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November 11th, 2009FBI 2008 CRIME REPORT
October 23rd, 2009The latest edition of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, 2008 Crime in the United States, published last month, offered the latest snapshot of the crime level in the U.S. While the numbers for violent crimes made some modest declines, the statistics on burglary illustrated more of a roller coaster effect.
The national rate for burglary in 2008 was 730.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. Total burglaries were 2, 222,196, up 2 percent from 2007 and up 3.6 percent over the five-year span dating back to 2004. The news was especially discouraging if you’re a homeowner, landlord or renter. Residences took a significant hit in 2008, burgled 1,562,976 times, up 5.4 percent from 2007 levels and accounted for 70.3 percent of all burglary offenses.
Interestingly, the largest increase in residential burglaries was those that occurred during the day. Daytime burglaries of residences jumped 8.3 percent, up to 805,193 from 738,654 in 2007. In comparison, residences were burglarized 437,007 times at night in 2008, an increase of just 3.5 percent from 2007.
“People aren’t home during the day,” said James Alan Fox, Lipman professor of criminal justice at Northeastern University, Boston, explaining the higher number of burglaries during the daylight hours. “You have single parents or two-career households; mom and dad are at work, the kids are at school, and nobody’s home.
“During the day, it may be easier to see, but it’s also easier for the burglar to identify a target. No car in the driveway; ring the doorbell and no one answers. They may even have a phone number and try to call,” Fox added. “If they get the answering machine that says no one’s available, their first thought isn’t going to be that someone might just be in the bathroom.”
Fox also suggested that people might not to set the alarm during the day. He said many are more likely to activate an alarm at night to prevent burglary or an attack, but in the daytime they may be too rushed or too indifferent to activate it.
Fox also suggested that people might not to set the alarm during the day. He said many are more likely to activate an alarm at night to prevent burglary or an attack, but in the daytime they may be too rushed or too indifferent to activate it.
“We know that homes that are protected (by a security system) are much less likely to be broken into than a home that doesn’t have any visible sign of a security-type system,” said Jon Sargent, past president of the California Alarm Association. “I think homes with other forms of protection, even something as simple as a dog or some indication that they have some type of camera system, they’re less likely [to be targeted].”
Not all of the news from the report was bad, however. Burglaries of nonresidential buildings such as stores and offices fell 5.9 percent from 2007 to 2008. Daytime incidents were down 2 percent, while nighttime burglaries fell 6 percent; the five-year trend in nighttime burglaries fell more than 10 percent.
“Security measures in a commercial establishment may seem better than what people have in their homes, as perceived by the burglar,” Fox said. “It may be that the commercial establishment has better resources, or may put greater resources into it — whether it be a guard service or an alarm system — than a private residence does.” Fox added that, as the economy has struggled, residents may have chosen to cut back on their alarm systems.
The advancements in technology — and perhaps of more significance, the lowering of their cost — are at play in the decline of nonresidential burglaries, Sargent said. The affordability and ease of use of electronic protection systems has encouraged many users to add security systems to protect their properties.
“The proliferation and the advancement of camera systems, both with monitoring capabilities and others that are simply recording, could be playing a factor in that,” Sargent said. “People understand that there are more cameras everywhere these days.”
As for stolen property, not surprisingly, locally stolen motor vehicles topped the list. Jewelry and precious metals were next (excluding miscellaneous items at almost $3.8 billion) at $1.5 billion stolen, 4.3 percent recovered; followed by currency at nearly $1.2 billion stolen, 3.5 percent recovered.
The value of other common goods stolen: electronics — televisions, stereos, etc. — office equipment, and household goods totaled almost $2.2 billion.
Employee Theft
September 18th, 2009We, in the security arena, often hear from the small “Mom & Pop” retailers, “I don’t think any of my employees would ever steal from me.” If you think that statement is accurate your business is on a direct pathway to failure. The first time I heard that a retailer wanted me to look at their operation to identify possible areas that were ripe for shoplifters. What I ended up finding was a longtime trusted employee that had stolen over $50,000 in cash and merchandise over a three to four year period. After a couple of years of working for this small retailer the employee was given keys to the store and responsibility for making the bank deposits.
