are visible to neighbors and from the street.
- Lock doors and windows even when you are home or working outside.
- Install good quality dead bolts with a minimum 2.5 cm (1 inch throw). Adding door reinforces that fit around the dead bolt adds 2-3 times the strength to the door.
- Install anti-lift devices and a good auxiliary lock, dowel or bar on sliding glass doors and windows.
- Report suspicious persons or vehicles immediately to the police.
- Get to know your neighbors. - Join BLOCK WATCH or CRIME FREE MULTI-HOUSING.
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| Apartment Security |
- Never allow strangers to enter your building without proper screening.
- Use the intercom wisely. If you do not know the person do not buzz the door. If someone claims to have a delivery for you go down to the lobby to let them in.
- Lock your patio door or windows when you are out of the room to prevent a cat burglar entering and stealing your wallet or purse.
- Use your suite door locks even if you intend to stay in the building or just take out the garbage.
- Don't store valuables in storage lockers.
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| Tips on Auto Crime Prevention |
- Close windows, lock doors. Take your possessions with you. Leave NOTHING in your vehicle.
- Remove your keys from the ignition even if you will only be away from your vehicle for a few seconds (at a gas station for example).
- Do not leave your garage door opener and registration in your vehicle. These items can be used by thieves to find and gain access to your residence.
- Invest in a good anti-theft device such as a steering wheel lock, alarm and/or immobilizer.
- Plan your route and carry a map in case you get lost. Carry a cell phone for emergencies.
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| Signs of Drug Houses or Grow-Ops |
- Residents avoid contact with neighbors. Occupants appear overnight.
- The windows are covered with plastic, heavy curtains or blinds that are tightly shut and pressed against the windows.
- Chemical or strange odors coming from the house, apartment or detached buildings.
- Neighborhood residences experience unexplained power surges or a decrease in power.
- The house may appear to be vacant as the yard is not well tended, and flyers accumulate at the door.
- There is heavy condensation on the windows or an absence of frost or snow on the roof when other houses have frost or snow.
- Extra security measures have been taken to protect the house i.e. new fencing, guard dogs and bars on the windows.
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| Identity Theft |
- Shred all documents containing personal information.
- Never provide bank, credit card, or other personal information to anyone who contacts you by phone or email.
- Provide information over the phone or internet only if you have initiated the contact and can verify the business is legitimate.
- Memorize all passwords and pins. Do not write them down.
- Check monthly credit statements for charges you did not make and review your credit report at least once a year.
The two national credit reporting agencies are
Equifax: 1-800-465-7166
www.equifax.comEFX_Canada
Trans Union 1-877-525 3823
www.tuc.ca/TUCorp/home.asp |
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| Graffiti & Vandalism |
- Graffiti and other types of vandalism are a crime and should be reported to police.
- When witnessing suspicious behavior or graffiti crime, call police immediately at 911 or the Emergency Police # in your area.
- Failure to remove graffiti or fix other acts of vandalism leaves an impression that no one cares about the community. The sooner graffiti is removed, the less likelihood of continued vandalism.
- Remove objects which can be used to access target areas such as roofs.
- Increase lighting and visibility in vulnerable areas and ensure your property is well lit at all times.
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Benefits of Engraving Property |
- Engrave property with your driver's license number.
- Make sure to put BCDL in front so if it is recovered out of province it can be returned.
- Engravers work on plastic, metal and wood.
- Items worth engraving include bicycles, electronic equipment and tools.
- Make an inventory list of engraved property items and keep it in a safe place.
- Once you have marked the property put decals on your front and rear doors or windows alerting would be criminals that your property is marked for identification.
- Engraving - provides evidence of guilt and enables police to detain a suspect who is found in possession of property engraved with someone else's driver's license number.
- There is a higher likelihood that the property will be returned to its rightful owner.
- Engraving may serve as a deterrent as criminals are less likely to steal marked property.
- The thief cannot reclaim the property if it is seized.
Decals are provided to Block Watch groups free of charge by the Block Watch Society of British Columbia. In addition your local Block Watch Office may be able to lend you an engraver. |
TB Vet Tags |
- TB Securi prepared by the TB Vets are a quick and effective way to mark all of your valuable household items.
- Securi Tags are self-sticking vinyl tags with special glue that will stick to almost every surface including TVs, computers, CDs, sporting equipment and tools.
- Securi Tags were developed in cooperation with the Block Watch Society and local police.
- Order tags at http://www.tbvets.org Or 604-874-5626 - 1-888-874-5626
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| Household Inventory List |
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Additional Resources |
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