Crime Alerts and Safety Tips

Holiday Tips

Do not be the victim of crime this holiday season. The Minneapolis Police Dept has compiled a list of helpful tips that can help you stay safe this holiday season for the following:

Online Shopping

Know your merchant. Be familiar with the company you're dealing with. The Federal Trade Commission has a website (www.consumer.gov) that provides buyer's guides, tips and links to helpful resources.
Protect your personal information. Know what information the seller is collecting, how it will be used and if it will be shared with other merchants. Check the site's privacy policy and look for seals from privacy enforcement organizations like BBBonLine and TRUSTe. Be cautious if a site asks for personal information not generally needed to make a purchase in a retail store, such as your social security number.
Use a credit card. Under federal law, your liability for an unauthorized charge is $50. To ensure that your credit card information is being transmitted securely, look for an unbroken key or padlock icon or for a policy that indicates use of strong security technology. DO NOT SHARE your password with others!
Keep good records. Make sure to print or save any records related to online transactions.

Retail Shopping

Cash: take only the amount you will spend when shopping. Avoid flashing cash in public. Never leave your purse or wallet unattended.
Credit cards: take only the cards you will use while shopping. Report lost cards immediately. Check your statements for accuracy.
Park: in well-lit areas. Keep your doors locked and always put items in the trunk before arriving at your next destination.

Home Security

Close the blinds or curtains at night or while you're away. Presents that can be seen through windows are tempting to thieves
Keep your doors and windows locked
Keep outdoor lights on from dusk ‘til dawn
Make arrangements for neighbors to pick up deliveries if you aren't home
Garage locks are usually the weakest locks you have. Avoid hiding presents in the garage. A second-story closet or attic offers safer storage. Consider upgrading your garage lock to an automatic keypad lock.
Break up boxes, especially for purchases like TVs. Bundle inside out and only put out to your collection point on the pick-up day. Don't advertise what you have.
A holiday light display (inside or outside) shows ownership and increases the overall lighting in the area.

Deliveries

Schedule deliveries for times when you are at home.
Make arrangements to have your parcels delivered to a neighbor if you are unable to be at home.
If you live in a multi-unit building:
- Bring packages left outside for your neighbors into a secured area
- Leave a note on the door giving permission for the package to be delivered to a trusted neighbor if you are gone for a delivery.

Transporting gifts in your car

Think of everything in your car in terms of cash value. If you would not leave the equivalent in cash out, do not leave it out in the form you bought it.
Never leave gifts unattended or in the back seat of your car. This invites opportunity for a thief to break into your vehicle.
Always lock your car.
Lock all purchases in the trunk.
Pick up major items at the end of your shopping trip if possible.
Remove all purchases from your car when you return home.

Holiday scams

Know your charities and retailers.
Fake charities: If you're asked for a donation, verify the legitimacy of the charity before giving.
Gift cards: Only purchase gift cards from trusted retail outlets. Make sure gift cards have not been tampered with before purchasing.
Scam emails and online shopping: Shop only at trusted retail sites. Do not respond to unsolicited emails or click on their links.

Be a Good Neighbor

Keep a watchful eye on your block. Call 911 if you see or hear suspicious activity.
Leave lights on outside, so you and your neighbors have better visibility.
Join or create a block club. Contact your Crime Prevention Specialist for more information.

Walking after Dark
With the long hours of darkness, pay special attention when you are outside.

Walk with confidence. Keep your head up and watch your surroundings.
Do not be distracted by cell phones, music players, or other technology.
- Activate or purchase an app to find your phone if it is lost or stolen
Walk in well-lit areas. Avoid alleys or poorly lit areas.
Try to walk with another person.
Have your keys ready and in your hand
Carry as little cash or valuables as possible. If you carry a purse, place extra cash or valuables in a pocket.

For more crime prevention tips, contact your Crime Prevention Specialist; call 311 or visit go.usa.gov/ASAJ

Spring & Summer Safety Tips

As we go into spring, we all want to enjoy the warm weather. This means more people leaving windows open, walking outside, doing yard work, and more. Remember to keep a few simple crime prevention tips in mind to help reduce the opportunity for crimes.