As it turned out this trusting employer failed to call past employers, failed to run a background check, failed to reconcile bank deposits and , in general, turned over the business operations to this “trusted” employee. This was a hard lesson for the retailer and they came close to losing their business over it. Consider this, 24 percent of your employees will not steal from you under any conditions - they are completely honest. Another 24 percent will look for or create opportunities to steal. The remaining 52% will only steal from you if the right conditions present themselves. Most people who fall into this percentage are young, first time, employees. Some tips to help you combat employee theft are:
Conduct reference and background checks. If the above retailer had done so they would found the employee who was stealing from them already had been terminated twice for stealing from someone else.
Keep track of who has keys to your business, and change the locks when key carriers leave your employment, - even under the best of circumstances.
Put policies in writing. Even if you only have a one or two employees, put some basic anti-theft policies in writing, making it clear that you will not tolerate theft. This will set the tone and strengthen civil and criminal hearings where the employee may use the lack of unwritten policies as their defense.
Examine your sales floor and stockroom areas frequently. If you find out-of-place merchandise such as a piece of jewelry hidden under an article of clothing, you could have an internal theft issue. An employee might be planning to come back at an opportune moment and steal the merchandise.
Designate a trusted employee to do your merchandise receiving. Make sure they are properly trained. A dishonest employee teamed up with a dishonest vendor can be devastating to your business. If more that one employee is working, designate someone to ring employee purchases. If you have more that one register, designate a single register to be used for all employee sales. Designate one employee to remove trash from the store. If your business uses an Electronic Article System (EAS), make sure the trash bags are passed through to help insure high value merchandise is not being discarded.
Lack of cash controls is a major factor with retailers. Many store operators fail to exercise proper cash controls by using what I call the “community till” system: Associates operate on one register, and at the end of the day, the owner finds that she is short cash. Was it an honest mistake? Did an employee give a customer too much change back? Did someone take the money? You will never know unless employees are held responsible for their own registers. Employees should be given a fresh register drawer at the start of their shift, and make sure they count it. The register should be counted down just before they leave for the day. This method tells associates you take cash handling seriously.
FBI Press Release :
June 12th, 2009http://WWW.SECUREOPERATIONS.COM
June 1, 2009
Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691
FBI Releases Preliminary Annual Crime Statistics for 2008
According to the FBI’s Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report released today, the nation experienced a 2.5 percent decrease in the number of violent crimes and a 1.6 percent decline in the number of property crimes for 2008 compared with data from 2007. The report is based on information that the FBI gathered from 12,750 law enforcement agencies that submitted six to 12 comparable months of data to the FBI for both 2007 and 2008.
Violent Crime
* In 2008, all four of the violent crime offense categories declined nationwide compared with data from 2007. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter declined 4.4 percent, aggravated assault was down 3.2 percent, forcible rape decreased 2.2 percent, and robbery decreased 1.1 percent.
* Violent crime declined in all city groups. Those cities with populations of 250,000 to 499,999 saw the greatest decline in violent crime (4.0 percent). Violent crime in non-metropolitan counties decreased 3.3 percent and in metropolitan counties declined 2.5 percent.
* Murder and non-negligent manslaughter dropped 9.1 percent in cities with 100,000 to 249,999 in population. However, in cities with populations less than 10,000, murder and non-negligent manslaughter increased 5.5 percent.
* Cities with 250,000 to 499,999 inhabitants experienced the greatest decline in forcible rapes at 4.4 percent; cities under 10,000 in population showed the only rise in forcible rapes at 1.4 percent. Forcible rape offenses decreased 7.3 percent in non-metropolitan counties, but increased 0.6 percent in metropolitan counties.
* Although robbery overall showed a decrease, cities with populations less than 25,000 showed increases in robbery. Robberies also increased in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties, 0.7 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively.
* Aggravated assault decreased in all city groups. Cities with 250,000 to 499,999 inhabitants experienced the greatest decrease at 6.0 percent. Aggravated assaults declined in both metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties, 3.9 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.
* Violent crimes decreased in all four regions of the country in 2008. However, slight increases in murder were reported in the Northeast (0.7 percent) and in the Midwest (0.4 percent). The Northeast also showed increases of 2.5 percent for forcible rape and 0.3 percent in robbery.
Property Crime
* Nationwide, burglaries were the only property crime to show an increase (1.3 percent) in 2008 compared with 2007 data. Larceny-thefts were down 0.6 percent, and motor vehicle thefts declined 13.1 percent.
