Page 12 - HB0225

SIG 9 Global

By Jim Fondo

Dear Harbor Beach into the neighborhood. If you think you are being followed,
drive by your house and go around the block, you can never
he east Fort Lauderdale area has experienced higher- be too careful. If you are being followed, call the police.
than-normal rate of crimes. These crimes include There are many reasons for crime to be spiking in our nation
TRobberies, Auto Thefts, Home Burglaries, Car Burglaries, and the major reason is inflation. People are hurting and
Thefts and more. In consultation with the Fort Lauderdale the easy way to get money is to commit crimes. Let’s work
Police Department, and from our own personal observations, together and do our best to not be victimized. If we make it
we have found the majority of these crimes are crimes of harder for criminals to steal from our neighborhoods, they will
opportunity. Thieves are targeting the neighborhoods in many go elsewhere.
different ways. Some are entering in stolen cars, some are
riding bicycles, and some are on foot. There is no rhyme or Some of the most common mistakes made by victims are:
reason, and they are hitting all hours of the day and night. Leaving Key FOBS in cars – Most new cars have mirrors that
There is no real pattern established, so we need to make it automatically fold in when the FOB is removed, so if the
more difficult for the thieves to succeed. It is hard to believe, mirrors are not folded in, the thieves recognize that the FOB
but there are people out there that make a living driving is in the car. This makes it easy for them to enter and steal the
around waiting for someone to make a mistake, like leaving car within seconds.
their car running, so they can take it. That is their job to be a
professional criminal. Leaving the car running in the driveway or carport – Victims
sometimes leave the car running while they grab something
Some victims think they may have been followed home, so we in the house or unloading the car. This is an easy target for a
need to be more aware of our surroundings. We need to think thief to jump in and go.
about everything we do from the time we leave our front door,
to the time we return home. Criminals watch us when we are Leaving car doors unlocked – We have seen many criminals,
shopping, going to the bank or working out at the gym. They on video, walking down a street checking every door handle
will follow you home if they think you have something they until a car door opens. They are not smashing windows
want. Always be aware and pay attention to who follows you anymore, because it is too easy to find open doors. We need

10 HARBOR BEACH Magazine | www.harborbeach.org

2/2/25 8:15 PM
HB 0225.indd 10
HB 0225.indd 10 2/2/25 8:15 PM