Home and Vehicle Security

The Moose Jaw Police Service would like to issue the following media awareness advisory to lessen your chances of being the victim of a break-in, or vehicle theft.

In Canada, a burglary happens about once every three minutes. All too often, it happens to those who can least afford it, the elderly, low and middle-income earners, and single parents. Predictably, it happens most often to those who are least prepared for it.

Everyone should bear in mind that no security system is 100 per cent effective. The methods outlined here will not deter a professional burglar bent on breaking into your home. But they will, in most instances, persuade the amateur (by far the most frequent offender) to look for an easier target.

This advisory has been prepared in an effort to make our community more aware of this important issue. This information will help you recognize the basic security risks that exist in and around your home and vehicle and assist you in taking the appropriate steps to eliminate them.

Home Thefts

Burglary is not a sophisticated crime. For the most part, it is committed by young people under the age of 25.

Amateur burglars are opportunists. They do not choose a victim so much as a favorable circumstance. A house that can be approached without neighbors seeing or hearing anything, a door left ajar, or a window propped open for ventilation. Some burglars will often cruise a neighborhood, working by day or night, looking for a home that seems unoccupied. If no one responds to the doorbell, they will examine the home more closely. They may test its doors and locks, note the location and type of windows, look for alarms and so on.

To gain access to a dwelling, amateur burglars do not rely on deception or skill, but on concealment, speed and force. Once inside, they steal indiscriminately, taking anything that might be of value and easily carried. Despite their inexperience, they work quickly, often demonstrating an uncanny ability to locate hidden valuables. Many people who have left their doors unlocked "just long enough to go to the corner store" have returned to a burglarized home.

By knowing the conditions favorable to burglars and by taking steps to eliminate them, you can greatly reduce the chances that your home will be broken into.

A planned approach is needed for good overall security.

An assessment of your home's security strengths and weaknesses is the first step towards improved security. Start by evaluating your overall level of risk. Examine your home from a burglar's perspective. Do this both in the daylight and at night, both inside and outside the home. Follow the security checklist below.

Home Security Checklist Site

1. Are your house and grounds visible from the street and from the neighbors? 

2. Is there anything to mark the perimeter of your property and discourage trespassers?

3. Are the entranceways illuminated at night? Are the bulbs for the lights protected?

Exterior

1. Are exterior entrances hidden from view by shrubbery or equipment?

2. Are exterior doors and frames sturdily built? Could they be kicked in or otherwise broken down?

3. Is there any glass in or near an exterior door that, if broken, would allow someone to reach the lock?

4. Is the door hardware (locks, latches, handles, hinges, strike plates) durably and securely installed? Could hinge pins be removed from the outside?

5. Does the front door have a viewer that lets you see who is at the door before you open it?

6. Can the patio doors be lifted out of their tracks? How effective is the locking mechanism?

7. Is the garage door kept locked? Are tools and ladders kept where they cannot be used by a potential burglar?

8. Do basement and ground-floor windows have adequate locks? Are the windows of good quality with solid frames and sashes?

9. Could second-story windows be reached from the garage roof, TV tower, ladder or overhanging tree limb? How are they secured?

10. If you were away, would the house still look occupied? What would make you think so? What could you do to make it look occupied?

Interiors

1. Could security be improved if all interior doors (door to basement, garage, solarium) were locked?

2. Could it be improved by the installation of a suitable alarm?

3. Are valuables marked for identification, insured and securely stored? Are things kept at home that might be safer in a bank vault or security box?

4. Do you take reasonable security precautions when leaving the home for the day or a vacation?

5. Do family members know what security precautions you have taken? Do they have good security habits?

6. Do you know your neighbors and their phone numbers?

7. Is the phone number for your local police service posted and accessible?

Be a Good Neighbor

Few people can watch over their homes all the time. Neighbors can help neighbors by keeping an eye out for each other's property. A neighbor where people are alert to the potential of crime is a neighborhood where crimes are less likely to happen. Be a good neighbor. If your neighbor is away and you notice an obvious oversight in their yard, correct it. Call police if you see unusual activity around your neighbors home or business.

Debit and ATM Card

Every year the Moose Jaw Police Service investigates numerous  debit card frauds. Unfortunately most of these crimes could have been prevented with the card holder using some crime prevention measures. 

Never give out your personal Identification number to anyone including law enforcement, friends, and financial institutions. If you suspect your personal Identification number is known by somebody else immediately change the number and contact your financial institution.

Know you PIN number and never write it down. If you do have to write it down, disguise it and DO NOT KEEP the number with your card

Never select a obvious PIN number. Some crooks are ntelligent and can figure out most common numbers like birth dates, address's, phone numbers, SIN number, name or other common identifiers. 

Never lose track of your debit card when doing a transaction. Maintain eye contact with your card if anyone else has to swipe it through a debit machine.

Only conduct transactions in a secure location. 

Hide your PIN number when you enter it into the banking or debit machine. Don't let others see you keypunch it in.

