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The LAPDonline.org® website has made reasonable efforts to provide an accurate translation. However, no automated or computerized translation is perfect and is not intended to replace human or traditional translation methods. The official text is the English version of the LAPDonline.org® website. If any questions arise concerning the accuracy of the information presented by the translated version of the website, please refer to the English edition of the website, which is the official version.
Harbor Community Newsletter
May 2013
Vol. XIII, No. 5
Harbor Gateway South
Basic Car Area 5A1
Senior Lead Officer Brian Cook
Office: (310) 726-7924
Cell: (310) 869-2174
Email address: 36258@lapd.lacity.org
Find us on FACEBOOK at “LAPD Harbor Community Police Station”
Follow us on TWITTER at “LapdHarborDiv”
REMEMBER TO “LOCK-IT OR LOSE-IT”
Call 311 for any City of Los Angeles service or entity.
Property crimes are the Harbor Gateway South’s biggest crime problem!
To combat property crimes, PLEASE, LOCK your homes when you leave. If you are able to, park your vehicle(s) in your driveway. LOCK your vehicle(s) whenever you are not in them. DO NOT leave expensive or valuable items in your vehicle(s). For example, many victims have reported expensive items such as; laptop computers, purses, GPS devices, and money taken from their vehicle.
Thieves have been targeting the catalytic converters from vehicles. The vehicles that have had the most crimes against the owners are Japanese made vehicles (Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans), especially the SUV models because the thieves can get under the rear of the vehicle easier. Please keep an eye out for potential car thieves. Park your vehicles in a driveway if possible. Other thefts include; GPS’s, computers, vehicle batteries, purses, money, passports, etc.
Furthermore, many of the vehicles were unlocked during the commission of the crime. Help your neighbors to remember to secure their homes and vehicles.
If you are interested in starting a neighborhood watch, please feel free to contact me. If there is a block watch already established in your neighborhood, then I will provide you all the information that you will need.
To report VANDALISM in the Harbor Gateway, Please call Harbor Area Front Desk at
(310) 726-7700. After advising police, photo the graffiti and notify GAP at 311 for removal.
To report GANG ACTIVITY in the Harbor Gateway, Please call the Harbor Area Gang Enforcement Detail at (310) 726-7891.
To report NARCOTIC ACTIVITY in the Harbor Gateway, please call the Harbor Station Narcotics Detectives at (310) 726-7840. You can make the call anonymous, or if possible, please leave a message.
Some Harbor Gateway South residents have recently been the victims of identity theft, specifically some of our elderly residents. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! Please review the following information on preventing identity theft.
Identity Theft
PURPOSE
The purpose of this circular is to standardize Identity Theft Prevention and Victim Information presented during community crime prevention meetings. The circular will also assist Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) personnel to impart basic Identity Theft Prevention and Victim Information tips to community members to help slow down one of the fastest growing white-collar crimes. The circular will also serve to warn community members how to take steps to protect their privacy and to educate Identity Theft victims about what to do when an identity thief strikes.
INTRODUCTION
The crime of identity theft is on the rise and it has become a significant problem for the LAPD and for people who reside in the City of Los Angeles. This is because there has been an increase in the number of reported identity theft incidents and in the level of fear within the community. Additionally, the identity theft issue continues to receive considerable media attention. The LAPD believes there could be as many as 10,000 reported identity theft incidents within the City of Los Angeles in 2003. To more effectively coordinate identity theft investigations, the LAPD now investigates these crimes through their Commercial Crimes Division. The LAPD encourages anyone victimized by identity theft to contact the LAPD or their local law enforcement agency to report the incident.
The law making identity theft a crime was enacted as a misdemeanor crime in 1998. In 1999, the law was upgraded to an alternate felony/misdemeanor crime. The crime of identity theft is described in the California Penal Code as follows:
Section 530.5 PC: Unauthorized use of personal identifying information to obtain credit, goods, services, or medical information in the name of another person.
Section 530.5 (a) PC: Every person who willfully obtains personal identifying information, as defined in subdivision (b), of another person without the authorization of that person, and uses that information for any unlawful purpose, including to obtain, or attempt to obtain, credit, goods, services, or medical information in the name of the other person without the consent of that person is guilty of a public offense, and upon conviction therefore, shall be punished either by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year, a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars, or both that imprisonment and fine, or by imprisonment in the state prison, a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars, or both that imprisonment and fine.
Section 530.5 (b) PC: "Personal identifying information," as used in this section, means the name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number, social security number, place of employment, employee identification number, mother’s maiden name, demand deposit account number, savings account number, or credit card number of an individual person.
Section 530.5 (c) PC: In any case in which a person willfully obtains personal identifying information of another person without the authorization of that person, and uses that information to commit a crime in addition to a violation of subdivision (a), and is convicted of that crime, the court records shall reflect that the person whose identity was falsely used to commit the crime did not commit the crime.
PRESENTATION
It is important to remember that the victim of identity theft is a person whose identity has been fraudulently assumed by another with the intent to obtain credit, goods, or services without the victim’s consent. No financial loss is necessary. Identity theft includes the criminal assumption of someone’s name, address, credit card information, driver’s license, social security number and other personal data. Criminals use this information to impersonate their victims, spending as much money as they can in as short a time as possible before moving on to impersonate someone else.
The victims of credit and banking fraud will usually be liable for no more than the first $50.00 of the loss. In many cases, victims will not be required to pay any part of the loss. However, victims are supposed to notify financial institutions within two days of learning of the loss, although this is often waived.
