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PENS BULLETIN
September 2013
Summer has ended and Fall is opening the door. The change in weather results in comfortable less humid days and cool nights. I personally look forward to not having a high electric bill for a few months.
Hello everyone and welcome to the September edition of the Precinct Three PENS Bulletin. First of all I would like to thank everyone who attended the PENS meeting on July 30th. We covered a lot of material and I had the pleasure of introducing to you the new Precinct 3 Commander Captain "Hawk Hagebak". He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and a sincere love of his community. As we know he is highly approachable and has a way of explaining things in plain English.
Recently the hot topic has been Burglaries in the Vinings area. This was addressed by Captain Hagebak at the PENS meeting.
Here are some crime prevention tips to remember.
Residential Burglary
There is only so much a homeowner can do to protect against a burglary. Fact is, if someone wants to get into your home, they will. But, most residential burglaries occur during the day time working hours, while everyone is anticipated to be at work. A burglar does not want a confrontation with the homeowner. Just make sure that all doors and windows are locked, if you have an alarm system- use it. Dogs also make a good deterrent.
Knocking on the door or ringing the doorbell prior to forcing entry is a common tactic used by burglars. Remember, they usually do not want contact with the homeowner. If the homeowner makes their presence known, the burglar will most likely leave or make up an excuse for their presence without further incident. I do not recommend that the homeowner open the door but rather turn up the TV and / or communicate through the closed, locked door. Most parents tell their home alone kids not to answer the door. That is still good advice, but they should, in some other way, let the other person know that there is someone home - "My dad is in the shower, can I tell him who's there?" Have a phone in your hand so that they know you have communication with the police. Whatever you feel is best for your situation.
Please remember that a knock at the door or a ringing of the door bell could be from someone legitimately attempting to contact the homeowner such as UPS, FedEx, etc. But failing to acknowledge the person at the door could also falsely lead a criminal to believe no one is home resulting in an uninvited entry into your home. Please record serial numbers to all of your electronics, power tools and firearms. Photograph the electronic items both front and then take one of the serial numbers. Photograph and otherwise document any expensive jewelry.
Keep your digital photographs of your valuables and documentation on an external hard drive and lock it in a safe (bolted to the floor) or a safety deposit box. A trick that I use is to email that information to myself, that way it is always available. Remember to report suspicious activity and be watchful of what goes on around you. Calling 911 is the fastest, most efficient way for a police response.
LINKS TO HELPFUL RESOURCES
Cobb County Police Department
Cobb County PD on Facebook
Cobb County Fire and EMS
Cobb County Board of Education
Cobb County Animal Control
Cobb County Community Development/Code Enforcement
County Ordinance Violation pamphlet (revised April 2012)
Neighborhood Safety Commission Safety Commission
GA Department of Driver's Services (new documentation requirements)
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