When completing your transaction, make sure you acquire both the card and the transaction record.

When you receive your end month financial statement, make sure it is correct. Report any problems to your financial institution immediately.

If your debit card is lost, stolen or retained by a ATM banking machine, contact your financial institution immediately.

Report any theft or suspicious occurrence to the police and financial institution immediately. Protect your ATM debit card. It's your money.

Automobile Theft  Deterrent Tips

The tips listed below are provided to assist you in preventing thefts of both your vehicle and your belongings during the Holiday Season.

1. Keep your spare keys in your wallet, not in your car.

2. Invest in a good anti-theft device. 

3. Close the windows and lockthe doors. Take your possessions with you.

4. Avoid parking behind fences or hedges.

5. At home, light your driveway all night. Elsewhere, park in well-lit areas near pedestrian traffic.

6. After opening an automatic gate to underground parking, watch out for thieves waiting to slip inside. Wait for the gate to close behind you.

7. Never leave recently purchased merchandise in plain view inside your car while out shopping. If you can, lock it in the trunk or conceal it somehow, even if you're away from your vehicle for a short time.

8. Engrave your stereo and other on-board valuables with your driver's license number.
   Install an anti-theft device to protect your stereo, or buy a unit that's removable and take it with you when you park.

9. If you see any suspicious person or activity near a vehicle, call the police immediately.

Know Your Limits

Quick money and the thrill of winning might boost the lure of gambling. It's so much fun because you can often risk a little to win a lot. It's your chance to go out on a limb for something. It's your chance to show your love and knowledge of the sport. It's a chance to show you can beat the odds and win that million-dollar jackpot. So you can dream about what you'll do with your winnings - take a trip, buy a new car or move in a bigger house. Too bad it can't be that easy. Odds aren't always in your favour . . . that's what makes it gambling.

You might win sometimes, but you're also going to lose. Some people don't take losing well, which can help feed gambling problems. In recent years, courts have seen a number of cases of people who have stolen to feed their gambling habits. But not all problem gamblers resort to crime. Often people who gamble too much are left broke and have problems with their bills. When you're bit by the gambling bug, often other parts of your life fall by the wayside - studying, spending time with friends or family, enjoying sports and so on.

Know the signs

1. You're gambling more and enjoying less.

2. You spend a lot of your free time playing cards for money or betting on sports.

3. You try to keep your friends and family from knowing how much and how often you gamble.

4. You tell people you don't gamble or that you won money when you actually lost.

5. You skip school, work or miss out on meeting family or friends.

6. You feel people look up to you when you're winning.

7. Gambling is the most exciting thing you do.

Take Control

If you have a problem, it doesn't have to be that way. When you gamble, expect to lose. Odds are you will. Set a cutoff point of how much you're willing to lose. Treat the money you lose as the cost of your entertainment. Always quit while you're ahead and look at whatever you do win as a bonus. Never play on credit.

If you borrow to gamble, you might not be able to pay it back. Don't get sucked to the glitz and glamour of casino's flashy advertising or tempting internet site. They're little comfort to you when you lose. Make sure you don't bet money that's earmarked for something else, like groceries or paying the phone bill. Keep in mind money isn't everything.

If you think you might have a gambling problem, you can get help by calling

1-800-306-6789
Saskatchewan Health Services Gambling Addictions
Moose Jaw Addiction Services

691-6464

Bike Safety

Bike riding is fun and good for us. But everyone needs to practice safety, especially when bike riding. Here are some safety tips to remember when bicycling:
 

1.    Check your bike over before you start. If any parts are loose or missing, don’t ride the bike until it is repaired.
 

2.    Only ride a bike that fits you. If you can stand up above the cross bar with both feet flat on the ground and if you can sit comfortably on the seat with the ball of your foot on the lower pedal and your hands on the handlebar grips the bike is the proper size for you.
 

3.    Always wear a helmet. A helmet may save your life if you fall or have an accident. A helmet should be CSA / ANSI or SNELL Foundation approved. It should fit snugly, and comfortably with the chinstrap done up. Wear the helmet level on your head about 2 fingers width above your eyebrows.

Moose Jaw has laws about bike riding:

You Must:

1. hold onto the handlebars;

2. secure your bicycle to bike stands only; and

3. use a front light and a rear reflector when riding at night. 

You Must NOT:

1. ride on the sidewalk;

2. double, unless your bike is built for two people;

3. be careless or unsafe when riding;

4. ride down the street with more than two bikes side-by-side;

5. ride in any park where signs prohibit bicycling;

6. carry packages wider than your handlebars or over 20 kgs or carry something that blocks your vision; and

7. leave your bike laying on the street or sidewalk.

Go over these tips and laws with your parent(s) to make sure you understand them; and to help your parent(s) help you to be safe.

Moose Jaw Police Service
21 Fairford Street West
City of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Canada • S6H 1V2

Together We Make a Difference

Phone: (306) 694-7600  Fax: (306) 694-7610
E-mail:  mjpolice@mjpolice.ca