Even though victims are usually not required to pay their imposters’ bills, they are often left with a bad credit report and must spend months and even years regaining their financial health. In the meantime, they have difficulty writing checks, obtaining loans, renting apartments, and even getting hired. Stealing wallets used to be the best way identity thieves obtained credit card numbers and other pieces of identification. Now more sophisticated means are commonly used:
• Accessing your credit report fraudulently by posing as an employer, loan officer or landlord and ordering a copy;
• Stealing mail from your mailbox to obtain newly issued credit cards, bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, or tax information, and;
• Dumpster diving in your trash containers for discarded credit card and loan applications.
IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION TIPS
The LAPD suggests the following crime prevention techniques to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft:
1. To minimize the amount of information an identity thief can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, a social security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed.
2. To reduce the amount of personal information that is in circulation consider the following:
• Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three major credit reporting bureaus, i.e., Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and Trans Union. This will limit the number of pre-approved offers of credit that you receive. These offers, if thrown away in the trash, are potential targets of identity thieves who will use them to order credit cards using your identity.
• Sign up for the Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service and the Telephone Preference Service. By doing this, your name is added to computerized name deletion lists used by nationwide marketers.
• Have your name and address removed from telephone books and reverse directories.
3. Install a locked mailbox at your residence or business to reduce mail theft or use a post office box.
4. When you order new checks, do not have them sent to your home address. Have them sent to a post office box or arrange to pick them up at your bank.
5. When you pay bills, do not place the envelopes containing your checks in your home mailbox for the letter carrier to pick up. If stolen, your checks can be altered and cashed by identity thieves. It is best to mail your checks and other sensitive mail at the post office rather than your home or neighborhood mailbox. Write checks with a fine-point permanent marker.
6. Pay bills with an electronic bill payment service.
7. Reduce the number of credit cards you actively use to a bare minimum. Carry only one or two credit cards in your wallet. Cancel all unused credit card accounts. Even though you do not use these accounts, account numbers are recorded in your credit report along with other data that can be used by identity thieves.
8. Keep a list and/or photocopy of all your credit cards, account numbers, expiration dates and telephone numbers of the customer service and fraud departments in a secure place (not your wallet or purse) so you can quickly contact your creditors in case your credit cards are stolen. Do the same with your bank accounts.
9. Never give out your credit card number or other personal information over the telephone, unless you have a trusted business relationship with the person or company and you have initiated the telephone call. Identity thieves have been known to call their victims with a fake story that goes something like this, "Today is your lucky day! You have been chosen by the "Jane and John Doe Sweepstakes Committee" to receive a free trip to Europe. All we need is your credit card number and expiration date to verify you as the lucky winner."
10. Order your credit report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus to check for inaccuracies and fraudulent use of your accounts. Make sure that you recognize every line of information established in your file.
11. Always take credit card receipts with you. Never throw them in a public trash container.
12. Watch the mail when you expect a new or reissued credit card to arrive. Contact the issuer if the card does not arrive.
13. When creating a password or Personal Identification Number (PIN), do not use the last four digits of your social security number, date of birth, middle name, the name of your family pet, consecutive numbers of anything else that could easily be discovered by identity thieves.
14. Ask your financial institution to add extra security protection to your account. Most will allow you to use an additional code (a number or word) when assessing your account. Do not use your mother’s maiden name, as that is all too easily obtained by identity thieves.
15. Memorize all your passwords. Do not record them on anything in your wallet or purse.
16. Protect your social security number. Release it only when absolutely necessary (tax forms, employment records, most banking, stock and property transactions). The social security number is the key to your credit and bank accounts and is a prime target of identity thieves.
17. Do not have your social security number printed on your checks. Do not let merchants write your social security number on your checks because of the risk of fraud.
18. Order your Social Security Earnings and Benefits Statement once a year to check for fraud.
19. Carefully review your credit card statements for unauthorized use.
20. Do not throw pre-approved credit offers in the trash or in a recycling container without first shredding them. The discarded credit offers can be used by identity thieves to order credit cards in your name and to have the credit cards mailed to their address.
21. Do the same with other sensitive information like credit card receipts. Home shredders can be purchased at many office supply stores.
22. Demand financial institutions to adequately safeguard your data. Request a special password that only you would know. Memorize all passwords. Discourage your bank from using the last four digits of the social security number as the PIN they assign to customers.
23. When you fill out loan applications, find out how the company disposes of them. If you are not convinced that they store them in locked files and/or shred them, take your business elsewhere. Some car dealerships, department stores, car rental agencies, and video stores have been known to be careless with customer applications. When you pay by credit card, ask the business how it stores and disposes of the transaction slip. Avoid paying by credit card if you think the business does not use adequate safeguards.
24. Store your cancelled checks in a safe place. In the wrong hands, they can reveal a lot of information about you. Never permit your credit card number to be written on your checks. It is a violation of California law (California Civil Code 1725) and places you at risk of fraud.
25. Any entity involved in handling personal information should train all its employees, from the top to the bottom, on responsible information-handling practices. Persuade the companies, government agencies and nonprofit agencies with which you are associated to adopt privacy policies and conduct privacy training. Employees should be trained to check picture identification cards when accepting credit cards.
IDENTITY THEFT VICTIM TIPS
If you become the victim of identity theft, it is important to act immediately to stop the thief’s further use of your identity. Unfortunately, at this time victims themselves are burdened with resolving the problem. It is important to act quickly and assertively to minimize the damage. In dealing with authorities and financial institutions, keep a log of all conversations, dates, names, and telephone numbers. Note the time spent and any expenses incurred. Confirm conversations in writing. Provide your police report number to expedite reporting the crime.
Send correspondence by certified mail (return receipt requested). Keep copies of all letters and documents. Sometimes victims of identity theft are wrongfully accused of crimes committed by an imposter. If a civil judgment has been entered in your name for actions taken by an imposter, contact the court where the judgment was entered and report that you are a victim of identity theft. If you are wrongfully prosecuted of criminal charges, contact the state Department of Justice and the FBI. Ask how to clear your name.