Call 911 on suspicious activity at the time you see it!
Install or activate a tracking program/app on your smart phone to find it in case it is lost or stolen. This must be done BEFORE the phone is stolen.
Install a security program on your laptop. This must be done BEFORE the laptop is stolen.

Robberies:

Trust your instincts! If something feels off or wrong to you, there's a reason
Pay attention to your surroundings
Don't be distracted by your phone, as it can be stolen from your hand
It's important not to drink and drive, but it's also important not to walk while obviously intoxicated, especially if you are alone, it is dark, you walk for blocks, and if you aren't liable to notice if you are being followed.
More personal safety tips can be found under personal safety at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/police/crimeprevention/index.htm
For pedestrian safety, visit the pedestrian section at www.sharetheroadmn.org

Burglaries:

Pin all ground/first floor windows at 4-6". There are many ways to do this, depending on the type of window. For help/info, contact your CPS, visit a local hardware store, or see home security athttp://go.usa.gov/3ZjJG
Lock your garage service doors. If you often forget to do this, consider upgrading to a keypad lock that automatically locks when it shuts.
Record the make, model and serial number of all your valuables. More info.
Lock your doors and windows even when you are home. As you start doing yard work/gardening, lock your doors to your home, especially on the opposite side of the house from where you are working.
Watch this video of a career burglar to find out what made him choose one house or block and not another.

Theft from motor vehicle:

Do not leave valuables visible in your vehicle. This includes putting it under your seat or putting a blanket/jacket over it.

If you must leave valuables in your vehicle, put it in your trunk BEFORE reaching your destination

Bags should not be left visible. Even if you know they are empty or only hold dirty gym clothes, a thief could believe it's filled with money.
"Valuables" include GPS units, laptops, iPads, iPods, smart phones, wallets, purses, and more. If you spent money on it, someone can get money when they pawn it.

Bike theft and safety

Record the make/model/serial number on your bike! This is very important! Most people do not have this information, and many bicycles that are recovered are sold at police auction every year.
Register your bike with Minneapolis for free. Call 311 or visit http://go.usa.gov/3Zjh3
Protect your bike with a lock that is difficult to compromise, like a u-lock.
Visit http://go.usa.gov/3ZB7z and www.sharetheroadmn.org for more info.

For more crime prevention tips, visit http://go.usa.gov/3ZB7z.
To find ways to get involved, ask your Crime Prevention Specialist or check with your neighborhood association to learn about programs, events, and other opportunities near you. The full crime prevention staff contact map can be found at http://go.usa.gov/3ZB7k.

Door to Door Solicators

Last week, officers were dispatched to a suspicious person call. Upon arrival, they found a male trying to sell magazines door to door. Officers advised the male that, solicitors must be registered or licensed with the City of Minneapolis to sell items door to door. Because the seller couldn't produce documentation, they told him to stop soliciting and sent him on his way. They also advised him that if he was seen soliciting again he would be arrested.

Not long afterward, he was seen on another block trying to sell magazines door-to-door again. Officers booked him in Hennepin County Jail for peddling without a license.

The company he was soliciting for had dropped a number of people off on the street. This company tries to lure customers by claiming that they are selling magazines to try to help people turn their lives around. The solicitors are telling potential customers that the proceeds of the sales are used to give the solicitor a second chance in life or to overcome youthful hardships. The magazines are never delivered.

Further investigation by the responding officers and the Police Licensing division showed that the solicitors were tied to three different companies: Urban Development Solutions, Graceful Hands and Moving Forward. All three companies have multiple complaints from customers alleging that the magazine sales were fraudulent; that they had been charged money and never received any magazines, and that the cost of the subscriptions was unusually high. The Better Business Bureau gave the company an F grade based on multiple complaints, failures to respond, and unauthorized use of the BBB name or trademark.

