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JUNE FACTS SHEET FROM BERKS COUNTY CRIME ALERT

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 13:00:27 GMT

Here is the latest Fact Sheet from Crime Alert Berks County - June 2022

Thank you Crime Alert Berks County!

LAURELDALE POLICE VISIT HOMESCHOOLING TOGETHER

Mon, 30 May 2022 23:46:40 GMT

Q & A With The Laureldale Police

Students from Homeschooling Together spent a morning with the Laureldale Police officers at the playground. Officers were able to engage in a meet and greet with Homeschooling Together, a Berks County homeschool co op, at a local playground. Run by Jena Lattanzio, this group of homeschoolers were able to view the police gear, try on vests and helmets, and even sit in the driver's seat of a patrol car! The officers were patient and fun, creating a trust between the kids and law enforcement. Highlights of the event also included hearing the police sirens, making police inspired buttons, and even trying on real handcuffs! The students asked the officers questions about length of career, training, and experience with arrests. Some of the approximately 30 students present aspire to be police officers when they grow up, so it was a wonderful experience for them to meet real officers and see it all close up! The students left the event with a coloring book and a positive appreciation for law enforcement officers and what they can offer to the community.

The children had many questions for the officers. The officers enjoyed the creativity of the children's questions.

Inquiring minds what to know:

How many people did you arrest in your career?

How much does your vest weigh?

How fast does your police car go?

Did you ever have to shoot someone?

How do you like being chief?

Can I try on the handcuffs?

Can I sit in the police car? Work the Lights? Play the siren?

Can I try on the vest and body armor?

Thank You Homeschooling Together For A Great Day!

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION TIPS

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 07:19:32 GMT

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

There are six main steps that you as the victim should take upon discovering that you are a victim of an identity crime. These steps are as follows:

1) File a Police Report

As the victim, you are required to file a police report in order to dispute fraudulent transactions, correct compromised accounts, place fraud alerts with the credit bureaus and to obtain free copies of your credit reports to review. As the victim, you should obtain and retain a copy, receipt, or summary of the initial police report. The Laureldale Police Department will provide you with a report summary. You should be sure to maintain the original report summary provided to you by the Laureldale Police Department, but may make as many copies of it as needed. The report summary should be attached to each affidavit (described below). As the victim, you will need to send a copy of the police report summary to each involved bank, creditor, other business, credit bureau, and debt collector in order to dispute fraudulent accounts or transactions. As the victim, you should keep a detailed journal to record every corrective action, all names of companies or representatives to whom you speak or write to. An example of a journal can be found at http://www.identitytheftactionplan.com/

This sight also contains other pertinent information.

2) Obtain & complete an Identity Theft Affidavit for each compromised or fraudulently opened account.

As the victim you are required to prepare an affidavit stating you did not commit the fraud. A copy of an Identity Theft Affidavit that is accepted by most businesses, Creditors, and debt collectors, can be obtained at the Federal Trade Commission Website: www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ is provided in appendix C. An example of this affidavit is attached to this package. As the victim, in order to dispute a fraudulent account or transaction, a copy of this affidavit must be coupled with a copy of the police report summary, and sent to every creditor, business, and debt collector through which a fraudulent account or transaction has occurred.

3) Close all accounts believed to have been compromised or opened fraudulently.

As the victim you should immediately contact the credit card companies, banking and other financial institutions, and close all accounts that have been compromised. You as the victim can work with your financial institutions to re-establish an alternate account to prevent further fraud.

4) Place a fraud alert with each credit bureau; obtain and review credit reports

As the victim, you must contact at least one credit bureau to place a fraud alert. As the victim, you are entitled to receive one free credit report per year from each of the three credit bureaus so that you may attempt to identify new fraudulent activity. The free credit reports can be obtained through www.annualcreditreport.com. The three major credit bureaus are:

5) Fraud Alerts.

As the victim, you should place a fraud alert on your credit report in order to prevent the opening of additional fraudulent accounts and to flag additional fraudulent activity.

Federal law requires that when a fraud alert is reported to a credit bureau, that Credit bureau must inform the remaining credit bureaus of the fraud alert. However, in some instances the victim is required to contact the remaining credit bureaus in order to place the fraud alert.

6) File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission

As the victim, you should file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338 or on the internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft . Also attached to the action plan is a copy of a letter sent to an institution by the victim requesting the release of specific information. http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ Additional websites to assist the victim with information on identity theft: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Website http://www.revenue.pa.gov/GetAssistance/IDTheftProtectionAndVictimAssistance/Pages/Reporting%20ID%20Theft.aspx

ROBBERY PREVENTION TIPS FOR CONVENIENCE STORES

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 07:15:11 GMT

Persons, who own, operate, or are employed by convenience store type businesses, may be susceptible to persons committing robberies.

Here are some robbery prevention tips:

Be alert for suspicious people loitering around the areas of your store/place of business.
Be alert to vehicles in your lots, or near or around your business for extended periods, with occupants inside.
Write down the description of the vehicle, the license number as well as a description of the occupant/s of the vehicle.
All excess cash, not needed to conduct normal operations should be “dropped” in a safe. Preferably a time lock type safe accessible only by specifically authorized persons. This fact should be prominently displayed.
Vary routines when removing money from the business.
Do not use a money bag, carry cash in nondescript packaging.
Do not transport cash at the same time every day; do not carry cash, in large amounts, to far a distance to your vehicle.
If practical make drops in pairs. Have two (2) employees working together, open and close the business in pairs. Business windows should be kept clear of items blocking view into the store, especially near/around the cash register.
Police should be able to see into the store from the street.
Have adequate lighting operational both inside and outside of the business, on all sides.
Have cameras recording both inside and outside at all times.
Ensure cameras are placed in such a way as to capture various images of persons in the store.
Ensure employees can download, but not turn off, alter or erase video images
Limit public access to one entrance/exit. Keep emergency exits secure.
Do not allow patrons into unobserved areas of the business (Restroom, break area etc.)
Keep a cell phone at all times and do not hesitate to call 911(Police) in the event you feel threatened or something is suspicious.
Be careful about mentioning how good business has been, how busy you are or how much money is made.

If you are the victim of a robbery, remember these tips:

Try to remain calm and follow the instructions of the suspect.
Assume that they are armed even if a weapon is not displayed
This will be traumatic, but focus on remembering a good description of the suspect/s, the vehicle and direction of travel as they leave.
Also, the weapon and anything that was said.
As soon as possible(when it is safe) make sure that the first call you make is to 911(Police)
Protect any evidence which may be left behind, such as anything that the suspect/s may have touched.
If anyone witnesses the incident, ask them to stay until police arrive or get contact information so that they can be reached later.
As with personal safety in general, HAVE A PLAN as how you will react to specific situations so that if a crime occurs, you will not be caught completely off guard.