The LAPD also suggests you do the following:
1. Report the crime to all police and sheriff departments with jurisdiction in your case immediately. Give them as much documented evidence as possible. Obtain a copy of all police reports. Keep the telephone number of your fraud detective/investigator handy and give it to creditors and others who require verification of your case. Credit card companies, banks, and insurance companies may require you to show the report in order to verify the crime. Some police and sheriff departments have been known to refuse to write reports on such crimes. Be persistent!
2. Immediately contact (by telephone and in writing) all creditors with whom your name has been used fraudulently. Obtain replacement cards with new account numbers for your own accounts that have been used fraudulently. Ask that old accounts be processed as "account closed at consumer’s request." (This is better than "card lost or stolen," because when this statement is reported to credit reporting bureaus, it can be interpreted as blaming you for the loss.) Carefully monitor your mail and credit card bills for evidence of new fraudulent activity. Report it immediately to credit grantors.
3. If you have had checks stolen or bank accounts set up fraudulently, notify your bank. Report the fraud to check verification companies. Place stop payments on any outstanding checks that you are unsure of. Cancel your checking and saving accounts and obtain new account numbers. Ask the bank to issue you a secret password that must be used in every transaction (not your mother’s maiden name). Write a form letter that can be mailed or faxed whenever you receive an inquiry about fraudulent checks written from your bank account. The letter should give a brief description of what happened, check numbers and check manufacturer (obtained from your bank), bank account number, case number (assigned by police or the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction), the name of the police or sheriff detective/investigator handling your case, and the name and telephone number of the customer service representative at your bank.
4. You may be asked by banks and credit grantors to fill out and notarize fraud affidavits, which are costly. The law does not require that a notarized affidavit be provided to creditors. A written statement and supporting documentation should be enough (unless the creditor offers to pay the notary). Overly burdensome requirements by creditors should be reported to federal government authorities.
5. The Secret Service has jurisdiction over financial fraud cases but it usually does not investigate individual cases unless the dollar amount is high and/or you are one of many victims of a fraud ring. To interest the Secret Service in your case, you may want to ask the fraud department of the credit card companies and/or banks, as well as the police or sheriff detective/investigator to notify the particular Secret Service agent they work with regarding your case.
6. Call the Social Security Administration (SSA) to report fraudulent use of your Social Security number. Also, order a copy of your Social Security Earnings and Benefits Statement and check it for accuracy. As a last resort, you might want to change your number. The SSA will only change it if you fit their fraud victim criteria. Caution: This step should be reserved for only the most extreme situations. You must be sure to notify all credit grantors and credit reporting bureaus of your new Social Security number.
7. Notify the local Postal Inspector if you suspect an identity thief has filed a change of address with the post office or has used the mail to commit credit or bank fraud against you. Notify the local Postal Inspector if you suspect mail theft. Theft of mail is a felony. (Call the local Postmaster to obtain the telephone number). Find out where fraudulent credit cards were sent. Notify the local Postmaster for that
address to forward all mail in your name to your own address. You may also need to talk with your mail carrier.
8. If you have a passport, notify the passport office to be on the lookout for anyone ordering a new passport fraudulently.
9. Call electrical, gas and water utilities. Alert them to the possibility that someone may attempt to open new service using your identification.
10. You may want to change your driver license number if someone is using your license as identification to pass bad checks. Call the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see if another license has been issued in your name. Place a fraud alert in your DMV records. Go to your local DMV office to request a new driver license number. Also, fill out a DMV complaint form to begin the fraud investigation process. Send supporting documents with the completed form to the nearest DMV investigation office. Be persistent!
11. You may want to consult an attorney to determine legal action to take against creditors and/or credit bureaus if they are not cooperative in removing fraudulent entries from your credit report or if negligence is a factor. Call the local Bar Association to find an attorney who specializes in consumer law and the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
12. Pay attention to your own mental health. Victims of identity theft often report they are somehow to blame. They often feel violated, even powerless, due to the fact that few, if any, of the authorities they have notified of the crime step forward to help them. Psychological counseling may help you deal with the stress and anxiety commonly experienced by victims. Discuss your situation with a trusted friend, spiritual advisor or counselor.
13. Do not give in and do not pay any bill or portion of a bill, which is the result of identity theft. Do not cover any checks, which were written and/or cashed fraudulently. Your credit rating should not be permanently affected, and no legal action should be taken against you. If any merchant, financial institution or collection agency suggests otherwise, simply restate your willingness to cooperate, but do not allow yourself to be coerced into paying fraudulent bills. Write to your state and federal legislators. Demand stronger privacy protection and fraud assistance by creditors and credit reporting bureaus.
14. Finally, speak with the detective investigating your case, he or she may be able to assist you in obtaining a fingerprint comparison if the suspect has ever been arrested or has used your name during an arrest. You may be able to obtain information regarding any warrants connected to the arrest, this may also help in reestablishing your credit or obtaining a new social security number.
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
After notifying your local law enforcement agency, contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 or by visiting their website at http://www.consumer.gov/
CREDIT REPORTING BUREAUS
Contact credit reporting bureaus for names and telephone numbers of credit grantors with whom fraudulent accounts have been opened. Ask the credit reporting bureaus to remove inquiries that have been generated due to the fraudulent access. You may also ask the credit reporting bureaus to notify those who have received your credit report in the last six months in order to alert them to the disputed and erroneous information (two years for employers).
The nearest office of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Los Angeles might be able to give you advice on removing fraudulent claims from your credit report. Call 800-750-2227.
