Should Georgia Outlaw Police Chases?

Thanks to Hollywood and nation-wide news coverage, the public considers police chases an integral part of law enforcement. Yet there are many who claim that these pursuits are dangerous, expensive, and ineffective.

After a recent fatal crash involving a state trooper, this question has been raised in Georgia. Eldrin Bell, a former police chief and the Clayton County Commission Chairman, has called for police chases to be investigated, and ultimately, outlawed (1).

This is anything but a simple question, however, as much debate surrounds the issue.

Opponents claim that the danger of police chases to the public is too great. FBI statistics indicate that out of every 100 pursuits, there is at least 1 fatality (2). Resulting accidents and lawsuits are also costly.

They argue that such extreme measures should only be used for dangerous criminals, and outlawed as responses to traffic stops.

Conversely, supporters maintain that even though many pursuits follow routine traffic violations, a number of violent criminals—such as Wayne Williams, Ted Bundy, and Timothy McVeigh—have been apprehended this way (3).

Others explain that if an officer is well-trained and follows clearly-defined protocol, the dangers can be lessened. An officer must consider whether the crime merits such measures, as well as if the traffic and weather would make it safe (4).

It is uncertain how such a debate will be resolved, as both sides have valid arguments. Tell us what you think on twitter @StopCrimeATL.

Crime Stoppers Success Stories

Crime Stoppers Atlanta is celebrating its 5th anniversary this January!

Our organization empowers communities by educating the public about crime prevention and providing rewards for tips that help solve crimes. Click here to learn more about our mission.

Crime Stoppers’ collaboration with law enforcement agencies and Metro Atlanta neighborhoods has been especially successful this past year. Here are some of the cases that have been cracked thanks to anonymous tips:

  • Tamario Wise and The Jack Boys Gang:

A notorious gang has been removed from Atlanta streets after a 40-day crime spree. They are suspected in the murder and robbery of Charles Boyer in the Virginia Highlands area.

  • Robberies:

Two serial bank robbers have been arrested after police received tips. Frank Kendrick is suspected of 4 bank robberies; his case has been taken over by the FBI. Likewise, William Werner, a parolee accused of robbing at least two banks, has been captured.

Police have also identified three suspects–Sharee Harris, Abrianne Suggs, and Candace Carter– in a Family Dollar armed robbery.

  • Illegal Liquor Operation:

Authorities have confiscated thousands of dollars worth of liquor and arrested Carey Willingham and Larry Davis for operating an unlicensed bar and liquor shop.

  • The Toner Bandits:

This thieving ring targeted Office Depots in Atlanta and Florida, stealing over $16,000 in toner cartridges.

  • Gang Member Arrested:

 

Finally, Jason Samples, a known member of the infamous gang, 30 Deep, was arrested with an accomplice, Chosen Richardson. They were in possession of a stolen vehicle and a loaded gun.

 

Without community participation, these criminals would have likely continued to commit crimes throughout the Atlanta area. Crime Stoppers would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our mission.

Please like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter to keep updated.

Does Cold Weather Affect Crime Rates?

After several blissfully warm days during the New Year holidays, Atlanta has been hit by a bitter cold front leaving daytime temperatures in the 30’s and evening temperatures in the 20’s. Besides dampening enthusiasm for the new year, such cold weather may affect crime rates as well.

Crime is affected by weather in many ways. The elements influence our behaviors and emotions by inducing stress, causing depression, anger or agitation, or by creating environments in which crime flourishes. In extreme heat people also tend to drink more alcohol and get together more often, creating favorable circumstances for conflict. Consequently, violent crimes during summer greatly increase.

Criminologists have long accepted that blistering temperatures contribute to the rise of crime, but the connections between frigid conditions and illegal activities are less documented. While cold weather also augments anger and aggression, studies have shown that the resulting actions are less random than those committed in heat. Therefore, premeditated crimes such as property crimes and robberies increase.

What can you do to protect yourself from winter crimes?

  • If you leave your home or business empty for several days in a row, be sure to follow these rules to reduce your risk for robbery.
  • Don’t leave your car unattended when it’s warming up in the mornings. Thieves often search neighborhoods for these easy targets.
  • Keep in mind that darkness falls much earlier in the winter months. In fact, in the Metro Atlanta area the sun sets at around 5:40 p.m. in January. Park in well-lit and safe areas, and if you feel uncertain, ask someone to walk you to your car.
  • Finally, remember that just as more people remain indoors when it’s cold, there will be fewer witnesses and people to help you if you are in trouble. Remain vigilant.

In addition to bundling up against the freezing wind, be proactive in preventing crime.

 

Sources: National Crime Prevention Council; Ellen Cohn, “Weather and Crime;” and Peter Van Koppen and Robert Jansen, “The Time to Rob: Variations in Time and Number of Commercial Robberies.”

