Chief’s Corner By Chief Steven J. Wojnar Dudley Police Department In recent times, our department received a number of motor vehicle break-in reports. Most vehicles were broken into during the overnight hours while parked in the owner’s driveway or near the owner’s home. These have occurred in a variety of neighborhoods and at random times. I wanted to take this opportunity to once again publish some reminders for people to assist them in preventing these incidents. The best way to prevent most of these break-ins is to keep your vehicle locked. Many people simply forget to do this or they have a false sense of security that nothing will happen in their neighborhood. This is especially true while the vehicle is parked outside their home. Many criminals look for unlocked vehicles to enter. These are easy targets and the individuals have a lower risk of being discovered since they are not causing damage (breaking glass, etc.). Perhaps as important as locking your vehicle is to never leave items of value in your car. Items like cell phones, wallets, pocketbooks, etc. that are in plain view, can be attractive to criminals. If they are not there or at least hidden, there is a strong likelihood these perpetrators will move on somewhere else. In addition to securing your vehicle, remember the value of lighting around your home. The more lights you have, the better off you are. Burglars and other criminals do not like to be seen. Motion detection lights are a great tool. They only work when movement takes place. These will limit the amount of electricity which is used and will provide illumination at times when it is needed most. Perhaps it is most important to call the police if you hear or see anything unusual taking place around your home. Many people wait until the next day to report suspicious activity. Often, people will dismiss their observations as something else which is easily explainable. You know your neighborhood best. If the police are notified immediately, there is a greater likelihood of locating suspects and stolen property while at the same time possibly preventing future occurrences. Without public assistance, our efforts to investigate crimes and identify suspects can be extremely difficult. If anyone has any information or requires additional assistance, please feel free to call 911 or our station business line at 508-943-4411. Halloween’ passing means the holiday season will be in full swing very soon. Again this year, our department will be collecting Christmas gift donations for local families in need. New and unwrapped toys and clothing can be brought to the Dudley Police Department at 71 West Main Street. Of particular need in the past were gifts for children between the ages of 10 – 17 years old. Monetary donations are also accepted. Checks should be made payable to the “Dudley Police Association” with a special note for the Holiday Drive. The Dudley Police thanks everyone in advance for their continued generosity. Anything you can give will help bring some happiness to those who would otherwise go without during this holiday season. Thanks again for your questions and comments. Please send them to me at the Dudley Police Department 71 West Main St. Dudley, Ma. 01571 or email at HYPERLINK mailto:swojnar@dudleypolice swojnar@dudleypolice. Opinions expressed in this weekly column are those of Chief Wojnar only and unless clearly noted, do not reflect the ideas or opinions of any other organization or citizen.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 17:09:28 +0000
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