Immediately call the fraud unit of one of the three credit reporting bureaus, i.e., Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and Trans Union. These organizations currently share fraud information eliminating the need to contact all three. Report the theft of your credit cards or numbers. Ask that your accounts be flagged. Also, add a victim’s statement to your report, up to 100 words. ("My Identification has been used to apply for credit fraudulently. Contact me at (telephone number) to verify all applications.") Be sure to ask how long the fraud alert is posted on your account, and how you can extend it, if necessary. Be aware that these measures may not entirely stop new fraudulent accounts from being opened by an imposter. Ask the credit bureaus in writing to provide you with free copies every few months so you can monitor your credit report.
EQUIFAX
To report fraud call: 800-525-6285 or 800-685-1111
To order a copy of credit report write:
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
To dispute information in credit report write:
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit write:
Equifax Options
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
Call: 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688)
EXPERIAN (formerly TRW)
To report fraud call: 888-397-3742 or
Fax: 800-301-7196
To contact Experian Consumer Fraud Assistance write:
P. O. Box 1017
Allen, TX 75013
To order a copy of credit report write:
P.O. Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013-2104
or call: 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
To dispute information in credit report contact:
Experian at the address and telephone number provided on your credit report.
To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit and marketing lists call: 800-353-0809
TRANS UNION
To report fraud, call: 800-680-7289
To report fraud, write:
Fraud Victim Assistance Division
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92634
To order a copy of credit report write:
P.O. Box 390
Springfield, PA 19064
Call: 800-916-8800
To dispute information in credit report call: 800-888-4213 or call the telephone number provided on your credit report or use "investigation request form" provided by Trans Union when you order your report.
To opt out of pre-approved offers of credit and marketing lists call: 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688)
Remember, if you have been denied credit you are entitled to a free credit report. If you are the victim of fraud, be sure to ask the credit reporting bureau for a free copy of your credit report. In 1997, a law became effective requiring credit reporting bureaus to provide credit reports free of charge to victims of identity theft.
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
If your Social Security number has been used fraudulently, report the problem to the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-269-0271. You may also order your Earnings and Benefits Statement by calling the SSA at 800-772-1213. For extreme cases of identity theft, they may be willing to change your Social Security number.
DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION
To remove your name from mailing lists (Direct Marketing Association) write to:
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735
To remove your name from telephone lists (Direct Marketing Association) write to:
Telephone Preference Service
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735
REPORTING THEFT OR FRAUDULENT USE OF CHECKS
To report theft or fraudulent use of your checks call:
• CheckRite:
800-766-2748
• International Check Services (ICS):
800-526-5380
• Equifax:
800-437-5120
• TeleCheck:
800-710-9898
• ChexSystems (Regarding closed checking accounts only):
800-328-5121 or 800-428-9623
• CrossCheck:
707-586-0551
• SCAN:
800-262-7771
Additional Resources
Federal Information Center (For help in obtaining government agency telephone numbers): 800-688-9889
CALPIRG
11965 Venice Boulevard
Suite 408
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Call: 213-251-3680
SUMMARY
When identity theft occurs, you need to act quickly, know what to do, who to contact and fully understand your rights under the law. Identity theft exerts great emotional distress on its victims. Damage containment in each fraud case depends on how deeply the imposter has invaded your personal, professional and financial life. There are many preparatory actions one can take to prevent identity theft.
The information in this circular is meant to educate consumers. You can never be too careful, prepared, or aware. Share this information with family and friends. Schedule family discussions, ensure everyone is aware and prepared in the event an identity thief strikes.
Identity Theft Related Links
Federal Trade Commission
Department of Motor Vehicles
Social Security
CONCLUSION
The identity theft information included in this circular was compiled from materials obtained from the following:
• Los Angeles Police Department, Crime Prevention Resource Center
• Los Angeles Police Department, Financial Crimes Division
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
• Victims of Crime Resource Center, McGeorge School of Law
• Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Los Angeles
Harbor City - District 5A11
Senior Lead Officer - Andrey Wilkins (310) 869-2106
E-mail address: 30418@LAPD.LACITY.org
Crime Trends
There were three burglaries from motor vehicle in the Green Meadows Community. There were five burglaries from motor vehicle in the Central Community. There were four burglaries from motor vehicle in Pine Creek Lane community. There is no suspect description at this time. Please call Police if you see anyone in the neighborhood that does not belong.
Block Captains training sessions are available for any community. If you have any question please call Senior Lead Officer Wilkins at 310-869- 2106
To report Narcotic activity in Harbor City, Please call the Harbor Station Narcotics Detectives at (310) 726-7840. You can make the call anonymous or please leave a message.
To report Gang Activity in Harbor City, Please call the Harbor Area Gang Enforcement Detail at (310) 726-7891.
Burglary Theft From Vehicle Prevention
• Always lock your car.
• Make sure your windows are closed all of the way.
• DO NOT leave any item that is worth money visible in your car, including; phones, wallets, purses, GPS devices
• Park your car in well-travelled or lighted areas.
• Know where all of your car keys are located at all times.
CRIME PREVENTION TIPS
For a complete list of home and business tips, please search the LAPD's online home security information section. www.lapdonline.org
Wilmington - District 5A15
Senior Lead Officer –Ria Garcenila #37126 (310) 869-2177
E-mail address: 37126@lapd.lacity.org
Crime Trends
Basic Car 5A15 covers the area in Wilmington North of Pacific Coast Highway and Carson Street on the north. West of Avalon Boulevard to the 110 Freeway and South to Opp Street.
Stolen vehicles and Burglary/Theft from Motor Vehicles are still a problem in Wilmington. I would like to remind everyone to please lock your vehicles and not to leave any valuables in plain view. Many criminals look for opportunity in order commit crimes. Please do not give them a reason to victimize you. Do not leave your bags unattended or leave your shopping bags in your vehicle exposed to passer byes while you are out of your vehicle.
