From The Police Department Released: 5/17/2010 Print   Close   Bicyclists and Pedestrians As outdoor activities pick up, motorists are reminded to watch for increased bicycle and pedestrian traffic, particularly at intersections and when exiting residential or business drives. Bicyclists are reminded to wear helmets and obey traffic laws.   Personal Property Make it difficult for thieves. Guard personal property when out. Do not leave purses or wallets in shopping carts. When attending events that require you to leave your personal property in a locker, make sure you secure it with a good quality lock.   Lock Your Car Doors! Lock your car doors, even when parked in your driveway. Unlocked car doors are an open invitation for thieves looking for small valuables such as a purse, satellite radio or GPS unit. If you must keep valuable items in your car, the best place is the trunk if your vehicle has one. If it does not, never leave valuables in plain view.   Vacant Homes Vacant homes can become targets for thieves who want to steal copper plumbing. If you have a vacant home in your neighborhood, keep an eye on it and report suspicious vehicles or persons to your police.   Don't Be Scammed! Most people think they are too smart to fall for a scam, but con artists are not always easy to spot. They can be friendly or persuasive, even helpful. Oftentimes they prey on seniors. You can protect yourself with the following quick tips.   Never give out your personal information over the phone or Internet unless you have initiated the contact. Legitimate business callers will never ask you for this information over the phone.   When dealing with a telemarketer you believe is fraudulent, your best protection is to just hang up the phone. If you think that is rude, tell these callers politely that you are not interested, don't want to waste their time, and please don't call back - and then hang up.   Don't let anyone rush you into signing anything - an insurance policy, a sales agreement, a contract. Read it carefully and have someone you trust check it over.   Do not agree to receive packages to hold or ship to someone you met on the internet.   Do not cash checks or money orders received through an online transaction without first confirming their legitimacy.   You've heard it before, but it bears repeating: offers too good to be true usually are.

Information provided by:
The City of Lyndhurst, Ohio @ www.lyndhurst-oh.com
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