Crime Prevention Tips

What is Identity Theft?
Section 530.5 of the California Penal Code, defines Identity Theft as a felony using identifying information of another for the purpose of financial gain, to obtain any services, or for medical records.

Identity theft is one of the most personal crimes that can be committed. It attacks the very essence of who you are financially. Once you have been victimized, the road to repairing your good name and financial standing can be very difficult.

In addition to affecting you financially, this crime, if not corrected or identified in time, can affect you civilly and criminally. Not all identity thieves are in it for the money. Some may steal your identity in an effort to hide their own identity. Some identity thieves may use your identity just because they can.

Whatever the reason, once they have your identity, they control an important part of your life and “They Become You.”

What types of Identity Theft are there?
The most common is the “quick hit”

• For instant financial or material gain. Your credit may be devastated within a month.

The most dangerous is the “take over”

• Someone with serious financial problems or criminal or civil judgments may assume your identity to get a “fresh start.”

The most malicious is the “harasser”

• Someone who will use your identity just because they can. They do it to harass you.

What can you do to avoid being a victim of Identity Theft?

• Remove your telephone number and address from circulation.
• Obtain an alternative address for business correspondence. Make this your “legal address.”
• Protect your social security number.
• Shred identifying trash before disposal.
• Don’t place your outgoing mail in your street or communal mailbox.

What should you do if you have been victimized?

• Notify the Police Department and make a report.
• Obtain a copy of the report and make copies of it.
• Contact the three major credit reporting bureaus; Equifax – (800) 525-6285, Experian – (800) 397-3742, and Trans Union – (800) 680-7289.
• Obtain a copy of your credit report from each of those credit bureaus. You should receive a free copy as a victim of Identity Theft.
• After reviewing the credit reports, send a certified letter to each of the financial agencies where false credit was extended. Advise the credit company and banking institutions that you were a victim of Identity Theft and send a copy of the police report if necessary.
• Send letters to each of the credit reporting bureaus and insist the false credit information be expunged. Send a copy of the police report if necessary.

More Information

• Mail and Identity Theft Resources— This publication provides contact numbers and website addresses for USPS, credit reporting agencies, and the national mail removal request.
• See the Mail Crime pages for more information on preventing mail theft and identity theft.

Here are tips to follow if you witness a crime:

• Most important is to stay calm so that you can think.
• Remember that your personal safety is the number one priority.
• If you are not directly involved in the incident, keep it that way.
• Be the best witness you can. Try to memorize or write down details of what you are seeing, if it can be done safely.
• When reporting information to dispatch, stay calm, patient and answer the dispatcher's questions.

Here are tips to help you be safe when shopping: 

• Be alert to surroundings
• When pulling into a parking lot check lot for loiters or any suspicious activity.
• Park in well lit area and move packages out of plain sight.
• Never leave children unattended or send them into a restroom which you have not checked.
• Establish a meeting place with your children in case you get separated.
• Try to avoid ATM machines at night unless they are inside of a store.
• Avoid carrying excessive amounts of cash.

Here are some tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of sexual assault.

• Keep entrances to your home well lit
• Secure all doors and windows. Use dead bolts, window locks and install peep holes on your front door
• Know your neighbors and be aware of strangers
• Ask for identification from contractors/service people before allowing them in 
  your house
• If your house is not secure when you arrive home, do not go inside. Call 911
• Have emergency numbers by your phone
• Always be aware of your surroundings
• Wear comfortable clothing so you can move fast
• Avoid isolated or dark places
• Walk at a steady pace and look confident
• Carry a whistle or noise maker. The sound may scare off an attacker
• Have car keys ready before you get to your car and check your back seat before entering your vehicle

Robbery has a high potential for loss of property and personal injury. The following tips can help to reduce the odds of a Robbery happening to you and therefore reduce your risk of injury through planning, training, and preparation. 

In the event of a robbery, you must act quickly and calmly. Without preparation, victims tend to panic which causes a loss of valuable time, reduces the chances to recover property, reduces the chances of an arrest being made and could create a situation where people are injured. Your initial reactions immediately following a robbery are the key to solving the crime. 

Follow these safety tips to reduce your chances of personal injury:.

• Remain cooperative and calm at all times
• Remain silent and do as the suspect tells you do
• Remain polite and composed
• Announce in advance any sudden movements that you must make.
• Keep your hands where they can be seen. Even if you cannot see a weapon, assume the suspect has one and that it is real.
• Do your best to not cost the suspect time. In a robbery situation time is not on the side of the suspect.
• Make mental notes of suspect and vehicle descriptions.
• Never try to over power a robber, chase a robber or use a weapon on him or her.

Immediately call 911 and give clear, articulate information to the  dispatcher.
The dispatcher will ask you for:

• Suspect(s) descriptions
• Suspect vehicle description and last known direction of travel
• Injuries
• Any weapons that were used.

Business Tips

• To help prevent a robbery at your business, keep your front windows clear of signs/posters and check bathrooms/back offices before closing.
• If a robbery does occur, activate any silent alarms available and lock the doors after the suspect(s) leave if it can be done safely.