There has also been an increase in the amount of stolen cars and theft from motor vehicles in the Wilmington area. Don’t be a victim! Always lock your vehicles when you are not in them. Even if you will be gone for only a few minutes. If you would like to purchase an anti-theft Club device for your vehicle, please contact me at the above phone number or email. Each Club is being sold for twenty dollars.
We have had an increase in property crimes in the Wilmington area. LAPD would like to remind you to lock all of your belongings in your vehicle. Also, never leave anything of value visible to a potential thief. Remember , “Lock it or Lose it!”
Detectives in the Harbor Area are warning the public to be aware of strangers approaching them and claiming to have a winning lottery ticket. Detectives stated that the suspects of this lottery scam offer to share the winnings if he or she presents themselves as the owner of the ticket to state lottery authority. Ultimately, the suspects demand something of value from the victims, preferably cash, as their protection. This is a scam! Remember, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is a scam.
Station Information
If you do not already know, the address is 2175 John S. Gibson Boulevard. The new front desk phone number is: 310-726-7700. Please press the number 1 if you would like to speak to an officer.
Quality of Life
We are currently working quality of life task forces at least once a month. We concentrate on the ongoing nuisance problems that are littering the streets and alleys of Wilmington. If you have a location that is a constant nuisance please let me know.
We also have impound task forces where we impound vehicles that are abandoned or improperly parked on the street. People living in RV’s continue to be a problem in the Wilmington area. Please e-mail or call me if you have abandoned vehicles or people sleeping in RV’s in your area. I will do what I can to take care of the problem.
Illegal vending has been an increasing problem in the Wilmington area. We, together with the Health Department and Sanitation ,conducted vendor task force recently. We are looking forward to conducting additional task forces of this nature in order to decrease the amount of illegal vending in the area.
]We are tirelessly working to reduce the incidents of graffiti in the Wilmington area. We continue to discourage taggers from defacing property by prosecuting all vandals to the fullest extent of the law. Keep your eyes open and lets all help to keep Wilmington clean.
Another task force that we have enacted has been our illegal skateboarding task force. We have been receiving numerous complaints regarding skateboarders who have been causing a traffic hazard by disregarding traffic laws. We will do our best to try to keep both skateboarders and citizens safe.
How to Become More Involved
Start a Neighborhood Watch Program in your community. Starting a program in your neighborhood will decrease the likelihood of crimes being committed in your area.
Install a “Neighborhood Watch” sign in your community. The visual reminder that crime is not tolerated can help unite a neighborhood. If you would like to purchase a sign, please contact me at the above phone number or email address.
Report crime when it happens. Remember, you can always remain anonymous. No one will ask your immigration status for reporting a crime. You can also call 1-800-TIPS or send a text message to CRIMES (274637) from your cell phone and put “LAPD” in letters as the part of the message.
To report unwanted graffiti in a public area or sidewalk, call 311. The longer it remains, the more criminal elements it attracts.
The “I Love Wilmington” group has been very successful in gathering like-minded, positive people the third Wednesday of every month at 626 N. Avalon. They conduct a peace walk beginning at 5:00 PM. They would love if you joined them in their efforts to make Wilmington a better place!
Neighborhood Events and Meetings
The Wilmington Neighborhood Council meeting is scheduled every fourth Wednesday of the month at the Wilmington Senior Center located at Banning Park.
Every second Tuesday of the month the Spanish C-PAB is held at the Wilmington Senior Center (Banning Park). The meeting starts at 7:30 pm.
If you would like to start a neighborhood watch group in your area please contact me or any one of the other SLO’s and we will be glad to help you get started.
Come and join us for our CPAB meeting! It is held on the third Thursday of every month. Come and join other community members to help and contribute ideas on how to make your neighborhood safer.
East Wilmington Basic Car Area 5A17
Senior Lead Officer Perez, Roger
Office: (310) 726-7924
Cell: (310) 869-2096
E-mail address: 33802@lapd.lacity.org
Call 311 for any City of Los Angeles service or entity
May 2013
Once again I am very proud of my East Wilmington community and proud to serve your community needs.
I want to extend my warm thanks to all you community members who participated in our on-going “Peace Walks” in the Wilmington Area. The peace marches have been extremely successful thanks to great community members who make it a point to be involved in their community.
Just a reminder “Wilmington United “meets every 1st Wednesday of the month at 626 N. Avalon Blvd. Let’s keep this action going and continued calling us so that we can continue keeping crime down and your community safer.
You can check our department web site and link to Harbor Division if you have any questions or concerns regarding above matter, or feel free to call me on my city cell phone and I will be more than glad to answer any questions.
Also let’s continued to practice the “Lock it or lose it” system that we place for our community, that goes for your vehicles and homes, please make sure your home windows and doors are lock and secure during the night and when you leave your home, even if it’s just for a bit!!!!
Keeping your valuables out of sight will prevent you from being a victim of any property crime. If u can remember the phrase we use in LAPD “Lock it or Lose It”, then u will be fine.
www.lapdonline.org for more information and crime maps.
Please feel free to contact me at the above phone numbers if you have any questions or concerns regarding your area.
To report NARCOTIC ACTIVITY in the East Wilmington area, please call the Harbor Station Narcotics Detectives at (310) 726-7840. You can make the call anonymous or please leave a message.
To report GANG ACTIVITY in the East Wilmington Area, Please call the Harbor Area Gang Enforcement Detail at (310) 726-7891.
To report VANDALISM in the East Wilmington Area, Please call Harbor Area Front Desk (310) 726-7700. After advising police, photo the graffiti and notify GAP at 311 for removal.
Harbor Division has a Graffiti Coordinator. You may contact Officer Roger Reynoso via the Front Desk or Detective Desk.
