Full Notification

Recently there has been an increase in residential burglaries targeting elderly residents.
Suspects will use a ruse to gain access into your home or lure you into the backyard so their partners can enter your home and take your property. Ruses used in Tustin have included roof inspections, contaminated water and water leaks.

Please read below for some safety tips (These are good reminders for all citizens);

Crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility, not just a job for law enforcement. Seniors can learn how to protect themselves from crime by following these simple, common-sense, suggestions. Share these tips with your relatives, neighbors and friends too. Make it tough for criminals to work in your neighborhood.

At home…

• Always keep your doors and windows locked. Install dead-bolt locks on all doors. Have a peephole in the door so you can see visitors without opening it. Don’t rely on chains. Chains can be broken easily by a determined assailant.

• Ask for proper identification from delivery men or strangers. Don’t be afraid to ask - if they are legitimate, they won’t mind. If they can’t show you proper identification, call whoever he or she represents for verification. If you’re suspicious, check it out with the police or the Better Business Bureau.

• If a stranger asks to use the phone, don’t let him/her in. Instead, offer to place the call for them.

• Never give out information over the phone indicating when you will or won’t be home. And don’t let a caller know you’re home alone.

• Do not leave notes on your door when you are gone, and do not hide your keys under the mat or in other conspicuous places.

• If you don’t have a phone in your bedroom, consider installing one since it enables you to call for help if you wake up and hear an intruder.

• Be sure your outside numbers are displayed prominently so that it can be seen easily from the street by police responding to your call for assistance.

Fraud…

Senior citizens, con artists are slick, so keep your guard up. Be skeptical.

• Be aware of what people are saying. Don’t be rushed into any deal.

• Know what you are signing. Carefully read all “receipts” or “minor” contracts.

• If you are being offered something for nothing, it’s usually a fraudulent deal. Allow yourself time to check things out.

• Never turn over any sizable amount of cash to anyone, especially strangers offering to help you “get rich quick.”

• Never give personal information over the phone.


Out and about…

• Try to arrange to have a companion with you.

• Don’t carry large amounts of cash.

• Use direct deposit for Social Security and other regular checks.

• Be aware for suspicious people. If someone makes you uneasy, trust your instincts and leave.

• Whether you’re a passenger or driver, keep car doors locked. Be particularly alert in parking lots and garages. Park near an entrance.

• If a friend takes you home, or you take a taxi, ask the driver to wait until you are safely inside before leaving.

• Ladies, if you carry a purse, keep it close to your body not dangling by the straps. Anyone carrying a wallet, place it inside your coat or front pants pocket.

If you are a victim at home…

• If you arrive at home and suspect a stranger may be inside, DON’T GO IN. Leave quietly and call 911 to report the crime.

If you have been swindled or conned, report the crime to your local police. Con artists count on their victim’s reluctance to admit they’ve been the victims of fraud, but if you delay, you help them get away. Remember, if you never report the crime, they are free to cheat others again and again and you have no chance of ever getting your money back.

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TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WARNS OF RECENT RASH OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

TUSTIN, Calif. – The Tustin Police Department (TPD) warns the public of a rash of thefts of catalytic converters from automobiles. In the last week 6 catalytic converters were stolen in Tustin mostly from Toyota SUVs and trucks. The thefts are occurring from vehicles in apartment complexes, single family homes, and shopping centers. TPD suggests parking inside garages whenever possible.

With the rise in prices of certain metals, cities in Southern California have seen an increase in thefts of several types of items including copper wiring, back flow control valves, and now catalytic converters. Apparently the converters on Toyota SUVs and trucks are bolted, rather than welded, and with their high chassis provide an easy target for theft, and net a high price at recycling centers. Another preventive method would be to check into having your catalytic converter welded onto your vehicle. This method might not be fool-proof, but it can help.

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CPR and first aid
Certification
Training

• Saturday, May 7, 2011

• Clifton C. Miller Community Center
300 Centennial Way, Tustin

• CPR : 9:00 a.m.— 12:00 p.m.
• First Aid : 1:00 p.m. — 4:00 p.m.

$30.00/course or $50.00 for both courses:
Courses will be taught by Certified CPR and First Aid Instructors from Doctors Ambulance Service.
Certification cards will be mailed to you upon course completion.

For reservations or questions,
Contact: Tustin Community Foundation
(714) 393-8506 or http://tustincommunityfoundation.org/
.

Come and learn BOTH these life saving techniques!