Citizens are in a giving mood this time of year, but police warn: Be leery of one’s surroundings.
The holiday season gives criminals more opportunities to commit crime. Individuals can avoid becoming victims of crime — such as vehicle prowl and fraud — often by taking a few preventative actions, said Michelle Roy, Federal Way police crime analyst and prevention specialist.
Vehicle prowl
During the holidays, and always, motorists should avoid leaving anything valuable in their vehicles, Roy said. If an item needs to be placed in the trunk, do so before arriving at your destination, she said. Along the same lines, those doing a lot of shopping at one time shouldn’t periodically drop off items at the car, she said.
“People are watching,” Roy said. “Criminals are opportunistic.”
Several vehicle break-ins and prowls occur each week, according to the police log. High-priced items and purses in plain view put a vehicle at risk for a break-in, Roy said. Each week, items such as GPS (global positioning system) units are reported swiped from vehicles, according to the police log.
“GPS’s are a very hot item right now,” Roy said.
Fraud
Another crime seen frequently during the holidays is fraud. This comes in various forms, ranging from e-mails claiming a person has won money to a form of fraud known as the “confidence game.”
The confidence game consists of a person approaching another individual and asking for money. Often times, suspects are dressed nicely and approach victims at banks or shopping centers, Roy said. They pitch a story that sounds convincing and admirable.
For instance, the suspect may claim to have just inherited money and wishes to give it to a charity or other worthwhile cause. But because the suspect is not a permanent citizen, the victim’s help is needed. Victims are asked to withdraw money from their bank account. The suspect may then promise the victim a check or other monetary goods in payment. The suspect follows or transports the victim to a bank or ATM and awaits a large sum of cash. Victims later discover they were swindled when, for example, they do not receive cash in return or are unable to cash the check they received from the suspect.
“If it sounds too good to be true, it is,” Roy said.
Schemers playing the confidence game usually target senior citizens, Roy said. This population was raised to be polite and trusting, Roy said. It’s not often the fraud works, but when it does, it hits the victim hard.
Catching the suspects can be difficult due to obscure descriptions and a lack of evidence. Additionally, victims are often embarrassed they were swindled and fail to promptly report the incident, she said.
Report crime
Police urge citizens to report any suspicious circumstance or person. Officers have a sense of when something is not quite right, but so do everyday citizens, police spokesman Raymond Bunk said.
“The ‘suspicious person’ calls — a lot of these turn out to be something,” he said.
Even small crimes should be reported, Roy said. This helps police track trends in crime, she said.
“We try to be proactive when we notice trends,” Roy said.
Anyone reporting a crime can do so by calling 911. The number is not only for emergencies, Roy said. Non-emergencies can be reported on the police’s Web site: www.cityoffederalway.com/Page.aspx?view=68. Extra patrols can also be requested at the same site. Visit the site for more crime prevention tips or to request a group presentation from a crime prevention specialist.
