A passer by said that two divers were separated in the water.   Both have been found.

November 30, 2007

Dear Community Friends,

Holiday Safety Tips

If You’re Traveling…

q       Set an automatic timer for your lights.

q       Do not place packages or gifts near windows or other high-visibility sites.

q       Ask your trusted neighbors to watch your home while you are gone and park their vehicle in your driveway from time to time.

q       Do not drink and drive. When attending holiday celebrations, consider designating a driver or using a cab.

If You’re Shopping…

q       If you take your children shopping, teach them to get help from police officer, store security/clerk if they get separated or lost.

q       Carry your purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps.  Put your wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.

q       Only use ATMs in safe, secure locations and do not keep your PIN on your person.

q       Avoid carrying large amount of cash.  Use credit cards or checks and carry your Drivers License or ID card with you.

q       Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. Criminals may try to distract and confuse you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

q       Do not leave anything of value in plain view in your car.  Packages and shopping bags should be hidden out of sight. Do not just cover them with a coat or blanket.

q       Park in a lighted area and lock your vehicle doors.

q       Always check the back seat of your vehicle before entering. 

q       Be aware of your surroundings when unlocking your vehicle.

If a Stranger Comes to the Door…

q       Stay alert to suspicious-looking couriers delivering packages to you or your neighbor’s home.

q       Many con artists take advantage of holiday generosity by going door-to-door. 

q       Never open the door to strangers. 

q       If you want to make a donation to a worthy cause, then do your own research where 100% of your donation goes to the charity.

q       Post a “No Solicitor” sign on your door.

q       If someone still knocks at your door, then tell them through the door to read your sign and that you are not interested.

Preventing Banking Fraud

Stay safe from Phishing: Easy clues to help you keep your personal information secure.

The main goal of a phishing email is to get you to a site where you will provide your personal information.  With these basic, but powerful clues, you can easily recognize the threat and ensure the safety of your identity and finances.

q       The Bank will not ask you to verify your personal information in response to an email.

q       Most phish emails convey a sense of urgency by threatening discontinued service or information loss if you don’t take immediate action.

q       Many phish emails have misspellings, bad grammar, or poor punctuation.

q       Deceptive links in phishing emails look like they are to a valid site, but deliver you to a fraudulent one. 

q       Many times you can see if the link is legitimate by just moving your mouse over the link.

q       Many phish emails use generic salutations and generic information (e.g. "Dear Customer" or "Dear Account Holder") instead of your name.

q       Many phish emails come from an email address not from the company represented in the email. 

q       If you suspect an email to be phishing, do not click on any links in the email.  Type the valid address directly into your web browser.

Police Blotter, Megan Sheppard, West Seattle Herald

http://www.westseattleherald.com/news/police%20blotter/

This web page is update every week on Wednesday.

Seattle Police Department main web page

http://www.seattle.gov/police/

Southwest Precinct Web-page

  http://www.seattle.gov/police/Precincts/Southwest/default.htm

Seattle Police Crime Statistics

http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/crime/stats.htm

For More Information Call:

Benjamin Kinlow

,

Crime Prevention Coordinator, (206) 684-7724 benjamin.kinlow@seattle.gov. 

I was just chatting with a Beach Drive neighbor on the 4600 block who told me about a situation we should all be aware of.  Apparently the week before Halloween, she was washing her windows on the back side of her home when she noticed that someone had tried to pry open her windows with a tool, such as a screw driver. 

She also made me aware of aggressive magazine sales people recently going door to door.   She has ordered a "no solicitation" sign…I’ll find out where she’s ordering it from and update this post.

Just a reminder for us to keep an eye out for each other.   If you have neighborhood crime you wish to report, please call 9-1-1 first…but do let BDB know so we can keep each other informed on the the lookout.

I just received an email alerting neighbors about an incident that took place around midnight on October 30, 2007. The police were called.

The prowlers may have been driving a white older Mazda sedan and they were looking in cars with flash lights and trying door handles.

This took place around the 5200 block of Beach Drive.

Please remember to lock your car doors and do not leave anything of value inside your vehicle. It also helps to keep your home well lit inside and outside.

If you notice a prowler, call the police ASAP.

Here is a local class that will be available in West Seattle from the City of Seattle:

Alki Community Center
5817 SW Stevens St
Thurs, Nov 15, 7-8:30 p.m.

The Seattle Times reports there are new earthquake maps available detailing updated fault lines for our region and how vulnerable various neighborhoods are.   To see the entire map, click here.   (The lighter the color, the less shaking you should have according to the map).

It was just last week when Benjamin Kinlow , Crime Prevention Coordinator, was at our preliminary Block Watch Meeting…one of his suggestions was for us to purchase and install "No Solicitation" signs.   

The West Seattle Blog just posted a reminder of why…

Here are a few notes from the Block Watch meeting we had last night for the 4600-4800 blocks of Beach Drive.

The meeting was ran by Benjamin Kinlow, Crime Prevention Coordinator for the Seattle Police Department and he invites any others who are interested in starting a block watch to contact him 206-684-7724.

Block Watches create a sense of community.  Neighbors get to know each other on a first name basis.   Once we know each other a little more, from events like Seattles Night Out, the more we look out for each other.

During the last 12 months, the biggest complaints from the 11 neighbors present is car prowlers and people sleeping in front of Mee Kwa Mooks Park in their cars.   As well as illegal dumping in the park.

Here are a few tips that were shared last night:

• Make sure your neighbors know when you’re leaving your home for an extended period of time, such as a vacation.   (Even if you have someone house sitting).  When you go on vacation, you can make a "request to watch" with the SPD.  They’ll try to include your home when they are driving around on patrol.
• Create an inventory list of your belongings in the event of theft or loss.   You can do a written list (I have extra forms from the meeting available) including serial numbers, or take photo graphs and store off site.  This is also useful for insurance purposes.
• Keep your home appearing "lived in".   Consider using timers on your lights.
• Install a "No Soliciting" sign on your door.  NEVER open your doors to strangers.
• Make sure that your yard is well lit.
• There are two ways into your home: your doors and your windows.   Use 3 inch screws in your striker plate and your hinges in order to reinforce your door to the wall.    For windows, make sure you have two separate ways they’re locked so that if someone breaks your window at one point, it’s still secure.
• Think like a burglar.   Walk up to your house and estimate how long it would take to enter.  The longer it takes, the less desirable your home is to the bad guys (and gals).
• Make your valuables less attractive my engraving your driver license number on them.
• Install community Block Watch signs to let non-residents know that our community looks out for each other.
• Don’t be afraid to call 9-1-1.  You can also use the Seattle Police non-emergency line: 206-625-5011 (if it’s not an emergency). 

Benjamin Kinlow provided pamphlets on Neighborhood Safety, Vehicle Security, Personal Safety and Your Family Disaster Kit. 

I’m really pleased with the gathering we had.  I understand that there is another Beach Drive Block Watch group that is forming in the 5000 block.  Someone else has contacted me expressing interest in starting a Block Watch Group for the 4200 Block of Beach Drive. I highly welcome using Beach Drive Blog for "connecting" the block watches by sharing information amongst each other.    If you have a Block Watch on Beach Drive, please let me know.

More information specific to the meeting last night is located on the secure neighbor site with the link on the left and/or via an email newsletter. 

If you’re a Beach Drive Neighbor and need a log in, please contact me.

Related links:

Seattle Police Department Southwest Precinct

Seattle Office of Emergency Management

West Seattle Herald’s Police Blotter