When You Are Home

• Call the police when you witness a crime or any suspicious activity
  • You can remain anonymous
  • Don't assume that somebody else will call the police
  • When reporting activity, have as much detailed information as possible
• Lock your doors on your vehicles, your home, and garage door
• Turn an exterior light on during the night time hours
  • Criminals prefer dimly lit areas
  • Consider adding motion detector-type flood lights
• Keep records of property that you own
  • This includes writing down the model and serial numbers and identifying marks
  • Take three photos of every property item: one overall, one close-up, and one that shows the serial number
  • If the police do not have the serial and model numbers, it is highly unlikely that you will get the property back, and if we catch a suspect with the property, there will be no way of knowing for sure that it is stolen
• If you are going out of town, notify a neighbor and arrange to have your mail and newspaper deliveries stopped

When You Are Out

• Never leave belongings unattended, such as a purse or a wallet, when you are shopping
• Plan your routes and stay alert to your surroundings
• Don't display large sums of cash in the presence of others
  • It is best to use debit or credit cards whenever possible
  • Don't carry your PIN numbers with you - memorize them
• If your belongings are lost or stolen, the very first thing to do is cancel them immediately
  • A thief is looking to use these items immediately, before they get canceled at places where no identification is needed (such as paying at the pump for gasoline)
  • After canceling these items, report the loss or theft to the police department
• If you are approached by someone wishing to take your money or property, do not be a hero and give them what they are asking for without hesitation
  • The chances of you being injured or killed increases when you resist them
  • Take a mental picture of the suspect including height, weight, gender, race, hair and eye color, clothing description, and any marks or tattoos that the suspect may have
  • Also take note of any vehicle description

Contact

For more information on crime prevention tips, call the Raymore Police Department at (816) 331-0530.