Hi everyone, first I want to thank all of you who participated in National Night Out last night. I had a great time visiting with the different communities, chatting with you and your neighbors, and meeting new folks. I was not able to visit all the participating communities in the 4th Precinct, but I did visit several and everyone did an outstanding job with their event. Thank you for all you do to keep your neighborhoods safe!
I also want to take this opportunity to remind you all to remain vigilant about home security and safety in your areas. Residential burglaries involving large screen TV’s are still problematic throughout our City; the 4th Precinct has certainly experienced its share of these incidents over the summer. The vast majority of these cases are occurring during the day while the victims are either at work or away elsewhere. Forced entry is made, often from the rear of the house, and the suspect(s) are stealing large screen TV’s as well as other valuable items. It is very important to keep a list of all your electronic items (TV’s, computers, I-pods, etc.) which includes make, model, and most importantly, serial number, of each item. Take it a step further and photograph or videotape all your valuable items (especially jewelry and those tools which do not have serial numbers) and keep your list and/or photos/videotapes in a secure place.
Please be extra aware for any suspicious activity in your communities. Burglars will usually knock on a front door to see if anyone is home first; if they do not get an answer, they will typically make their way around to the back where they are less likely to be seen and force their way through a door or window. If they do get an unexpected answer to the door, they may say something like, “I’m looking for John Smith – is he here? Sorry – I must have the wrong house.” We really need to make an extra effort to look out for each other, especially for our neighbors who are away at work all day or gone on vacation. Please report all suspicious persons to the Police Non-emergency number – 385-5000. Crimes in progress (e.g., if you see a couple of thugs going out your neighbor’s back door with a 50” flat screen television) should be called in to 911. I am attaching a copy of our Home Security booklet for you to share with neighbors, family, and friends – please take the time to read through it. If you have any other questions or need any additional assistance, please do contact me.
Thank you for all you are doing and stay safe!
MPO Leta Krieger,
4th Precinct VBPD Crime Prevention Officer (757) 385-1324 – direct, (757) 385-1757 – main office, (757) 385-1064 – fax, Email: lkrieger@vbgov.com