What You Need to Know and Can Do:

Door-to-door sales require a license and/or registration in Minneapolis. Ask to see the official Minneapolis ID of any solicitors. To see images of the ID and find more information, check the following two links which detail what is required or allowed:

Solicitors, peddlers, and transient merchants license: go.usa.gov/35aFG (information from Business Licensing which includes details on registration/licensing)
What you need to know about door-to-door sales in Minneapolis: go.usa.gov/35amW

Research any company/organization, whether charitable or not, that tries to sell you items or solicit money from you. Simply doing a computer search of the company name and checking with the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) can give you an idea of any potential issues or complaints that other customers have previously filed.
Call 911 on suspicious activity at the time it occurs.
If you are a company that wishes to solicit or peddle door-to-door, make sure you are properly registered or licensed with the City. Find the application at go.usa.gov/35CpQ.

For further information, you can research Minneapolis City Ordinance Chapter 332 for requirements for solicitors, peddlers, and transient merchants.

If you have questions please contact your Precinct Crime Prevention Specialist, Jennifer Waisanen
jennifer.waisanen@minneapolismn.gov or (612) 673-5407.

Autumn fire safety tips from the Minneapolis Fire Department

With cooler weather arriving in Minneapolis, folks may be turning on their furnaces, and even enjoying the fireplace or backyard recreational fires. The Minneapolis Fire Department wants to encourage people to enjoy the cooler weather safely with these tips:

Have your furnace inspected by a licensed professional each year, to make sure it is working safely and efficiently
If you use your fireplace regularly, have the chimney inspected and cleaned by a licensed professional
Enjoy your recreational fire safely – only burn untreated wood, keep the fire small, and at least 25 feet from any structure. For more details on recreational fires in Minneapolis, check out this video.
Do not burn leaf piles, or other yard waste
Make sure you have a working Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector. As the weather turns cold, we are more susceptible to CO poisoning. CO detectors need to be placed within 10 feet of every bedroom
Make sure you have a working smoke alarm. Ideally, smoke alarms should be placed inside every bedroom, in addition to one on every level of your home
Test your smoke alarms every month, and change the batteries twice per year. A great time to remember to change your battery is Daylight Saving Time (Change your Clock, Change your Battery) – which is November 2.
Create a family safe escape plan. Pick a safe meeting spot outside your home, in case you need to exit to safety. Make sure everyone knows where to meet – and practice the plan! Ideas for a safe meeting spot include: a neighbor’s house, a big tree close by, or a nearby fire hydrant. Pick a spot that works best for your family!

Cyberbullying FAQ For Teens

Click here to review some important information on cyberbullying from the Minneapolis Police Department. Cyberbullying is a growing epidemic with serious effects. Please share this with your children, especially teens. This information was provided by the National Crime Prevention Council.

Below are additional links providing more resources to learn more about preventing cyberbullying:

Cyberbullying.us provides cyberbullying research, stories, cases, downloads, fact sheets, tips and strategies, news headlines, a blog, and a number of other helpful resources on their comprehensive public service website.
www.stopcyberbullying.org has a fun quiz to rate your online behavior, information about why some people cyberbully, and how to stop yourself from cyberbullying.
www.wiredsafety.com provides information about what to do if you are cyberbullied.
www.stopbullyingnow.com has information about what you can do to stop bullying.

Helpful Links

Court Watch & Community Impact Statements

Court Watch is set up to curb or decrease livability crimes within and around our neighborhood by holding criminals, police and the courts accountable. This is done by monitoring the activities of offenders in this community & following them through the criminal justice system to ensure that they are convicted & sentenced for their crimes. To view a list of the offenders on Court Watch click here.

Residents are welcome to attend a Court Watch meeting, scheduled the third Monday of each month at 5:30 pm in the Community Meeting room at the 5th Precinct.

Community Impact Statements (CIS) are extremely important as they demonstrate to the judge how a crime has affected you/the community and to influence the judge's sentence (for example, ask the judge to give the defendant the maximum jail time allowed or require the defendant to do certain things - like treatment or community service as conditions of probation).