Wilmington- District 5A25
Senior Lead Officer- Shawn Crabbe Serial #33841 Cell Phone-310-869-2173
E-Mail Address-: 33841@lapd.lacity.org
Wilmington Events for May:
May 3rd-5th Cinco De Mayo Fiesta Location: Anaheim St and Avalon Bl
May 4th Gun Buy Back Program Location: Figueroa St and PCH
May 14th Spanish CPAB Location: 1371 Eubank Av
May 16th General CPAB Location: Harbor Station 2175 John S. Gibson
For more details of the events, please contact Senior Lead Officer Crabbe at 310-869-2173.
Crime Trends
LOCK YOUR VEHICLES!!!!
Crime in the west Wilmington area has been limited. There are still thefts of motor vehicles occurring though. Please remember to lock your vehicles and remove any valuable items at all times. Harbor Station still offers steering wheel locks for sale at the front desk. Remember, these steering wheel locks are one of the best ways to secure your vehicle.
With summer approaching, we will have more warm days in the Wilmington area. Pleas refrain from keeping your windows opened and unlocked while you are away from your home. Thieves will take advantage of this and you could become an easy target. Please keep your homes locked and secured while you are away.
Please call 911 if you observe any groups of gang members loitering or associating. Wilmington has an active gang injunction and it is against the law for Westside and Eastside Wilmas gang members to associate with each other in public.
Quality of Life
If you are interested in starting a “Neighborhood Watch” program in your area, please feel free to contact me at 310-269-2173.
Please remember that you are only allowed one yard sale every 6 months. The Wilmington area has an increased number of yard sales in the past few months. Please contact me at 310-869-2173 if you have issues in your neighborhood with excessive yard sales.
During the month of May, we will be conducting a task force to enforce illegal vending throughout the area. This will be an ongoing effort to target these illegal vendors. If you have a specific problem, please feel free to phone or email me with the information.
We will also be actively enforcing recreational vehicle parking in the area. Please let me know if see or know of anyone living and sleeping in these parked RV’s.
I will also continue to enforce the Wilmington gang injunction within the Wilmington Safety Zone. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you know of any location where gang members are congregating and creating a nuisance. Just to remind you that the Wilmington gang injunction prevents documented gang members from associating in public. In addition, they must stay away from alcohol, narcotics and they must obey all laws.
Neighborhood Events and Meetings
Spanish C-PAB meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30pm.
Harbor Station 2175 John S. Gibson, San Pedro
Wilmington Neighborhood Council meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6pm.Location: 1371 N. Eubank Av.
Northwest San Pedro Newsletter, for the month of May, 2013
Hello, I am Senior Lead Officer Art Ashcraft, and I am the Senior Lead Officer for the North West San Pedro area. The crime trend for the North West San Pedro area continues to be Property Crime i.e. Residential Burglary, Burglary from Motor Vehicles, Theft from Motor Vehicles and Grand Theft Autos. The Burglary and Theft from Motor vehicle can be solved rather easily. What Officers and Detectives continue to notice is people are continuing to leave their personal property inside their vehicles (purses, IPODS, Lap Tops, garage door openers, personal navigation devices, ect,) and most of it is in plain view. I know we all feel as if we should be able to leave our belongings inside of our own vehicles. But unfortunately that is not the case anymore. We have to be smart and know that unfortunately there are people who want to steal our property for a variety of reasons. But those kinds of people are out there and we need to remain vigilant against them, and not help them. Please, let’s take all of our personal property out of our vehicles, and take them inside our residences. Also, people are not locking their vehicles, whether they are parked on the street, in a parking structure or on their driveway. Lock your vehicles no matter where you park them, or no matter how long you plan on staying at the location i.e. 5 minutes, a couple of hours, or all night.
As far as the Residential Burglaries, we need people to lock and secure the residences when they leave, no matter how long they plan on being gone. What we are noticing is that people are leaving windows and doors unlocked while they are not at home. This could possibly continue due to the summer time weather coming. I know we all get into our daily routines, and sometimes forget to lock a window, or secure the rear door before we leave. Trust me, I’ve done it too! But like I’ve said before, we have to remain vigilant and not help these thieves get into our residences easily. Also let’s try and keep our windows clear of brush, bushes and tree foliage. This is so the thieves do not have a place to hide or blend into as they are looking into our houses; they will immediately standout to neighbors and people passing by. Let’s try and maintain good lighting around our properties at night too. Motion detectors are a great tool and not expensive.
As far as Grand Theft Autos, we need people to lock and secure them whenever they park their vehicles, no matter how long they plan on staying at that location. Also a lot of people are not using any type of security devices to secure their vehicles. These devices are a great tool, as all of the above crimes are opportunistic in nature. Thieves will walk up and down streets looking into parked vehicles and also flipping door handles, in an attempt to see what vehicle is not locked or has a security device on it. The device can be a steering wheel lock, an actual vehicle alarm or just a light that flashes on and off as if it is a vehicle alarm. Once a thief see’s something that makes it hard to get inside the vehicle, or will draw a lot of attention as they are trying to get inside, they will move on to a easier target. Don’t be that easy target.
We are also noticing that juveniles are committing these crimes as well as adults. So if you notice kids walking around and loitering in your neighborhood during school hours, please give Harbor Station (310-726-7700) a call to report it. Most of these juveniles are not being reported as they are casing residences and vehicles, and loitering in your neighborhoods. There is a huge difference between kids walking to and from school, going to a friend’s house and things like that. Rather than kids loitering, in the area, looking into windows of vehicles and residences, looking over fences. If it doesn’t look right, then it’s not right. Go with your gut and call the police.
