|
Neighborhood Watch
Help out with our Neighborhood Watch!
 Rutherford is very proud of its neighborhood watch program. It is one of the most active in the area. Volunteers patrol the neighborhood daily.
Great coverage means low crime. But members moving or retiring means we need more help.
Your Neighborhood Watch is alive and doing very well under the direction of Pete Moss along with Al Nencioni and Mark Sasserville. We have been able to maintain the coverage of our 12-mile neighborhood at 98.5%. On the other hand, we are losing Watch members regularly due to moving, second retirements, and other reasons.
Due to our coverage, which is the best in Fairfax County, our crime rate is the lowest in the county. To maintain this coverage it is imperative that we add new members.
All that is required is for each member to take a
two-hour patrol once every month and a half. As a member of the patrol you will find that it is truly satisfying to know that you are making a difference and that your neighbors rest easier because of your effort. We sure would welcome your call.
Pete Moss 703-978-8494
Jack Lockwood 703-323-0865
Help Prevent Crime:
In 2005, Officers Laura Zambron and Rex Pagerie from the local West Springfield Police Station (Fairfax County Police Department) gave a presentation on Crime Prevention Strategies to the Rutherford Civic Association general meeting. Here is a summary of their recommendations:
- Examples of current crimes and scams included:
- Phone Scams
- Door-to-Door Scams
- Identity Theft
- Stolen Goods on E-Bay
- Guidelines for avoiding scams:
- Don’t give information (e.g., account numbers, social security numbers) over the phone; instead, request information be sent to your home via mail.
- Don’t discuss your living arrangement details (e.g., live alone, not home during the day) over the phone.
- Check references of door-to-door sales.
- Drop sensitive mail that has account numbers and/or checks (e.g., bills) at the post office as opposed to leaving in your unsecured mailbox.
- When online and purchasing an item, make sure the site is secure (i.e., look for the https:// in the web address – note the ‘s’), and note that the secure lock in the lower right hand side of the browser can be faked, so don’t only rely on it.
- Scams are possible on E-Bay, but more importantly, there are a lot of stolen goods on E-Bay (and if you purchase stolen goods, even unknowingly, they can be repossessed).
- General Crime Prevention Guidelines
- Keep your home and lawn in good condition. A well kept home is a very important way to show potential criminals that you care about your home and neighborhood, and that you may be aware when something is out of place in the neighborhood.
- Always answer the door, even to tell someone to go away. If you don’t, they may assume you’re not home, go around back, and attempt to break in.
- Check the police’s crime information news releases online to see what going on in your area (http://www.co.fairfax.va.us/ps/police/crime_w.htm)
- Get your credit checked one to two times per year to ensure that no one is abusing your credit
- Shred all of your mail
|
|