 

New Year’s Resolution: Stop Losses Before They Start!

Merchandise & Cash Company Property Supplies Food & Drinks

 

Part of everyone’s job is to protect the assets of the company that employs them and to treat them like their own.  There are many ways the company loses its property, including waste, negligence, carelessness, taking shortcuts, improper paperwork, and theft.  These are the things everyone can help prevent by being more aware of their work environment every day.

 

  • Paperwork errors, waste, negligence, and carelessness are all related to one thing:  Not taking the time to do the job right the first time, every time.  If a job has to be done twice because someone didn’t take the time to do it correctly, then both time and effort are wasted.  Pay attention to all details of a task, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.  Small mistakes add up to big problems.  Unnecessary waste adds up to large losses.  Save resources whenever possible.

 

 

  • Theft is something most people prefer not to talk about.  Unfortunately, it is a fact of life, and its occurrence contributes a great deal to financial problems faced by many businesses today.  Whether it is caused by the customer who takes an extra item or two from the store, or an employee who removes items from the workplace without paying for it, it all contributes to the enormous problem of shortage.

 

Everyone should take care and pride in their work.  If they did, many causes of shortage would be eliminated just by being thorough and aware of their surroundings.

 

Take care and never become involved in the theft of any item, not merchandise, company property, or someone else’s personal belongings.  Being implicated in this can cause serious consequences, including workplace discipline, termination or even prosecution.

 

Bill Bregar has over 30 years of retail loss prevention and security experience.  He is President of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc., (www.LossPreventionSystems.com) a Georgia based firm that specializes in retail loss prevention, anti-shoplifting,  investigations, and security.  He can be contacted at 770-426-7593 x101 or by email at bbregar@losspreventionsystems.com.

 

Are You an Online Bargain Hunter?

Well Black Friday and Cyber Monday have kicked off the holiday shopping season. To avoid those long lines, large crowds, and racing for a parking space, more people have been taking advantage of the online shopping deals. But just how safe are you and your information while making an online purchase?  Online shopping can be risky with viruses and hackers waiting for an opportunity to steal your information. When you’re on the hunt for those online bargains, keep some things in mind to have a safe and secure shopping experience.

 

Read the fine print. Read the privacy policy carefully to find out what information the seller is gathering from you, how the information will be used, and how you can stop the process. If a site does not have a privacy policy posted, you may not want to do business with it. If it does have a privacy policy, there will probably be a link to it from the seller’s home page, or it could be included with the Legal Terms.

Insure the safe delivery of your item. If you’re concerned you may not be home when your package is delivered and that someone may take it if it is left on the doorstep, ask whether you can specify that the shipper must receive a signature before leaving the package. Or, it may be safer to have the package delivered to your office.

Security is everything!!! Instead of clicking on links, enter the website address into your browser directly. See an email pop up from your favorite beauty store saying they have a last minute deal on the face cream you’ve always wanted?  Are your Facebook friends posting random links on your wall telling you, “I got this great deal and so can you,” it could be a scam! How do you combat these potentially hazardous links? Go to the website directly yourself instead of clicking on the link.

Be knowledgeable about web-based auctions. Take special care to familiarize yourself not only with the rules and policies of the auction site itself, but with the legal terms (warranties, refund policy, etc.) of the seller’s items that you wish to bid on.

Check your statements. Don’t wait until the end of the month or until that bill comes in the mail. Go online regularly during the holiday season and look at electronic statements for your credit card, debit card and checking accounts. Make sure you don’t see any fraudulent charges, even originating from sites like PayPal (after all, there’s more than one way to get to your money). If you do see something wrong, jump on the phone to address the matter quickly.

 

Organized Criminals Becoming More Violent, Endangering Safety of Retail Associates, According to NRF Survey

A study by the National Retail Federation confirms that crimes against businesses affect the community at large.

 

 

 

 

Top 10 Cities for Organized Retail Crime:

•    Atlanta, GA
•    Chicago, IL
•    Dallas, TX
•    Houston, TX
•    Las Vegas, NV
•    Los Angeles, CA
•    Miami, FL
•    New York, NY/Northern NJ
•    Philadelphia, PA
•    Phoenix, AZ

“Organized retail crime affects virtually every single retailer in America, impacting everything from the bottom line to the safety of people in the stores,” said NRF senior asset protection advisor Joe LaRocca. “As criminals become more brazen, retailers are working fervently to cut down on organized retail crime activity in order to ensure the safety of their associates and shoppers.”

According to the survey, members of retail crime rings are often engaged in other illegal activities – retailers estimate that 41 percent of apprehended offenders are involved in “gateway” crimes including drugs, weapons and gang activity. Meaning, there is a good chance the criminals breaking into houses and cars in your neighborhood are also the ones committing smash and grabs or stealing from your local Wal-Mart or Macy’s.

