SAFETY TIPS FOR YOU YOUR CAR YOUR HOUSE If you have suggestions contact@safeinwoodbridge.com with "Safety Tip Suggestion" in the subject line. Protecting yourself Coming Soon. Protecting your car The majority of the crime taking place (stolen cars, items taken from the inside of the car, stolen wheels) is happening during the hours from 1 a.m. – 5. a.m.. Since most people are sleeping at this time, the best thing to do is to make your automobile as undesirable as possible to thieves. If all residents of Woodbridge take the following precautions, our neighborhood will no longer be inviting to auto thieves. We believe that the auto thieves will eventually take their business elsewhere, having learned that there is not much for the taking in Woodbridge. Safe in Woodbridge advises that you do the following to protect your car: 1. Lock your doors every time that you exit your vehicle. 2. Remove ALL items from your car. This is the best and cheapest way to make your car uninviting to would-be thieves. If there is nothing in your car then there is nothing that can be stolen. We suggested you do this each and every time you park your car, but most definitely at the end of your day when you retire to your home for the night. If you have a CD player with a detachable face take it off each at every time you park your car. Take the face out of the car and do not simply hide it somewhere inside of your car. 3. Replace the cigarette lighter prior to leaving your car. Leaving the cigarette lighter out is a sign to thieves that you may have a portable CD player or cell phone somewhere in your car. 4. Purchase an anti-theft device (i.e. “Club) or alarm system of some sort. In addition to making your car that much more unappealing and difficult to steal, it is possible your purchase could result in lower auto insurance premiums (consult your auto insurance agent about this). If you already own an anti-theft device or alarm system, use it every time that you park your car. According to police statistics, 15% of all cars stolen in Michigan last year had an anti-theft device or an alarm system that was not in use at the time the car was stolen. 5.Purchase wheel locks to safeguard your wheels and tires. Wheel locks function like regular lug nuts, with the exception of requiring a special key tool for removal and installation, and prevent against the theft of the expensive metals that make up your wheels. 6. Have your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched into your windows. If a thief is going to have to pay to replace 6 windows in order to unload a stolen car, he is less likely to steal it. AAA offers this free service periodically. You can call 800-AAA-MICH to find out when the next session is scheduled. (DPD also does this?) Protecting your house 1. Turn on your front and back porch lights at night. If you have a hard time remembering, you can purchase automatic sensors that screw into your light bulb socket and automatically turn on the lights at dusk and off at daylight. 2. Make the areas around your house more visible. Trim the bushes in front of your house. Keep your alley free from debris and brush to make it more difficult for someone to hide. 3. Make a presence. Spend time out in your front yard. Sit on your front porch in the evening. Make it apparent that you care about your neighbors and look like you are keeping an eye on things. 4. Make it look as though someone is home. Timers work well on lamps so that your house isn't pitch black if you leave really early or if you come home late. A light shining on both floors is even more of a deterrant. 5. Talk to your neighbors. Don't just drop off fliers -- actually stop and talk to your neighbors. The more we get to know each other, the more we can look out for each other. 6. Look outside when you hear a noise. Alarms only work if people pay attention to them.