Foothills Area Command Crime Prevention: June 20, 2014

Received from APD:

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Please share with your neighborhood associations,
Neighborhood Watchgroups, and Crime Free Multi-Housing property management teams and residents.

Neighborhood Watch News -- Congratulations!
Welcome the 11000-block of Buffalo River SE as the Foothills Area Command's newest recognized Neighborhood Watch! Thank you to Mark
R. for hosting a lively meeting and volunteering to be Block Captain.

"Scams, Cons, Fraud and Identity Theft:
How to Protect Yourself' Workshop at the Foothills Substation We have 10 remaining seats for the workshop we are hosting on Thursday, August 28th fr9m 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Contact me at 323- 4644 if you would like to attend; RSVPs are required due to limited seating.
Foothills Area Command Web Page Coming Soon - More information will follow when we are close to launching our Foothills web page. You will be able to access crime prevention information, see staff and squad photos, learn about workshops and events at the Foothills, etc.
Property Crime in the Foothills:
Stolen Vehicles: The trend of stealing vehicles from entertainment venues continues - a vehicle was stolen over the weekend from a local night club in the Foothills; another vehicle was taken from a citizen's garage. Most occurrences are on Fridays, Mondays and Wednesdays; however, auto thefts are crimes of opportunity.

Foothills Substation Lobby Display: Auto theft prevention materials - pick up information on how to harden your targets! Visit our lobby anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and help yourself to brochures and fliers on the display stand.

Residential Burglaries: Two cases in 2 weeks of electrical meters stolen from residences. Secure side gates and call 242-COPS (2677) from a safe place if you see strangers attempting to hop fences or walls or carrying away meters.

Garage doors: Officers arrested 2 subjects this weekend who admitted to committing 19 recent residential burglaries via open garage doors.
Continue to keep those garage doors closed.


Auto Burglaries:
What items were stolen from unattended vehicles this week?
Purses - Credit Cards - Cell Phone - Firearms - Paint Ball Guns
- Stereos - Sunglasses - Cash - iPad - Vehicle Title - IDs

Four firearms have been stolen in the Foothills since Friday. Secure your firearms. Stolen firearms will most likely be used to commit violent crimes and endanger all of us when in criminal hands.

Several unforced entry cases continued this week - which means victims left doors unlocked or windows rolled down. Make it harder and riskier for criminals to victimize you by locking doors, rolling up windows, and removing all items from the vehicle when you park.

Residential areas were targeted in addition to sporting event and
restaurant parking lots.

Door-to-Door Activity in the Foothills this week:
In one of our Neighborhood Watch Block Areas:
I have had a report from one of my Block Captains about a female going door to door asking residents to try Glade air freshener and asking when she can return to find out how the resident liked the Glade. I also had a report the female asked to test out a Kirby vacuum cleaner in a home.

At one of our Crime Free-certified apartment complexes:
I also had an apartment complex report a male knocking on doors at 4:30 am asking the resident to give him money to refill a prescription for his wife, who he said was having a seizure and needed her anti-seizure meds refilled.

Here is my advice:
These people are frauds trying to separate you from your money or to case your residence for a future burglary.
• Use your peepholes.
• Keep your doors locked at all times.
• Post a "No Solicitors" sign at your door.
• Acknowledge your •presence behind your locked door.
• Respond from behind your locked door that you want the person to leave and you will be calling the police to remove them.
• Provide our 242-COPS operator with a vehicle/ person description to the best of your ability while calling APD from a safe place.
• This is illegitimate activity - report it to your security patrol and management team if you live in an apartment complex.

We are now in 'bear season' in Albuquerque. To learn facts on how to be safe, see: http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us and see "Get the Bear Facts."

Thanks for supporting the. Crime Prevention program at the Foothills Area Command.

Stay safe,
Jill Garcia, Crime Prevention Specialist, APD, Foothills Area Command 12800 Lomas Blvd NE (505) 332-5240