Another issue in the Northwest San Pedro area, and all of San Pedro for that matter is unsafe skateboarding on the streets of San Pedro. This has become a huge concern for the citizens of San Pedro, as I get calls and e-mails on this daily. Now let’s get this straight first. We are not talking about the kids skateboarding in a safe and law abiding manner. I am talking about the skateboarders who are skateboarding down hills, through posted stop signs, drafting behind vehicles, weaving in and out of lanes, and all of this without any regard for public safety, or even the skateboarders safety. The Harbor Division has been working at great lengths with CD15, Council Man Joe Buscaino’s office about this very important issue. Council Man Buscaino has brought this issue up with the City Council, and wants to make it so skateboarders have to follow the same rules of the road as bicycles, vehicles, and motorcycles. So please, if this is something that concerns you, you are not alone. Councilman Buscaino was able to push the amendment through the City Council and as of March 17th, we are now able to cite these violations. So thank you to all that has voice their concerns, and we will continue to monitor this issue. If you see groups of kids skateboarding in a reckless or dangerous manner please call the police to report it. It lets us (the police) know what general area the group will be in. That way if there is an available unit, that unit will respond and attempt to deal with it.
I wanted to take a quick second and speak about school safety, due to the recent events throughout the country. I wanted to let everyone know that the Los Angeles Police Department puts school safety as a high priority, we always have and always will. We will be monitoring the schools in each of our divisions, conducting checks with school staff, and checking the inside and outside perimeters. If anyone has any questions regarding anything that has to do with this issue, please don’t hesitate to ask. You may call my cell or e-mail me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns regarding your neighborhood, or the North West San Pedro area, please feel free to contact me at 310-869-2067, or e-mail me at 34536@lapd.lacity.org Also if you would like to start a Neighborhood Watch in your neighborhood, contact me with all of your information, and I will set up a meeting to discuss how to begin the process.
For any gang related issues or questions please call Harbor Divisions gang unit at 310-726-7891.
For any narcotic related issues or questions please call Harbor Divisions narcotic unit at 310-726-7840.
For any vice related issues please call Harbor Divisions vice unit at 310-726-7954.
Central- Downtown San Pedro - District 5A59
Senior Lead Officer – Maligi A. Nua Jr. (310)869-2138
E-mail address: 31681@LAPD.LACITY.org
Facebook: FiveSlo FiftyNine
Crime Trends for the month of May
FORCED ENTRY RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES
There have been several door kick/force open door burglaries in the Harbor Area particularly in San Pedro. The area with the highest concentration of this type of burglary is between Walker Avenue to Grand Avenue, between 17th Street to 24th Street.
It is suggested that community members install burglar alarms on their property, install sturdy doors with dead bolt locks, window locks, laminated glass that is forced-entry resistant, double-paned glass or storm glass windows; start a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUP, or get a watch dog.
Avoid leaving clues that you are away. Use timers on interior and exterior lights, leave a vehicle in the driveway, have someone pick up mail regularly or have mail delivery temporarily stopped and ensure lawns are maintained while away.
LAPD Harbor Area Burglary Detectives (310) 726-7850
Source: Community Alert Notification, LAPD Harbor Division
Please take time to review the below LAPD Crime Prevention Information:
LOCKS
Did you know that in almost half of all residential burglaries, thieves simply breezed in through unlocked doors or crawled through unlocked windows?
• Make sure every external door has a sturdy, properly installed dead bolt lock. Key-in-the knob locks alone are not enough.
• Instead of hiding keys around the outside of your home, give an extra key to a neighbor you trust.
• When you move into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks.
PADLOCKS
Padlocks are vulnerable to attacks at several points. The shackle can be pried out of the lock by a crowbar or jimmy, or it can be sawed off or cut with bolt cutters. The casing can be crushed or distorted by hammering. In quality padlocks, modifications have been incorporated to reduce their vulnerability to these attacks. For instance, hardened steel cases and shackles are used to defeat cutting and crushing. Rotating inserts and hardened materials are used to prevent the sawing of shackles. Heel and toe locking is used to prevent prying. A key-retaining feature is used to prevent the removal of the key until the padlock is locked. Thus, a padlock cannot be removed and returned after an unauthorized person has made a key. To make picking of a padlock more difficult quality locks have five to six pin tumblers. Something else to keep in mind, a padlock is no better than the hasp it engages. For a hasp to offer reasonable security it must be made of hardened metal. A hasp must also be properly mounted on solid material so it cannot be pried off. In the locked position, no mounting screw or bolt should be accessible. Padlocks and hasps should always be considered as a unit. There is no point in mounting a quality padlock on an inferior hasp. The hasp and lock should always be of the same quality.
Where the hasp and the lock are not of the same quality the complete device is only as good as its weakest member.
DOORS
A lock on a flimsy door is about as effective as locking your car door by leaving the window down. It is useless to spend good money on inferior locks. A novice burglar using simple tools can quickly open them. A properly constructed lock will be a pin tumbler lock and have at least five pins within its mechanism. Every exterior door should have a dead bolt lock for additional security. All dead bolt locks should have:
1. A bolt which extends at least one and a half inches when in a locked position.
2. A cylinder guard ring of hardened steel.
3. A hardened steel insert or bearing in the bolt. This prevents sawing of the extended
bolt.
• Wooden doors are either solid throughout or have a hollow center. All exterior doors should be of solid wood construction or metal for greater security.
• Outside hinge pins can make a good lock useless. An intruder could enter by removing these pins. To prevent this follow these simple steps:
1. Each hinge has two sides or leaves. One leaf is screwed to the door and the other to
the doorframe. Remove one screw from the doorframe leaf. Make certain they are
directly opposite each other.
2. Insert a solid metal pin, screw, or concrete nail into the hole formerly occupied by the
screw on the doorframe leaf. After installation, the pin, screw or concrete nail should
protrude from the hinge about ½ inch.
3. Drill out the opposing screw hole in the door to fit the pin, screw or concrete nail. Do
this to each hinge on your door. When the door is closed and locked, the hinge pins
still remain removable, but the door itself cannot be lifted out.