It is interesting to note that,the losses to the companies ends up being your burden. In other words you pay more in order for the retailers to cover the cost of losses and prevention. So thank your local criminal for the price hikes this holiday season.

What can you do?

The best and easiest way for you to make a difference and help protect your community is by supporting programs like Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta. This year alone, tips to Crime Stoppers helped take 94 criminals off the streets, including gang members some of which could be out committing these crimes. Become a Crime Stopper by donating to the reward fund or be an advocate and share its impact with your friends and neighbors.

Click Here to read the NRF Survey

 

Parental Surprise

If you’re a parent of a teenager, chances are you don’t expect a call informing you that your child is in the custody of the juvenile authorities, or is being held by the loss prevention department of some retail store, and could you please come pick him up.

Fortunately, I have never received that call either, but as a loss prevention manager in the past, I have had to make that call more times than I care to remember.

The first reaction from the parent was usually, “No, that can’t be my child.  My child would never do anything like that”, or “My child is at the basketball game with her friend.”  Very few of them knew it was just a matter of time, or were happy that it was ”only” shoplifting.

The point is that you don’t always know where your teenager is or who she is with.

Are there signs a parent should look for if they suspect their adolescent is shoplifting?

The first thing to do is to be familiar with your teenager’s closet.  Teenagers normally get their clothes and jewelry in one or two ways: the parent either buys it for them, or gives them the money or credit card to buy it with.  When a teenager says that they borrowed clothing from someone, check it out, and have them return it immediately.  If there are items that you don’t remember buying, find out where they came from.

Know who your kids hang out with.  Get to know their parents if you can.  It takes allies to overcome sneakiness, sometimes.  Occasionally call the friend’s house where they are supposed to be (not your child’s cell phone) and find out if they are there.  This doesn’t have to be done in an accusatory way.  In business we call this an “audit.”

Know how much your child’s wardrobe costs. Are the items too expensive for your teenager’s budget?  There have been too many times that parents have given money for clothes or even school supplies and the merchandise ended up stolen and the money spent on movies and food.

Before you even suspect that your teenager may be mixed up with shoplifting, have a frank discussion with him about stealing from retail stores and the serious impact it can have on his future.

You can rely on the fact that at some time your child is going to be faced with the decision to shoplift because of peer pressure or the belief that it is a victimless crime that will go unpunished.  Be sure that when you allow them out on their own that they are equipped with the facts about shoplifting and the consequences of their actions if the decide to yield to the temptation.

 

Bill Bregar has over 30 years of retail loss prevention and security experience.  He is President of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc., (www.LossPreventionSystems.com) a Georgia based firm that specializes in retail loss prevention, anti-shoplifting strategies, employee theft investigations, and security.  He can be contacted at 770-426-7593 or by email at bbregar@losspreventionsystems.com.

 

 

Be Careful! Hit & Runs on the Rise



There has been an increase in hit & run accidents in the metro Atlanta area. It seems that people are choosing self preservation instead of personal responsibility. In recent news, two victims were hit and killed while on the highway. Also, a man was hit while driving his scooter. In this case, the driver stopped to pull the scooter from under his/her car and kept on going.

There are many contributing factors to hit & runs. Some factors include unlicensed or illegal drivers and the fear of DUI penalties. For example, if an illegal immigrant is involved in a hit & run and he/she stays on the scene, there is a potential risk for deportation and other consequences.

If you are involved in an accident, take some responsibility instead of fleeing the scene. A person’s life may depend on it. Georgia hit & run laws state that you must render reasonable assistance,  including the transporting, or the making of arrangements for the transporting, of such person to a physician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is apparent that such treatment is necessary or if such transporting is requested by the injured person. A driver is subject to between one –five years of incarceration

So when you have to get out of your car in traffic or on the highway, take precaution. Take a look below at some tips that will help keep you safe on the road.

 

  • Set up flares even in daylight. People equate flares with an accident, so they’ll be on alert.
  • What are you wearing? If you need to get out of your vehicle at night to fix that flat tire, make sure that your clothing is noticeable to approaching motorists.
  • Try to move your vehicle to the right-hand side of the road out of the direction of traffic. Stationing yourself on a divided highway’s left side is extremely dangerous but sometimes unavoidable. Do not leave your stopped vehicle in a traffic lane.
  • Move the vehicle as far away from the traffic as you can. Try to get far enough that you obtain the space to open your door without stepping out into traffic, while also being visible so that people can see you.
  • Be prepared! Keep items like flashlights, flares, blankets, and a first-aid kit in your vehicle.

