Street crime is on the increase in most large U.S. cities.
It is also becoming more prevalent in small communities.
The following list of "safeguards" will help protect you -
and may even save your life!
1. When leaving home, make sure that all doors and windows
are locked - including the garage door.
2. Watch for loiterers and do not carry large sums of money.
3. If possible, travel with another person. This is
especially true after dark.
4. When carrying a purse, women should have only 3 or 4
one dollar bills placed inside. Credit cards, currency,
driver's license, keys and jewelry should be carried in
a coat or sweater pocket or concealed on your person to
reduce the opportunity of large losses. If you do carry
a purse, don't wrap the strap around your shoulder,
neck or wrist. If your purse is grabbed, a strong strap
will not yield easily and you may be injured. Some purse
snatch victims have been thrown off balance & received
concussions, broken hips, arms or legs. Don't carry
anything more valuable than you can afford to lose.
Always leave all unnecessary credit cards at home.
When you shop and carry a purse, put it in your
shopping bag.
5. At night, travel only well-lighted and well-
traveled streets.
6. Never hitchhike or accept rides from strangers.
7. Walk on the side of the street nearest to oncoming
traffic. If accosted by someone in a car, run in the
direction opposite the way the car is headed.
8. Beware of people who approach asking directions;
keep a polite but safe distance.
9. A good suggestions for men is to carry a second wallet
containing a few $1.00 bills and old expired credit cards,
which are normally destroyed or discarded. If confronted
at knife or gunpoint, give the suspect the second wallet
and concentrate on a good physical description to help
the police in making the arrest.
10. Upon returning home, particularly after dark, do not
linger at the entrance of your residence. Make a quick
check for mail or newspapers, and enter immediately.
If you feel something is strange, don't enter but go
elsewhere and call for police assistance.
11. If you feel someone is following you, go to the
nearest occupied residence or building, and ask for assistance.
If you are confronted with a dangerous situation, cry out
for assistance. Yelling "FIRE! FIRE!" instead of "Help!"
will generally bring faster attention.
