Crime Statistics for Wonder Valley
When my husband, my neighbor, and I met with Sargent Rick Millard and Specialist Robert Anderson at the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department a couple of weeks ago I was given recent crime statistics for Wonder Valley.JAN FEB MAR APR
Calls 62 59 78 51 = 250
Reports 15 7 7 4 = 33
Arrests 1 1 1 0 = 3
There has been a rash of robberies in the area, through the entire Morongo Basin, actually. At the last MAC meeting Captain Mondary gave us a list of things that would help protect our properties. I'm going to post these and elaborate on a few of them
1. Lock everything up all the time.
You may feel that you don't need to do this, but please remember, any time anyone gets robbed it makes it more dangerous for the rest of us - so please, lock your gates, your houses, your windows, and your cars. This is the first step in "target hardening," making your place more difficult for thieves to hit.
If you leave your windows open at night or when you're away for your swamp cooler, cut dowels or buy some window locks that let you leave the windows open a bit. Dowels are cheap and easy to cut.
2. Leave your lights on at night or use motion detectors.
People are very fond of their dark skies out here so if your neighborhood doesn't support flood lights, install motion detector lights. Lights going on can be unsettling to thieves.
3. Know your neighbors. Watch out for each other.
You may have neighbors you are not particularly fond of, or have never met, but anyone getting robbed is bad for everyone so please keep an eye out for all your neighbors. Take down notes - time of day, make, model and color of any vehicles, license numbers if possible, descriptions of the suspects. Call 911.
4. Start a Neighborhood Watch.
We're starting a Neighborhood Watch in Wonder Valley and window signs are available at the monthly Monday meeting. The next one is Monday, July 13, at 9:00 a.m. at the WV Community Center, 80526 Amboy Rd, Wonder Valley, CA 92277. The only rule is that you have to be watching someone else's house and someone has to be watching yours.
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| Wonder Valley Neighborhood Watch window sign. |
5. Keep detailed notes on anything suspicious – day, time, descriptions,etc.
Again, keep detailed notes on anything you see. Keep a little notebook, or use the camera on your cellphone. Do not approach people and do not put yourself in harm's way. Call the Sheriff's Department directly, and bring your notes to the monthly Monday meeting, too.
6. Invest in an alarm and/or a security system.
The price of security systems has dropped. Nowadays they have fancy wireless ones. If you have WIFI, just stick up the cameras and other security devices, read the QR code with your smart phone (if you have one) and your phone will ring if anything is tripped. You can check your house through the cameras on your phone and call the Sheriff - even if you're AWAY from your property.
These tips are mine.
7. Be careful about the workmen you hire.
You may be inviting someone unscrupulous to case your property or your that of your neighbor's. Don't tell them your schedule. Don't give them information about your neighbors.
8. Don't announce trips or vacations on social media.
Post the pictures after the fact, but don't let people know when you won't be home.
9. Don't leave scrap or free materials out for anyone to pick up.
Don't train people to come to your property and your neighborhood and take anything that isn't nailed down.
10. REPORT ALL CRIMES (this should be #1)
Some of you have told me this hasn't been a fruitful effort for you in the past. That might be true, but it's also very true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If we don't report crime the SBSD can't do anything but assume that we have very little crime out here. If you report a crime, feel free to send me a note at teresa.sitz@gmail.com telling me what you reported and if you received a response. I'm your MAC delegate and the MAC meets with the Sheriff's Department every month.
