Best Practices for Safety are The Best Offense Against Street Crimes
Take command, be alert, walk with confidence. That is, take command wherever you are by being alert to potential danger and walking with an air of confidence. Today’s Seniors should be aware that purse snatchers, pickpockets, and petty thieves roam the streets, but they should not let fear dictate their lifestyle.
There are common sense actions Seniors can take that make them less likely to be a victim of an attack. Rather than let fear be the rule, Seniors should first consider the signs that make one a good target, then decide what proactive behaviors would preclude those signs.
You are a good target if you don’t have a keen awareness of surroundings.
Some signs that indicate you won’t see an attacker’s approach:
- Walking with head lowered.
- Parking a vehicle or walking in an ill-lit area.
- Searching for a vehicle key as you stand at the door.
- Getting lost or looking confused about the exact route to the destination.
Best practice: be proactive –
- Be alert to surroundings, walk with head up in a self-assured manner. Walk with someone if possible, and always walk and park in a well-lit area, away from buildings (and doorways).
- Have your vehicle/house key in your hand before you get to the door so you don’t avert your attention from your surroundings.
- Know your route. Commit it to memory or write it down; keep any notes in an outside pocket.
Low hanging fruit can be a calling card for theft.
Types:
- Dangling or loosely held purse.
- Back-pocketed wallet.
- Tote bags over the shoulder or hand held.
- Holding an excessive number of packages.
- Using a smart phone or other electronic device in public.
- Leaving a purse or packages on the front/back seat of a vehicle.
Best practice: avoid tempting behaviors –
- Wear a purse under an outer garment; or use a purse with cross body. Never wrap a purse strap around your wrist.
- Not carrying a purse is a better option. Have with you only what is necessary and keep it in an inside pocket.
- Wallets are better carried in a front pocket; best carried in an inside pocket.
- Carry a tote bag short distances if necessary (store to vehicle); contents should not be irreplaceable items.
- Carry packages in the same way as tote bags.
- Use electronic devices in the safety of a locked vehicle or inside a store where it’s easy to watch the surrounding traffic. Secure them in an inside pocket or other safe place after use.
- Valuables left in a vehicle should be in the trunk where they cannot be seen.
Actions that scream “I’m carrying a lot of money”, or “I’m wearing valuable jewelry” are tipoffs to anyone watching for a potential victim.
- Opening a purse or wallet that is bursting with cash and or credit cards when at a store checkout.
- Searching in a purse for a wallet for correct change and inadvertently displaying contents, such as a smart phone.
- Wearing expensive watches or jewelry where they can be seen by others.
- Holding electronic devices like smart phones and tablets in public places.
Best practice: keep valuables out of sight –
- Keep just enough cash and credit cards for your purchases in an easily accessible place to avoid the need to open your wallet or purse.
- Don’t search for change, or anything else that’s inside a purse, when you are in full view of strangers.
- Leave expensive jewelry at home. Keep valuable watches hidden from sight.
- Avoid using smart phones and tablets in public places. If it’s necessary to use a phone, secure it after use in an inside pocket or other safe place.
In addition to the above best practices, Seniors should also consider these safety measures:
- Walk with someone. The safety in numbers concept makes sense.
- Let a trusted friend or family member know your plans and destination.
- Avoid routines. Vary your walking pattern.
- Walk or drive in the daytime.
- Avoid suspicious situations. Cross the street, change direction, or enter a store if there is any concern that you might be in danger.
- Wear a medical alert device and keep it in a reachable place where it can be used if victimized.
These best practices address situations that compromise a Senior’s safety. They are effective common sense actions that every proactive Senior should consider and act on if applicable. Rather than let fear be the rule, Seniors who change behaviors that make them targets of crime will be setting their own rules, taking command and walking with confidence.
