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Published on 11/16/1998 All articles from this issue

Police offer tips to crime-proof the holidays

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Not everyone feels a holiday ho-ho-ho. Along with the presents and good cheer comes an increase in crime, with more burglaries, break-ins and scams during the holidays, police said.

Detective Mark Laranjo of the Los Altos Police Department and Noreen Sorg, community service officer with the police department, want to change that.

"We want people to be aware, to take precautions, so they don't slip into a (too) comfortable mode," Laranjo said.

"People are busy, it's easy to forget," Sorg said, to lock doors and cars, to be aware of what's going on.

Here are their suggestions to avoid being a victim:

Put presents in the trunk. Thefts from vehicles go up this time of year. "If it's sitting right on the seat, and people see it, they will take it," Sorg said.

Engrave items with a California driver's license number. Not on every screwdriver and wrench, Sorg said, but on the more expensive things.

Then if police find a trunk full of TVs or stereos during a car stop, and there's a number engraved, "We love it. Possession of stolen property," Sorg said.

The Los Altos Police Department has seven to eight engravers available for loan to the public, at no charge.

Mail bills from the post office. Burglars can bleach a check, stolen from out-going mail in a mailbox, with household chemicals and then write in any amount. "Crooks are whitewashing a lot of checks," Laranjo said.

Don't give out social security or credit card numbers on the phone. There's a greater loss from stolen ATMs and credit cards than from bank robberies, Sorg said.

"There are a lot of ways to scam people with the numbers themselves," Laranjo said.

Photocopy the things in your wallet. Then if your wallet is stolen, you have copies of all the information in it.

"Paper crimes are on the increase," Laranjo said. "They're hard to solve. There's so little to go on."

Be aware of what's going on around you in your neighborhood. "If you see people or vehicles that don't belong, call us. You have our permission to call. Let us determine what's happening," Laranjo said.

Use your locks, on your house, your car. "Mostly a lock will deter a burglar," Laranjo said. "Burglary is a crime of opportunity." Laptop computers and cell phones are popular items to steal because they're easy to carry off. "They're small and not hooked up to a lot," Sorg said.

"And they're being left in unlocked cars," Laranjo said.

Install motion-activated outside lights. Burglars "just want the stuff," Sorg said. "So lights are a deterrent."

What drives Laranjo nuts, he said, is that "people think there's an iron gate around Los Altos, that crime doesn't happen here." He agrees that Los Altos is a safe community.

"But a lot of people pass through here," Laranjo said. "There are things happening out there and people have to be aware. Or they'll become a victim."

Sorg will come to homes and do a security assessment at no charge. She also helps residents form Neighborhood Watch groups. For more information, call 948-8223.