Please be on the alert. We have had more thefts in our neighborhood in the area around East Mountainview Avenue. We just learned that in late April, a garage was broken into and a mower and hedge-trimmers were stolen. More recently, two neighbors have reported items stolen from vehicles. In one case the car was unlocked (the owner is normally very good about locking cars but just forgot one night and that’s all it took!) In 5 cases in this neighborhood since April 1 items stolen include a camera, a GPS and a gun. Please be vigilant about locking doors to your home, garage and car(s)!
We also had a follow-up from a neighbor about an incident last fall where someone was selling magazine subscriptions. This neighbor purchased some subscriptions, only to never have them show up in the mail. He was convinced to buy them partly because the individual showed him checks from some of his neighbors who had also purchased them. Not only is this a scam, but the individual could also be ‘checking out’ your home for other information to use later! According to Courtney Palmer, these individuals must have obtained a business license from the city and almost always they do not have one because they are not legit and are just looking for victims or easy targets to get a little money. She cannot stress enough the importance of not allowing this activity to continue. If anyone is approached or solicited while at home or working in their yards, they should not give handouts or “jobs” but instead need to call the police immediately so they can check it out and let people know that our neighborhood is watching out for each other and the police are not far away if needed.
Again, if you do experience a theft, please report it to the police non-emergency number (271-5333) immediately! Do this anytime there is suspicious activity, attempted break-ins (vehicular or residential, including garages and sheds) and “successful” break-ins (even if nothing was taken). You can also let our neighborhood crime prevention specialist, Courtney Palmer, know. Her email is cpalmer@greenvillesc.gov or call her at 864-467-4372. That way, the police can determine where the hotspots are and then we can alert our neighbors. Also, if you are away on vacation, you can call the non-emergency police number and request extra patrols by your home. Attached is a brochure on Home Safety Tips that Courtney uses in her free home security surveys.Home_Safety_Tips[1] It has some excellent information that you can incorporate into your own property protection program. Please contact Courtney if you would like to schedule a free survey. Be alert….be safe….and remember… no one is immune to crime!
