|
 A personal crime experience By Gene Friedman Too often we hear about a crime that was committed but dismiss the incident as something that only happens to “someone else.” These crimes couldn’t possibly happen to us, as we know how to protect ourselves! One such person who knows a thing or two about crime prevention is Andy Blackburn, president of the Olin Heights Neighborhood Association. Recently, though, Blackburn sent a letter to neighbors relating his own experience. Most crimes are crimes of opportunity; if we give criminals the opportunity, they will commit the crime. Blackburn is well aware of this reality but failed to take his own advice -- never leave anything of value inside your vehicle. When he forgot this rule and someone broke into his vehicle, he wrote a cautionary letter to his neighbors. The following information is taken from that letter. As Blackburn said, “This story is true. I know what happened … firsthand.” It seems that around 11:30 a.m. one weekday, he parked his SUV on the street. As with all such vehicles, there is no trunk in which to store possessions. Thus, Blackburn left in the vehicle a number of music CDs, an expensive radar detector, a $300 amateur radio and other valuables, without further consideration. I’m sure that everyone can now guess the end of this tale. Thieves broke out a window, causing $200 worth of damage to the vehicle. There is a twist to this story. None of the valuable items were taken. The only thing stolen was a briefcase. The thieves undoubtedly thought that it contained a laptop computer or other high-value items. Blackburn also suggested that they might have thought there were pharmaceutical samples in the case, as this incident occurred near several medical centers. Much to the thieves’ surprise, the briefcase contained nothing more interesting than five years’ worth of organizational meeting notes and a copy of “Robert’s Rules of Order.” While Blackburn was lucky that his more valuable possessions were not stolen, he did not get off entirely scot-free. In addition to the cost of a replacement window, he and his wife were burdened with the task of cleaning broken glass out of every nook and cranny of the truck. Then they had to file police reports, deal with their insurance company and take the SUV to be repaired. There also is the intangible psychological toll, the feeling of vulnerability and loss of sense of security, which every victim of crime has to work through. While the briefcase and contents had no real value, the visible presence of the case made the vehicle a target for thieves. The case was like a directional signal, pointing the way to the criminals. On the other hand, if the case had not been visible, it might not have beckoned thieves to the truck in the first place. The crime of “Entering Auto,” which is how this case is classified, is the No. 1 crime in Savannah. Don’t become another statistic; protect your vehicle and possessions. Do not leave anything, valuable or not, in plain view inside your vehicle. Finally, there is a somewhat amusing side note to this story. The briefcase was later found with the locks pried off, obviously at the expense of considerable time and effort on the part of the thieves, even though Blackburn had left the briefcase unlocked. The thieves could have opened the case by merely pushing two buttons. Source: Savannah Community Alert Network, Dec. 1 Friedman is director of college security. |
 |
||