You are encouraged to write and submit a Community Impact Statement for upcoming cases. Please detail activity that you are aware of that this individual has been involved in and how that activity has affected your livability. You can also submit a more general statement about how the actions of this individual and/or the type of crime have affected the livability in your community. You DO NOT have to personally ID the person or have witnessed their crime to write a statement. A Community Impact Statement form and an example of a CSI form are included:
Community Impact Statement Form
Community Impact Statement Example

Community Impact Statement Requests:

Share Crime Information Anonymously

There are 3 ways to send a tip to the Minneapolis Police Dept:

TEXT your tips to 847 411 (TIP411). Enter MPD, a space, then your tip
APPS: download free MPDTip app on your iPhone or Android smartphone
You can also access MPD Tip online at www.minneapolismn.gov/police and MPD Facebook

Remember:

All tips are 100% anonymous
Text messages cannot be traced
Two-way interaction with police
MPD investigators respond to texts

This is NOT meant to replace our successful 311 system nor is it meant to report on chronic neighborhood crime and livability concerns. It is a system whereby persons can provide tips in order to prevent or solve CRIMES which have occurred in the City of Minneapolis.

For more information, please visit: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/police/report/WCMS1P-115981

Identity Theft Information & Prevention

Identity theft is a growing concern and there are many ways it can be stolen. The most prevalent is due to stolen purses & wallets from vehicles and other public settings.

Please Remember:

Do not leave your valuables visible in your vehicle or even hidden under a seat. If you must leave valuables in your car, put them in the trunk before reaching your destination.
Carry the minimal amount of credit cards with you. Keep photocopies of the front and back of credit cards in a secure place so you know what numbers to call if you ever need to cancel them or report a theft.
Do not leave your purse open/unattended. This includes in the cart at retail or grocery stores or at bars and restaurants. Do not hang your purse on the back of your chair where you can't see it.
Do not carry your or others' Social Security cards with you.
Call 911 on suspicious activity!

The city of Minneapolis has provided a more in-depth summary of a number of ways identities are stolen, what you can do to prevent it and what to do if your credit cards or identity is stolen, click on Identity Theft Information and Prevention.

Beware of Smartphone Thefts

A recent trend of Smartphone thefts has been noticed in various parts of the city, including the Fifth Precinct. These thefts occur with one suspect or sometimes a group, with varying descriptions. Overall there is no specific trend on day/time but the most recent cases in Fifth Precinct have almost all occurred between 9:30-11:30 pm.

The common denominator is that the victim typically has the smartphone out and is often distracted by it. Some smartphones have been stolen right out of the victim’s hands while the victim walked down the street or waited at a bus stop. Other times the victim had the phone sitting on a table in an establishment and a suspect walked by and stole it.

For tips on what you can do and how to activate a function app to find a lost or stolen phone click on the Crime, Safety, Transportation & Noise page.

Smartphone Theft Tips

What You Can Do:

Record your serial number! This information, when provided for a police report, will go into a nationwide database and can increase the likelihood of the phone being returned.
BEFORE anything happens, install or activate a function to find your phone if lost or stolen. See below for details. Remember – if you don’t do this beforehand, you lose the chance for this extra step.
Report a stolen phone. Provide any information on location of the phone, serial number, etc, in the report. Call 911. In some circumstances, 911 may send you to 311 to make a theft report.
Pay attention to your surroundings. Many of these phones have been stolen when the victims have been distracted while using it.
Call 911 on suspicious activity.
If you witness a theft/robbery, call 911 and stay around or provide contact information so officers can get a suspect description from you or investigators can follow up.

Activating a function/app to find a lost or stolen phone:
iPhone:

Activate the “find my iPhone” function—requires activation on the phone and for you to set up an account on a website.
Depending on your OS, you will need to go to: settings — iCloud (or MobileMe) – find my iPhone.
Once activated, this function will allow you to track your phone, lock your phone and set a new passcode, remote wipe information, create a message to display on your phone in case it is lost or stolen, etc.
If you have troubles activating or locating this function, contact your local Apple specialist or knowledgeable friends/family.

Smartphone Other than iPhone:

Check if your phone has an internal function like above. If not, download an app that provides that function. Many of these apps require activation on the phone and creation of an account on a website. Research the app before you buy it to ensure it is legitimate and the right app for you.
You can find apps that will have the same functions as the “find my iPhone” function mentioned above: you should be able to track your phone, lock your phone and set a new passcode, remote wipe information, create a message to display on your phone in case it is lost or stolen, etc.
If you have troubles locating an appropriate app, check for recommendations from your local provider or trusted friends/family. Contact the app maker for any troubles with a downloaded app.