* Property crimes decreased in all city groupings. Cities with 250,000 to 499,999 inhabitants had the greatest decrease in property crimes with a decline of 5.1 percent. Property crimes decreased 0.9 percent in non-metropolitan counties but increased 0.2 percent in metropolitan counties.
* Burglary offenses increased 3.3 percent in cities with 500,000 to 999,999 persons. Burglaries also increased in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties, 2.1 percent and 1.0 percent, respectively.
* Larceny-theft increased 0.5 percent in the nation’s largest cities (one million and over in population) but decreased in all other city groups. In metropolitan counties, larceny-thefts rose 1.4 percent but in non-metropolitan counties declined 1.2 percent.
* For motor vehicle theft, declines occurred in all population groupings. Cities with 250,000 to 499,999 inhabitants experienced the greatest decline at 16.8 percent.
* Three of the nation’s four regions had decreases in property crimes in 2008 when compared with data from 2007. The greatest decrease in 2008 was in the West, where property crimes were down 4.2 percent. In the Northeast, however, property crimes increased 1.6 percent.
Arson
* Arson offenses, tracked separately from other property crimes, decreased 3.9 percent nationwide. But law enforcement agencies in cities 250,000 to 499,999 in population recorded the only increase in arson (2.1 percent). Arson offenses declined in all four regions in 2008. The largest decrease (5.9 percent) was in the West.
The complete Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report is available exclusively at www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm.
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A Guide to Eldercare Options:
June 10th, 2009
Quick summary
Evaluating your parent’s living needs — and abilities — is an ongoing process. And there’s a range of eldercare options available to meet those shifting priorities and concerns — from the freedom of living on one’s own (perhaps in a smaller place) to the supportive environment of assisted living to the round-the-clock care available at skilled nursing facilities. Each offers something different, so sorting out your options is the first step.
Approximately 30 million families are providing care to an older relative, a number that’s expected to double over the next 25 years. Planning ahead for eldercare can help cut down on the financial and emotional toll of caring for a parent. If your parent is starting to show even a few signs of needing more support, it’s time to start exploring the maze of options.
Independent living
Sometimes called "aging in place," this is the route that the great majority of older Americans say they hope to take. Your parent is likely to need some support if he chooses to continue living on his own, although how much help he’ll need will vary tremendously depending on his health and how connected he is to the community.
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A good place to start looking for support is the federal Department of Health and Human Services Eldercare Locator, which can connect you with public and community-based agencies that offer services to elders in the area. You may also want to look at simple home renovations, such as adding a railing next to the toilet, as well as the growing list of gadgets that can make independent living safer and more comfortable as your parent ages.
- Is this the right option for my parent? "A good candidate has family members who are able to check on him every day," says Pat O’Dea-Evans, COO of Paxem, a Chicago-based company that helps seniors who are contemplating a move. Your parent’s health is a central factor to consider — one you’ll need to re-evaluate periodically as he ages. Parents who are healthy enough to perform basic functions such as cooking and bathing and who can get around safely may do well living independently.
Also look at the kind of support your parent has in the community — does he live near important services like a grocery store, pharmacy, doctors, and a hospital? Is he connected to others in his neighborhood, or has he become socially isolated?
Moving to a new home
As parents age, they’ll sometimes choose to move into a smaller, perhaps single-story home, sometimes in a different state in order to be closer to their children. If this is something your parent would like to pursue, consider enlisting the aide of a senior move manager, a professional who specializes in the relocation needs of aging adults.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If you or another family member wants to offer support to your parent but live too far away, relocation may be a good solution. If your parent is already living nearby and is committed to living independently, it may be wise to downsize as he gets older and a larger home becomes harder to navigate and maintain.
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In-home care
If your parent wants to stay in his home but is beginning to need more help, he has a number of options — from a personal care attendant, who can assist with tasks such as cooking and cleaning, to a certified nursing assistant, who can monitor your parent’s medical condition and help with activities like bathing and dressing.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If your parent places a high value on privacy or the familiarity of his home and neighborhood, this may be the best choice. Finding the right match may take some time and effort, however. If your parent is cognitively impaired, you’ll want to be especially cautious before going this route. Although most caregivers are trustworthy, you’ll need to make sure he doesn’t get taken advantage of.
