Crime Prevention Tips The most important tip in preventing crime is to remember the Crime Triangle. When we learn that, we have the power to reduce crime by removing the opportunity for crime and see a decrease in crime.

The Crime Triangle is an imaginary triangle showing three elements that must be present for a crime to be committed. These three elements are:

• Desire For example, criminals desire your property. It is pointless to expend efforts on that portion of the triangle because we have little or no ability to decrease desire in criminals.
• Ability If the potential criminal is bigger that you are, he or she can force you to relinquish your possessions. There may be little you can do to overcome a criminal's ability.
• Opportunity You can be extremely effective in reducing or eliminating the opportunity for a criminal to be successful against you. Denying opportunity to a criminal is the answer to successful crime prevention.

• Keep all doors locked.
• Do not open doors to strangers.
• Install peep holes on all exterior doors.
• Install dusk-to-dawn or motion lights that come on when you arrive at dark and alert the neighbors that someone is on your property.
• Keep all windows locked that you are not using and lock them when you are finished.
• Install a burglar alarm. If you are away from home and have valuables, an alarm system may be a good investment. If you get an alarm system installed, use it.
• Keep all bushes that hide windows and doors pruned or remove them.
• Use your initials instead of your name on mailboxes and telephone books.
• Get your property marked. The Police Department can assist you with marking your property.
• Ask the Police Department to conduct a security inspection of your home. This is a free service.
• Pets have proven to be good company for citizens. Pets will alert you when intruders are around.
• Organize a "buddy system." When going out, let your buddy know where you are going. Make it a habit to call your buddy daily.

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Avoid poorly lighted areas and places where there are few people. Have your car or house key in your hand when approaching your automobile or house.
• Look confident. Looking confident and alert sends a positive message.
• Walk at a good, steady pace. Always walk as if you have somewhere to go and you know where you are going.

If you are held up or your purse is snatched: Do not resist. Give up your valuables rather than risk injury. Your life is more important.

Report all incidents to the police! Give details and assist by prosecuting. Your failure to press charges will allow the criminal to continue committing crimes.

Crime is a frightening problem, especially for senior citizens who may imagine criminals to be strong, desperate and dangerous. Being alert, confident and aware of your surroundings are your best defenses against crime. You do not have to feel helpless. You can help prevent crime if you know how criminals operate. Criminals look for the easiest, trouble-free opportunities. Criminals look for people who do not necessarily have the physical strength, agility or speed to deter crime. You, on the other hand, have to be able to spot the opportunities before they happen and correct them.

You need to be alert, cautious and self-confident at all times. See the crime prevention tips listed above.

Telemarketing is the number one crime against senior citizens. Be aware of all the fraudulent telemarketing phone tricks. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" How to spot fraud: Beware of getting "something for nothing."

Always seek advice from friends, even for "secret inside deals."

Check with the Better Business Bureau.

Contacts are:
Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia Charlottesville, VA 22906 (804) 971-3707
Better Business Bureau of Central VA 500 Lafayette Boulevard, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (540) 373-9872
Better Business Bureau Membership Services 1800 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton, VA 23666 (757) 838-8318

Crime prevention for children.
Children can be victims of a wide range of criminal actions. You should talk with your children about their potential as victims. Your discussions should include: Avoiding contact with strangers.

• Avoiding contact with people (adults and other children) who use drugs, drink alcohol, smoke, commit acts of vandalism, steal and commit other crimes.
• Letting a parent know where the child is going and when they are to return home. Emphasize the city's curfew hours (11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.) for children under 18 years of age.
• Informing children that they should respect police officers.
• Children being able to freely tell their parent about their having conversations or contact with people who do or suggest doing bad things.
• Children are extremely vulnerable to grown-ups and peer pressure. Parents are the best line of defense in protecting their children from harm. A parent's ability to create and maintain an open relationship with their child is critical.

A neighborhood watch program consists of Neighbors watching out for neighbors and taking the time to learn what is normal for their neighborhood and what is not normal.

Neighborhood watch members immediately reporting anything that is suspicious or out of the ordinary to the Police Department.

Periodically, meeting with your neighbors to discuss issues and perhaps inviting experts to address specific concerns.

Identify the need. Is there an existing Neighborhood Watch in your area? If so, is it active? Contact the Crime Prevention

Survey your neighborhood. Find out who would like to join and who would be willing to serve as a block captain. If 60% of the residents are willing to support a neighborhood watch, you are ready to schedule the first meeting. Contact the Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit and schedule a start-up meeting with the Crime Prevention Specialist, Officer R.J. Bragg, at 861-9510. Or you can e-mail her at

Business Watch is a unique program designed for the businesses in the City of Petersburg. It is a joint program between the Police Department and our business community. This partnership encourages creating ideas and problem solving aimed at reducing the opportunities for criminal activities in business areas. It is a proactive and preventive approach to reducing crime. Business Watch consists of business owners, their employees and the Police Department's Business Watch Coordinator. Business owners look out for one another. They become a network of communication within a one block area serving as the "eyes and ears" of the Police Department for their area.

The premise of crime prevention through environmental design is that the layout of a community can attract criminals and make it easier for them to commit crimes and evade arrest. The design and use of the environment directly affects human behavior that influences fear of crime and opportunities for criminal action. Environmental design impacts the quality of life in an area.

Environmental design is based on the following principles that provide change and support problem solving approaches to crime prevention: Natural Access Control Includes elements like doors, shrubbery, fences and gates that deny admission to a crime target and creates a perception among criminals that there is a risk in selecting this area.

Natural Surveillance Using the visibility of the property or building. How you design the windows, lighting and landscaping plays an important role in observing criminal behavior by stationary or passing individuals. Natural surveillance maximizes the potential to deter crime by making the criminal's behavior more noticeable.

Territorial Reinforcement Designing the layout for sidewalks, landscaping and porches help distinguish the property between public and private use. Territory can be expressed with signs of ownership that send a "hands off" message to potential offenders.