• The metal plate attached to your doorframe or jamb for the purpose of receiving the latch or bolt is called a strike. Make sure that strikes on all exterior doors are solidly in place.
• If your door has a mail slot, an interior hood will prevent anyone from looking through into your house but will not interfere with mail deposits.
• If your doors don’t fit tightly in their frames, install weather stripping around them.
• Know who is calling before opening your door. Install a peephole or wide-angle viewer in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door. Door chains break easily and don’t keep out intruders.
• Sliding glass doors can offer easy access if they are not properly secured. However, a sliding glass door can be secured so that it cannot be opened or lifted out of its track even when the lock has been removed or broken.
1. Drill at least a one quarter inch diameter hole that angles downward through the top
channel and continues into the top portion of the sliding doorframe when closed. By
placing a solid metal pin or a bolt into the hole, the door will be held securely in
place. When not in use, the pin can be attached to a cord or light chain and dropped
through a screw eye adjoining the door.
2. For additional security screw two or three number eight or number ten sheet metal
screws into the track above the sliding door. The screws should protrude so the top of
the closing door just clears them. This will prevent the door from being lifted out of
the lower track.
3. A length of broomstick, wooden dowel or metal rod, when placed in the lower track
will prevent a sliding door from opening. Make certain it fits snugly into the track
when the door is closed.
4. Inexpensive pin type locks may be purchased and easily installed to prevent the
operation of sliding glass doors.
WINDOWS
Sliding glass windows can offer easy access if they are not properly secured. Like sliding glass doors you can secure them by installing commercially available locks or by placing a broomstick or dowel in the inside track to jam the window. To prevent the window from being lifted off the track, drill a hole through the sliding window frame and the fixed frame. Then insert a pin in the hole. Casement windows are the easiest to secure. Make certain the locking latch works properly and the crank that opens and closes the window has no excessive play. Replace any worn hardware. Double-hung sash windows are usually found in older homes and apartments. To secure these windows, drill a hole that angles slightly downward through a top corner of the bottom window. Then place a solid pin or nail into the hole to prevent the window from being opened. Keyed latches may also be purchased to lock double-hung sash windows.
Louvered windows are difficult to burglar proof because the individual panes of glass are easily removed. The application of a two-part epoxy resin to each pane of glass will prevent easy removal. Another effective way to secure louvered windows and basement windows is to install a grille, grate or security bar on the windows. However, be sure the grilles, grates and security bars are designed to easily and simply open from the inside, otherwise they could prevent escape in the event of fire. Warning! Do not install grilles, grates or any type of security bars on windows before checking with the Los Angeles Fire Department.
• Don’t forget to secure any windows located in the garage area of your home.
• Break-resistant plastic or treated glass in windows gives added security.
• Make sure window air conditioners are firmly secured to the window.
Place gravel beds below windows. Gravel can be noisy and tough to sneak across without being heard. Plant thorny bushes around windows and walkways. Shrubs and bushes are favorite hiding spots for burglars. Spiny or thorny plants will discourage entry.
MISCELLANEOUS OPENINGS
Don’t overlook ventilation openings or crawl spaces that permit access under your home, or small, swinging doors used by your pets. Grilles, grates or heavy screening will deter entry through these miscellaneous openings.
EXTERIOR OF THE HOUSE
Look at your house from the outside. Make sure you know the following tips:
• Burglars prefer darkness and they hate bright lights. The front, rear and side of your house should be well lighted and the lights should always be kept on at night. You should locate outside floodlights just below the edge or eaves of the roof. Wire coverings can be effective for protecting against intentional bulb breakage. Installing a timer or photoelectric cell will automatically turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn. Installing motion sensor floodlights will ensure floodlights turn on when a person or object moves past them. Installation of lowvoltage lighting uses very little energy and is an excellent way to illuminate lawns, steps, walkways and shrubs. • Prune large any tree limbs near your house. Tree limbs too close to your house could provide easy access to a second story window. Keep shrubbery trimmed so it never blocks the view to or from any door or window. Trimmed shrubbery will give you, your neighbors and police patrols a better view of trespassers and will deny an intruder a place to hide. A well maintained lawn and landscaping gives your house a “lived-in” look.
• Clearly display your house number so police and other emergency personnel can find your home quickly.
• If you travel, create the illusion that you’re at home by getting some timers that will turn lights on and off in different areas of your house throughout the evening.
• 24-hours a day is a signal to thieves the house is vacant.
• Leave shades, blinds, and curtains in normal positions.
• Don’t let mail pile up in your mailbox. Call the post office to stop delivery or have a
neighbor pick the mail up.
GARAGES
Your garage should be kept closed and locked at all times. By leaving your garage open,
burglars not only have access to valuables stored in your garage they have access to your tools. Burglars can use these tools to break into your home. It is recommended that you secure both sides of your garage door with hardened steel hasps and quality padlocks. Install a dead bolt lock on any doors that lead from the house into the garage.
GATES AND FENCES
Solidly built gates and properly built fences is the first line of defense against illegal or unwanted entry. Equip all gates with good locks and use them. Make sure they don’t hide your windows, doors and walkways from public view, or serve as a step up to a window or balcony.
STORAGE LOCKERS
Many apartment houses provide storage lockers for tenants. They are generally located in
carports or areas accessible to burglars. If the storage locker has exposed hinges, install one-way (non-removable) screws or install interior hinges. Check storage locker doors and hasps for proper closure. A loose hasp can allow burglars to easily reach in and take whatever they want.
OPERATION IDENTIFICATION
Property recovered by the police cannot be returned unless the rightful owner can be identified. Participate in the Operation Identification program by taking photographs of your valuable property and by recording and maintaining an up-to-da
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