Moving your parent in with you: Eldercare at home
If you have the space and can handle the day-to-day care of your parent, you may want to think about inviting him to come live with you.
- Is this the right option for my parent? Whether to move your parent into your home is an intensely personal decision. You need to think about the nature of your relationship with your parent, as well as his relationship with your partner and children.
The layout of your home is an important consideration: Do you have an in-law unit or even just an extra bathroom that your parent can use exclusively? Privacy can be very important to seniors, as well as to you and your immediate family.
You’ll also need to consider your schedule and your parent’s care needs and level of mobility. If you work full-time and your parent can’t get around on his own, he may feel more isolated living with you than he would in a eldercare community where he could socialize with other residents and participate in on-site activities. But if you and your parent communicate well and enjoy each other’s company, and you and your family have the time and ability to care for him, sharing your home with your parent can be a wonderful way to stay close as he ages.
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Independent living communities
Usually apartment or condominium complexes, these communities generally offer on-site amenities such as beauty salons, banks, fitness programs, and communal meals. They may even have a doctor who makes regular rounds.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If your parent values his independence and isn’t in need of daily care — but perhaps is ready to stop driving, is starting to worry about his safety, or just wants more support and companionship — an independent living community can be a great choice.
Assisted-living facilities
These eldercare facilities cover the middle ground: They serve elders who need more support than they can get living independently but who don’t need complex medical care on a daily basis. Most offer meals, housekeeping, and planned activities. Many will remind your parent to take medications but won’t do things like give injections.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If your parent is finding daily life increasingly challenging but doesn’t have a serious medical condition that requires round-the-clock monitoring, assisted living may be the right choice. As with all eldercare housing communities, assisted-living facilities vary greatly, so make sure you know exactly what a particular location does and doesn’t offer before making a commitment.
Continuing-care communities
There’s a wide variation in what continuing-care communities provide, but most offer a range of eldercare options as your parent ages, from independent living units to assisted living to skilled nursing, all in one place. These facilities can be costly to start — most charge an entrance fee and may require your parent to purchase his apartment or condominium — but because many promise to care for your parent for the rest of his life, even if his needs change, they also offer security.
- Is this the right option for my parent? A continuing-care community is a good choice for a parent who wants assistance making some of his healthcare decisions, says O’Dea-Evans. It’s also a good choice if you don’t feel able to manage your parent’s care on a daily basis — perhaps because you live far away — as everything he’ll require as he ages is generally on-site, and trained staff will help him move from one phase to another as the need arises.
Family care homes
These are usually private homes that have been converted to provide eldercare for a small number of seniors. An alternative to a skilled nursing facility, they generally offer all meals and round-the-clock staffing, sometimes at a lower cost.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If your parent lives in a small town or rural area without a skilled nursing facility and wants to stay in the area, this may be the best option. Family care homes are also a good choice for people who need lots of personal attention from caregivers who know them well, says O’Dea-Evans. Such seniors might not thrive in a larger facility with different staff members coming in and out.
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Skilled nursing facilities
These eldercare facilities provide round-the-clock medical care, usually administered by registered nurses and aides under the supervision of doctors. Your parent may also receive physical, speech, and occupational therapy, as well as assistance with activities of daily living.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If your parent needs help from trained medical personnel on a daily basis — such as insulin monitoring and injections for diabetes, or intravenous medication — or if he’s unable to feed, bathe, and dress himself, he may need to be in a skilled nursing facility long-term. A limited stay in a skilled nursing facility may be necessary after a medical crisis requiring hospitalization.
Memory care or Alzheimer’s care facilities
These specialized eldercare facilities serve Alzheimer’s patients and those with other forms of dementia. They are generally secure, so that a patient who is confused can’t wander off the grounds. The staff is specially trained to provide eldercare to seniors with cognitive issues.
- Is this the right option for my parent? If your parent suffers from Alzheimer’s, dementia, or a condition such as Parkinson’s or a stroke that has caused permanent cognitive impairment, he may well need this kind of specialized eldercare. But be sure a neurological exam confirms that any impairment is permanent before you make this decision. If a parent were to regain cognitive function, as may be possible after a stroke, this kind of setting wouldn’t be right long-term.