 

For more information on roadside safety please visit

http://www.aaafoundation.org

http://www.nhtsa.gov/

 

Jeepers Creepers, Office Creepers

 

An Office Creeper isn’t an insect and he doesn’t come out just at Halloween, but it is a critter you’d like to avoid.

Creepers have also been known to pose as delivery personnel, service people, or maintenance men who are given access to the office or warehouse by a trusting employee; or they sometimes enter the building through an unlocked back door or open delivery entrance.  Again, it only takes a few moments for merchandise, equipment, or personal possessions to disappear.An Office Creeper is someone from another department, a non-employee, visitor or anyone who can blend in with the staff at a business and not look out of place.  The Creeper then looks for anything of value, particularly laptop computers, PDA’s, cell phones, wallets and purses.  Anything left unattended can be gone in just a few seconds.  It only takes a moment to conceal an item under a coat or in a briefcase.

Since there is no immediate evidence of the theft – no broken windows, no broken locks – this is a very difficult crime to stop.  The loss is often not detected until long after the Creeper has left the building or the property.

This is also a difficult crime to prevent.  The most obvious way is to lock all doors and stock areas that are unattended.  Keep personal possessions such as wallets and purses in a locked drawer or locker if they are not in your possession.  Valuables should always be out of sight.

Be sure all employees where you work are aware that they should always be alert for people that they don’t know or non-employees being in areas where they have no business.

 

Bill Bregar has over 30 years of retail loss prevention and security experience.  He is President of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc., (www.LossPreventionSystems.com) a Georgia based firm that specializes in retail loss prevention, anti-shoplifting,  investigations, and security.  He can be contacted at 770-426-7593 or by email at bbregar@losspreventionsystems.com.

 

 

Fraud Alert!

Committing fraud with the help of malware has increased over the years. Scammers are now creating more sophisticated phishing and malware scams that appear to come from “official” websites and government emails.  In a traditional phishing attack, the phisher attempts to lure the user to a Web site typically through the clicking of a link in an email. After the user clicks on the link, he or she is taken to the Web site via a Web browser. Once there, the Web site requests the user to enter personal information such as a social security number, username and password, or a variety of other data. The compromised data is then used to perpetrate fraud.

Crime Stoppers Atlanta had almost became a victim of a phishing scam. Take a look at the email.


 

After doing some research, we found this message on the Federal Trade Commission website:

Scammers have sent thousands of emails that appear to be from the FTC, but are not. These emails to business people claim that complaints have been filed against their companies. If you get an unexpected email that claims to be from the FTC and asks you to click on a link or attachment for information about consumer complaints, delete it. Don’t open it. Don’t click on the links. If you do, it may install malware on your computer.

If you think you may have downloaded malware, see www.OnGuardOnline.gov/malware

There are several ways that you can spot a phishing scam. Take a look at the list below for some of the characteristics.

  • Spelling and bad grammar. Cybercriminals are not known for their grammar and spelling. Professional companies or organizations usually have a staff of copy editors that will not allow a mass email like this to go out to its users. If you notice mistakes in an email, it might be a scam. For more information, see Email and web scams: How to help protect yourself.
  • Beware of links in email. If you see a link in a suspicious email message, don’t click on it. Rest your mouse (but don’t click) on the link to see if the address matches the link that was typed in the message. In the example below the link reveals the real web address, as shown in the box with the yellow background. The string of cryptic numbers looks nothing like the company’s web address.

    Example of a masked web address

    Links might also lead you to .exe files. These kinds of file are known to spread malicious software.

  • Threats. Have you ever received a threat that your Hotmail account would be closed if you didn’t respond to an email message? The email message shown above is an example of the same trick. Cybercriminals often use threats that your security has been compromised. For more information, see Watch out for fake alerts.
  • Spoofing popular websites or companies. Scam artists use graphics in email that appear to be connected to legitimate websites but actually take you to phony scam sites or legitimate-looking pop-up windows. For more information, see Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently.

    Cybercriminals also use web addresses that resemble the names of well-known companies but are slightly altered. For more information, see Protect yourself from cybersquatting and fake web addresses.

 

Report phishing scams

If you receive a fake phone call, take down the caller’s information and report it to your local authorities.

You can use Microsoft tools to report a suspected scam on the web or in email.

  • Internet Explorer. While you are on a suspicious site, click the gear icon and then point to Safety. Then click Report Unsafe Website and use the web page that is displayed to report the website.
  • Hotmail. If you receive a suspicious email message that asks for personal information, click the check box next to the message in your Hotmail inbox. Click Mark as and then point to Phishing scam.
  • Microsoft Office Outlook. Attach the suspicious email message to a new email message and forward it toreportphishing@antiphishing.org. To learn how to attach an email message to an email message, see Attach a file or other item to an email message.

 

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