It’s a crime-o-rama tonight. Just received these timely reminders from Carolyn Seitz at the Sheriff Dept.’s Community Advisory Committee:

ISSUE #1
For those of you who have observed people picking through trash, both what you put at the curb, and for some of you what is in your yard, not in the public right of way, please call the Sheriff’s Department as soon as you observe anyone around your trash – in your driveway or at the curb.

Do not take for granted that the frail looking elderly gentleman is just trying to feed his family.  Criminals are sophisticated and know very well how to fly under the radar and capture your sympathy when being skeptical is a better idea.

Please call the Sheriff’s Department and report immediately when you see someone going through your trash or someone else’s trash.  Don’t be a victim of theft of your personal property, and don’t be a victim of identity theft.

ISSUE #2
If you have an alarm system and your alarm company calls you to tell you that your alarm has been activated and that they’ve called the Sheriff’s Station, DO NOT assume that they did, in fact call the Station.

This week, a resident received a call from the alarm company.  He arrived home and found his kitchen door standing open.  Fearing – rightfully – that the burglar may still be in his residence, he got back into his car and parked on the other side of the street.

Not more than a minute or two later, a black Cadillac Escalade came up the street and headed straight up his driveway.  The resident observed the driver exit the vehicle and then come out of his house with his TV and his laptop.  What did he do?  He watched it, thinking the Sheriff’s would be there any second.

The alarm company didn’t call the Sheriff’s Department.  The guy watched the Escalade back out of his driveway and he followed it.  He lost the car in traffic and didn’t get the license number for the vehicle.

Do not be a victim.

Do not assume that the Deputies are on their way because someone else called them.

Call yourself and do it quickly.

The Deputies had a very good opportunity to catch a burglar on the premises.  They also had a chance to get the guy’s vehicle.

Instead, they know that someone in a black Escalade successfully burglarized someone’s home and that resident lost things that were valuable to them.

Please don’t put yourself in jeopardy.  Call the Sheriff’s Station yourself and do it quickly.

Take care of yourself, your family and take care of your neighborhood.

Call the Altadena Sheriff’s Station at 626 798 1131.  If you haven’t yet programmed that number into your cell phone, here’s your reminder to do that now.

Remember that 911 calls you make from your cell phone go to the California Highway Patrol and the dispatcher who answers that call may not know where Altadena is, never mind where your street is.  That will soon change, but the change isn’t yet active, so program in the station number 626 798 1131.