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CRIME PREVENTION

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Tips on Reporting Suspicious Activity

Who's reaching in to your pocket?

In recent years there has been an increase in pickpocket or distraction theft incidents in Lincolnwood. The criminal's are lifting wallets or purses when it is least expected. Once they have your wallet or purse your personnel information is greatly compromised.

There are four basic methods used by the pickpocket criminal.

• The Restaurant Pickpocket: The offender scouts a restaurant looking for the diners who are occupied in conversation and have placed their purse on the floor next to them. An offender uses a reaching tool to grab the purse, drag it to them and take the wallet. They then return the purse to the floor and go on a quick spending spree.
• The Lobby Pickpocket: There are multiple offenders who get in front and back of the victim as they are exiting the establishment. The front offender causes a distraction or stops abruptly causing the victim to run in to them. While an argument ensues the offenders in the back are lifting your wallet. 
• The Shopping Distraction Pickpocket: The offenders work in teams of two or three and act as though they are shopping. They scout the store looking for an unsuspecting shopper who leaves their purse accessible in the cart. They may cause a distraction asking for help or wait until you are distracted with your own shopping, giving them the perfect opportunity to steal the purse.
• The Restroom or Fitting Room Snatch: The offender waits in the restroom / fitting room or follows the victim in. Once the victim has placed themselves in a vulnerable position within the stalls, the offender reaches over or under and grabs the purse.

 You can help prevent these crimes by developing simple safety habits.

1. Use handbags with zippers or locking flaps and hold them close to your body.
2. Carry your wallet inside your coat or front trouser pocket.
3. Beware of loud arguments or commotions in crowded areas or between exit doors.
4. Be alert to the person who may accidentally bump you.
5. If your purse is stolen or your pocket is picked, call out immediately to alert others and don't be afraid to shout. This may cause the offender to discard your property.
6. Be on guard of the stranger who strikes up a conversation or asks for help at the grocery store.
7. While eating at a restaurant secure your purse in the booth next to you or under your table between your feet.

Contact the LPD Crime Prevention Unit to schedule an awareness presentation or to take advantage of our home or business security survey. CrimePrevention@LWD.org or (847) 673-2167. For more information on how to protect yourself, please visit the Police Department section of the Villages website at http://www.lincolnwoodil.org/Police.cfm.

Burglary Prevention Tips

Exterior Doors
Many residential doors feature hollow-core construction and poor locks, which are easily forced or kicked open.  If you want additional protection, you need solid doors and quality locks.

Arcadia Doors
Many burglars enter homes through improperly secured arcadia doors.  Additional locks and security measures will prevent the door from being opened or lifted out of the track. Screws installed in the track above the sliding door frame will prevent the door from being lifted out of the track.  Drill a pilot hole in the top track above, and slightly in, from each corner of the sliding door frame section and install a screw into each hole.  Adjust the screws so that the head of the screw just barely clears the frame when it is moved back and forth.

Double Doors
These doors need solid security as they are easily jimmied or forced open.  Flush lever bolts installed at the top and bottom of the doors are recommended.  Make sure the bolt is long, sturdy and mounted into a solid door frame.

Doors with Windows
Doors with glass windows or glass ornamentation require double key deadbolt locks.  This prevents the burglar from breaking the glass and reaching inside to unlock the door. The key to a double key deadbolt lock should be left in the lock at all times when someone is home to ensure easy exit in the event of a fire or other emergency.

Garage Doors
Standard locks on garage doors are easily pried, allowing a burglar access to your home without detection.  Cane bolts and hasps are excellent protection.  Make certain each side of the garage door is secured to prevent prying open a crawl space.  Any door leading from the garage into the house should be securely locked.  The more barriers you provide against the burglar, the better protected you are.

Hinges
Many homes have doors that open to the outside, exposing the hinge pins.  Despite a good strong lock, the burglar can remove the pins and lift the door from the frame. To prevent this, remove two opposing screws from each leaf of the hinge.  Screw a long lag bolt into the frame side of the hinge leaf and saw off the head leaving about 1/2 inch protruding.  Drill out the opposite hole to allow the bolt to enter when the door is closed.  Do this to the top and bottom hinge plates. The hinge pins can be removed by the burglar but the door will remain firmly in place.  This technique is good for any door, no matter how the hinges have been placed.

Door Viewers
To avoid opening your door without knowing who is there, install a door viewer.  This device has a wide angle lens to let you see someone standing outside your door without opening it.

Spring Latch
Some homes come equipped with this lock.  It offers very little protection since the bolt can be slipped with a credit card or knife. This same lock, with a deadbolt latch, provides more protection, but it too can be forced open.

Deadbolt Locks
A deadbolt lock can provide good protection.  When you turn the key, the lock mechanism slides a strong metal bolt from the door into the frame.  When you buy a deadbolt lock, make sure that the bolt extends at least one inch from the edge of the door, the connecting screws that hold the lock together are on the inside of the door, the strike plate is attached to the door frame with screws that measure at least three inches in length and that the cylinder has a steel guard around the key section.  The cylinder guard should be tapered or rotate freely around the key section to prevent wrenching if it is twisted.

Single Cylinder Deadbolt
A solid bolt, activated by a key from the outside or a knob on the inside, slides into the door frame.  The lock cannot be slipped or easily pried.  Deadbolt locks are only as good as the door and frame they are installed in.

Double Cylinder Deadbolt
This lock is basically the same as the single cylinder deadbolt, except that it requires a key to be used from either side to function.

Rim Lock
This lock has either horizontal or vertical deadbolts. It cannot be easily slipped, pried or forced with a wrench. This lock, like all others, requires a strong mounting surface and hardware to be effective.

Padlocks
When selecting padlocks to secure your garage door, storage shed, fence gate or tool box, do not economize.  Low-priced locks are made from low quality materials and easily pried open or cut with bolt cutters. 

Look for these features when purchasing a padlock: double locking shackle at the toe and heel, hardened steel shackle, the larger the diameter the better,five pin tumbler.