Follow these safety tips to keep your home protected! When you leave for the night or on a vacation, a great tool is to keep the lights on in your house. Just leaving a light on facing your street and back yard can make it look like you are home. This will prevent others from targeting your home. 

For the exterior of your home install security cameras and motion sensor lights. This will help to find an identity of a suspect if needed. It can also help with deterring others to come on your property. 

Always lock your doors, garage, gates, and windows when you leave your home. Even if you leave for a quick errand, you should always lock up. 

If you do leave for a vacation, it is a good idea to ask a trusted neighbor or family member to check on your home periodically. This will give the illusion someone is in and out of the house. You can also sign up for home vacation checks under the 'Community Programs' tab of the Police Department website. 

Catalytic converters are stolen each day all across the United States. It has become an ongoing problem and we are here to help with some tips!

The best practice is to install a shield over the catalytic converter. A catalytic converter can take less than a minute to saw off and they avoid being caught. A shield is a large metal piece that goes under your car and is installed over the catalytic converter. This is helpful because it can take a few minutes to saw off and it will be very loud to saw through the entire shield. This would draw attention to saw through a shield, leading to the criminal to not target your car. Having a shield will deter them from cutting off your catalytic converter since it would take them much longer to remove, ultimately getting caught. 

The next practice is called etching and painting. 'Etching' is where you can etch your car's vehicle identification number, or the VIN to the catalytic converter. This is helpful if it is stolen and recovered later by police, they can trace it back to your car and return the piece to you. Using a heat resistant paint is also good practice to use on the catalytic converter. Painting it a bright neon color that stands out can prevent thieves from targeting the car. If they try to resell the piece and it is painted it will alert others it is stolen. If you have the etched VIN and the bright paint it will hopefully alert the store they are selling to and they can trace it back to the original owner by contacting police. 

Always have your car alarm set, lock your car doors, and if you can park in a well-lit area or in a garage. Parking in dark areas that can be hard to see might target your vehicle more. Parking in front of your house or in a garage will prevent them from targeting your car. 

According to the FBI spoofing is when a criminal 'disguises an email address, phone number, or website URL to convince you that you are interacting to a trusted source.'

- Sometimes they can change one symbol or letter in a phone number or email to have it appear the same as the original.

- The phone number can appear from this area, when it is not. Once you answer the call they will try to obtain personal information from you.

- Occasionally they tell you they are someone else. It can be a trusted source they are pretending to be.

 If you are a victim of fraud, contact the Laguna Beach Police Department at the non-emergency line (949) 497-0701 to report the incident.

Cyber Crime is the new way of crime that is spreading across the globe. In order to prevent cyber-crime we will have to learn what techniques they are using so we can spot the red flags. Some of the common cyber-crimes are as followed: 

1. Fraud Businesses: Fraud companies will reach out to provide a service to you. Please do your research for services to confirm credibility. If they ask you to pay them in gift cards or all upfront, it might be a cyber-crime. In an example... a company reaches out to clean your windows for 50% off the original price. All they ask is for you to pay for the service upfront and on visa gift cards. This is a red flag; no company will ask for you to pay in gift cards. 

2. Sweepstakes, prizes, and lottery fraud: This attack sends individuals fraud 'wins' in order for you to send them money and gift cards. If it's too good to be true, it probably is. They can send you very convincing and realistic lottery scam information. If you did not sign up for a lottery or sweepstakes, do not respond back to them. In an example... A lottery company sends you an email stating you won a new car! All you have to do is pay the taxes on the new car in order to receive it the next week. They are asking for $3,000 to receive a $40,000 car! Did you apply for a lottery? If not, then it is too good to be true. This is a scam. 

3. Phishing Scams: Attackers send malicious emails to trick users by sending them personal information such as passwords and credit cards. They typically use a website that you would normally use to convince you it is the company. In an example... They send you an email from your 'bank' that you need to update your password with a link attached. Do not click the link, that is the virus waiting to come into your computer. Instead, go on the bank's website and double check the email address and see if it matches. If it does not, then it is a scam. 

Your mailbox at home:

If you are expecting a credit card or other important documents to be arriving soon, track your mail using the USPS website (link below in the flyer). This can help you take out the important documents in time so they cannot be stolen.

Installing a lock on your mailbox can deter others from taking your mail. 

You can also sign up for mail updates to keep up with the important deliveries.

If you are leaving for a vacation, use the USPS website to pause mail delivery until you are back. 

Public Mail Dropbox: 

Criminals are using creative ways to steal the mail from the public mailboxes all over the United States. In order to protect your mail, avoid using these mailboxes.

Drop off your mail in the in-person location to protect your mail. 

If you must drop a check in a public place, use a felt tip pen to write the check. 

 E-bikes are great to get around town quickly and to have fun! E-bikes can also be pretty expensive and desirable by others, leading to the bikes being stolen. Following a few tips can help your E-bike from being stolen. 

1. Register your E-bike, bike, or scooter on Garage 529 using the QR code below. This is the largest bike registration website and is used to track down bikes after being stolen. Use the identification number on your bike (usually found on a sticker under the bike near the bottom bracket). Then record the I.D. number on the website using your name and a general description of what it looks like. This way if your bike is ever stolen and recovered, it will be given back to you! This is a free website and is used by law enforcement. 

2. Use a strong bike lock that cannot be easily cut off. U-locks are a popular strong lock that is not easy to remove. If that is not available, use a strong chain lock to secure it. When using a bike lock, make sure to lock the frame of the bike to the bike stand. Do not use only the wheel because it can be easily removed from the bike. 

3. Do not leave your bike unattended or out of sight for any period of time while you are out. This is a window of opportunity that you do not want someone to take. Always take the time to secure your property before you walk away from it. Think of it just like locking a car. 

Car Break-ins can be prevented by you! Do not leave items of value in your car or in plain view. Leaving items of value in plain view gives motivation to others to steal those items. If you have to leave an item in your car, try to leave it in the trunk of the vehicle. You can also park in a well-lit area that is not hidden behind a wall or bushes. The best practice is to park in a garage if available. Also, always set your car alarm, lock your car, and make sure to roll up your windows.

Reporting vandalism is the best way to preventing it from happening in the future. The quicker it is reported and cleaned up, the less it will happen again. Seeing that a city takes care of the property is the best way to keep from others vandalizing. 

Call the non-emergency number to report it, then revisit the location when you can to keep an eye on it. You are our eyes and ears when we are not there! 

If it is your property that is vandalized install security cameras and lights to prevent it from happening again. Always keep your gates and doors locked to prevent people from trespassing. Make sure to talk to your neighbors to work together to protect where you live. 

One of the best crime prevention tools is to start a Neighborhood Watch group in your area! Together you can learn about the crimes that happen around you and how to work together to prevent it. To schedule a meeting contact Nicole Rice at nrice@lagunabeachcity.net 

You will learn about ongoing crimes in Orange County, what to do if you see something take place, and receive crime prevention tips for your home.