Don't make it easy for the burglar! 
Anything you can put in the burglar's way puts you a step ahead. Any one of the following tips will probably not prevent a burglary. However, combined they do represent a deterrent.

• Yard and porch motion lights
• home security system
• Neighborhood Watch
• Deadbolt locks
• Dogs
• Make sure all doors/windows are secured and locked even if you are home
• Store valuables/Christmas presents out of sight
• Sliding glass doors need either track locks or a wooden board in place to prevent the door from being opened from the outside
• House keys should be kept in your possession at all times. Tradesmen, maids or repairmen should only have access to your house if you or a family member are home.
• If your vehicle is worked on at a repair shop, only give the shop your vehicle keys.

Burglary prevention while on vacation

• Leave an itinerary with trusted neighbor or family member. This person should know not tell anyone you are gone. In the event of a suspicious circumstance or a burglary, this person  should also know to call the police before they call you.
• Pick up mail, newspapers
• TVs, radio, lights should be rotated to give the appearance that someone is home.

Auto Theft is a big and profitable business occurring more often in large cities. According to the FBI crime statistics, a car is stolen in the U.S. every 23 seconds. The experienced car thief can steal the average car in less than a minute. The most frequently stolen vehicles are the most popularly sold over the last decade. For the past five years the most frequently stolen vehicles have been the late 1980’s and early 1990’s model Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Honda Accord. These vehicles have been targeted because of the ease in which they can be stolen. Owners of these vehicles and others should take precautions to prevent their vehicle from being stolen.

A truly dedicated and talented vehicle thief is difficult to deter. However, there are many things that a vehicle owner can do to deter the vehicle thief and to make the theft more difficult. Below are some tips you can use to avoid being the victim of a car thief.

• Lock your car.
• Take your keys.
• Never hide a second set of keys in or on your car. Consider using a Valet key if you have one.
• Park in attended lots if accessible (leave only the ignition key with the attendant).
• Never leave your car running unattended (vehicles are commonly stolen at ATMs, convenience stores, etc.).
• Close all windows when the car is parked.
• Don't leave valuables in plain view.
• Use your emergency brake when you park.
• If you have a garage, use it.
• When parked in a garage, make sure the garage doors are locked and secured.
• Never leave your title inside the car.
• If you are going to leave your vehicle unattended for a long period of time, remove the electronic ignition fuse, coil wire, rotor distributor or otherwise disable the vehicle.
• Replace "T" shaped door locks with straight locks.
• Stolen cars are more easily traced when Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) have been etched on car windows.
• Drop business cards, address labels or other identification inside vehicle doors.
• If your car is on a trailer, chain it and padlock it.
• When the trailer is not attached to your vehicle (i.e. boats, dirt bikes, jet skis), chain the trailer to a large stationary object and make sure the items on the trailer are also secure.

When possible, use anti-theft devices.

• Install an ignition kill switch.
• Install a fuel kill switch.
• Get a visible steering wheel lock, which keeps the wheel from turning.
• Place a gear shifting lock on your car.
• Hood locks will not allow thieves to access the engine of your vehicle.
• Have an audio alarm installed with a visible red light on the dash that activates when it is armed.
• Have a vehicle tracking system installed.

These are just a few ways you can protect your vehicle from being stolen. Remember, no vehicle is 100% theft proof, but if you follow these tips, your vehicle will be much more difficult to steal.

For additional information, the Moreno Valley Police Department can be reached at 95. 486.6700

The Moreno Valley Police Department would like to give you a few vehicle burglary prevention tips. There are many things vehicle owners and residents can do to protect themselves, their neighbors and their property. By taking actions to prevent vehicle burglaries and reporting suspicious activity, residents can curb vehicle burglaries in their neighborhoods and public parking lots.

• Always lock your doors even if you are making a quick stop at the gas station, convenience store or mini mall.
• Do not leave any personal property lying on the seats of the vehicle.
• Always put personal property away (out of sight), prior to arrival at your destination; place the property under a seat or inside the trunk.
• If you have a pull out stereo, take it with you. If you have a detachable faceplate stereo, take the faceplate with you.
• Do not leave money in your ashtray.
• Keep your garage door remote out of plain view, and if stolen, change the remote control frequency.
• Don’t leave a vehicle in unattended parking lots for an extended period.
• Never attach a tag with your name and address to your key ring. If the keys are lost or stolen, the tag will lead a thief directly to your car and your home. If you have to leave your vehicle with a parking attendant, leave only the ignition key.
• At night, park in well-lit areas with lots of people around.
• Consider an alarm system.
• Report to police any person(s) in your neighborhood who appear suspicious or out of place. If possible get a description of the subjects.
• Don’t hesitate to call the police if you are suspicious of someone or something. Time is of the essence.

If you would like to report a suspicious person or vehicle, call Moreno Valley Police at 951.247.8700 or in case of emergency, call 911. For additional information regarding the safety of your vehicle call 951.486.6700.