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BURGLARY
June 8th, 2009Burglary
A female resident of Beacon Hill Drive in Stony Brook called at 3:25 pm May 27 to report that she just discovered her home had been burglarized by an unknown person. According to the complainant the break-in took place sometime over the past three hours.
A male resident of Sheep Pasture Road in East Setauket called at 8 am May 30 to report he discovered his rear window broken and house burglarized. Complainant stated that unknown intruders stole various pieces of electronic equipment in the burglary that took place sometime over the previous month.
A male resident of Cornwallis Drive in East Setauket called at 5:15 pm May 27 to report that a burglary just took place at his house. Complainant stated that an unknown person entered his home through the rear window and ransacked the house, taking various pieces of jewelry, silverware and electronic equipment before fleeing.
Faulty appliance blamed for fatal Centereach house fire
May 25th, 2009Faulty appliance blamed for fatal Centereach house fire — Newsday.com
BY ANDREW STRICKLER | May 23, 2009
A malfunctioning kitchen appliance is being blamed for a house fire in Centereach early Saturday that killed an elderly mother and her daughter, Suffolk police said.
Dorothy Reinhard, 77, and her daughter, Elaine Moore, 60, were both unconscious when police and firefighters reached their smoke-filled home on Fulton Street shortly before 5 a.m.
They appeared to have been overcome by smoke, according to Det. Sgt. John Twiname. Both were later pronounced dead at Stony Brook University Medical Center.
Suffolk patrol officers responding to a 911 call forced open a locked door to find Reinhard collapsed in the kitchen; Moore was close by in an adjacent hallway.
"It appears some sort of kitchen appliance was the issue," Twiname said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it appeared to start in the rear ground floor kitchen, filling the house with thick smoke, he said.
Police believe that Moore and Reinhard were likely asleep when the fire began and lost consciousness in the heavy smoke after being alerted to the blaze. The cause of death is to be determined by the county medical examiner.
Reinhard’s son and Moore’s brother, Karl Reinhard, 49, of Port Jefferson Station, took pictures of the damage and greeted neighbors as fire officials removed yellow police tape lining the property.
Reinhard said the house was recently renovated and had been outfitted with new appliances and fire alarms.
"Everything was brand new, so what happened?" he said. Police said it was not clear if a smoke or other alarm sounded. The house is about two blocks from the Centereach Fire Department headquarters on South Washington Avenue.
The fire was discovered by Jennifer Greco, a tenant who lives in a second-floor apartment, police said. She awoke to find smoke about 4:45 a.m. and rushed downstairs, only to be blocked by a locked door.
Greco was able to get out of the home and then went to a neighbor who called 911. She was hospitalized for minor smoke inhalation, police said, but was back at the house by midmorning. Fire marshals removed a dead cat from the property.
Reinhard said his mother was a housewife, while his sister worked in a factory. They have lived together in the house for many years, according to several neighbors, and the family was among the first to live on the block.
"I have to go tell my daughters they just lost their grandmother and their aunt," Reinhard said.
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Police: Man grazed by shot in home invasion
May 18th, 2009
Police: Man grazed by shot in home invasion
(05/17/09) NORTH AMITYVILLE - A North Amityville man is lucky to be alive after police say a man robbing his home shot him.
The shooting happened at about 10 p.m. Saturday at the Jefferson Avenue home of 29-year-old Hassan Blackmon. Police say a gunman forced himself into Blackmon’s home, demanded money and then shot at him, but only grazed his head.
Blackmon is now out of the hospital, but police are still searching for the assailant. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Suffolk Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244 -TIPS
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May 15th, 2009http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxS7Cdb8vK8
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5 Charged In NY Home Invasion BurglariesWHITE PLAINS, N.Y. May 2009.
Five men have been charged with home invasion robberies in Westchester County.
The men were arraigned Monday on charges including burglary, robbery, assault and grand larceny.
Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore says the men targeted a City Island restaurant owner who carried cash home to New Rochelle. Prosecutors say the men followed the restaurant owner home last June 29 and robbed him.
Prosecutors say the men burglarized the same New Rochelle house on Sept. 2 and invaded a house in Harrison the next day.
The men are charged with stealing watches and jewelry from the Harrison home and assaulting the residents of the home when they arrived in a car. The three victims all suffered broken bones.