This is an excerpt from a police report of an explosion that officers responded to:
" ... Officers located both injured victims, a 44 year old female and her 59 year old husband. Ambulances transported the victims to a local hospital. Both victims sustained serious burn type injuries. The male victim advised the responding officers that upon walking out of their residence they saw a paper bag with their names on it next to their car. The female picked up the package and placed it in the car and they left their residence. They had driven approximately 1 block from the residence when the wife began to open the package, she set off some type of explosive device that severely burned both of them. the Regional Communications Center initiated a reverse 911 call to the neighborhood residents advising them of the incident. Approximately 20 homes in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle were evacuated as the threat or possibility of additional explosives was unknown. Approximately 8 hours later investigators were able to secure the area and vehicle ...."
There is an important lesson to be learned from this: We cannot assume that packages that we do not expect to receive are safe to open. We need to look at the bigger picture: Where is it located? what does it look like? Why is it here? Who could have put it there? What is a safe course of action? What does this mean for me? If there is any doubt at all about a package, it's better to leave it alone and dial 911 for help.
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Now available at www.lulu.com
Now you can buy my book: "Dealing With Danger -- Be Prepared, Aware and Decisive"
My Book, Dealing With Danger is now available at Lulu.com. Also available at Amazon.com price $15.95
Available from Barnes & Noble as an e-reader Nook book price $ 8.99
Available for download on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iBooks and on your computer with iTunes as an eReader book price $8.99
It's an instructional book to show people how to develop a straightforward, but comprehensive mindset or mental attitude to be aware of their surroundings, make simple but effective plans, and know when to put them into action. You can read a preview of the book online. A lot of people say that we need to develop a warrior attitude, but that just doesn't work for everyone. In my book I'll show you, regardless of age, gender, background, physical ability, and especially attitude how to be better prepared to survive the bad events in life by becoming a junkyard dog. Just click here.
Retail price is $15.95 plus shipping & handling
SPECIAL OFFERS:
Available from Barnes & Noble as an e-reader Nook book price $ 8.99
Available for download on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iBooks and on your computer with iTunes as an eReader book price $8.99
It's an instructional book to show people how to develop a straightforward, but comprehensive mindset or mental attitude to be aware of their surroundings, make simple but effective plans, and know when to put them into action. You can read a preview of the book online. A lot of people say that we need to develop a warrior attitude, but that just doesn't work for everyone. In my book I'll show you, regardless of age, gender, background, physical ability, and especially attitude how to be better prepared to survive the bad events in life by becoming a junkyard dog. Just click here.
Retail price is $15.95 plus shipping & handling
SPECIAL OFFERS:
Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crime. Show all posts
Monday, January 9, 2012
Sunday, April 11, 2010
How Your Car's GPS System Might Make you a Crime Victim
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have become so popular as a means of navigating while driving, but like most things, there are pros and cons to having one.
There are basically two types of GPS used in cars and other vehicles: The portable system that attaches to the inside of the windshield with a rubber suction cup, and plugs into the cigarette lighter, and the built-in system that comes with the vehicle from the factory.
Security conscious drivers remove the portable system from it's suction cup windshield mount when they leave the vehicle and either take it with them or hide it somewhere in the car. Unfortunately, thieves look for that tell-tale ring left on the inside of the windshield by the suction cup, and often break into the vehicle, expecting to find the GPS unit stuffed under the front seat. This happened to a couple of friends of mine in Austin, Texas a few weeks ago. The cost: replacement of one broken side window and a GPS unit. So, the lesson learned here is to regularly clean the ring left by the suction cup off the inside of the windshield.
Car owners with an installed GPS system should be aware that all the information in that system: owner's name, home address, bank, friends names and addresses, etc. stays with the vehicle when it is sold. Car dealers are under no obligation to delete that personal information before selling the car. Since identity theft is so comonplace, it pays to remember to delete all information from the GPS before selling the car. I'd even go one further and say only input the minimum amount of information necessary, because you never know who else might access it: car thief, valet parking attendant, mechanic, etc.
There are basically two types of GPS used in cars and other vehicles: The portable system that attaches to the inside of the windshield with a rubber suction cup, and plugs into the cigarette lighter, and the built-in system that comes with the vehicle from the factory.
Security conscious drivers remove the portable system from it's suction cup windshield mount when they leave the vehicle and either take it with them or hide it somewhere in the car. Unfortunately, thieves look for that tell-tale ring left on the inside of the windshield by the suction cup, and often break into the vehicle, expecting to find the GPS unit stuffed under the front seat. This happened to a couple of friends of mine in Austin, Texas a few weeks ago. The cost: replacement of one broken side window and a GPS unit. So, the lesson learned here is to regularly clean the ring left by the suction cup off the inside of the windshield.
Car owners with an installed GPS system should be aware that all the information in that system: owner's name, home address, bank, friends names and addresses, etc. stays with the vehicle when it is sold. Car dealers are under no obligation to delete that personal information before selling the car. Since identity theft is so comonplace, it pays to remember to delete all information from the GPS before selling the car. I'd even go one further and say only input the minimum amount of information necessary, because you never know who else might access it: car thief, valet parking attendant, mechanic, etc.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Thinking of Buying a Gun? Take a Class First
A few days ago, along with three other instructors I taught the NRA Personal Protection in the Home class. This 12 hour class is available across the country and teaches people the fundamentals of pistol marksmanship, firearms safety, and state laws regarding use of deadly force for self-defense.
In the two decades that I've been an instructor, a total of three students have taken the entire class and then told me that they appreciated the information and that it helped them to decide that owning a firearm for self-defense was not for them.
That's OK.
My job as an instructor is to give students the information they need to make an informed decision for themselves, not to convince people to acquire a gun.
Let's recognize that most people, including police officers, go through their entire lives armed, but never have to use a gun to defend themselves. We can liken this to the sailor who spends his entire career at sea wearing a life preserver that he never needs unless he falls overboard. But when that police officer does need his gun to stop a criminal, when that sailor does fall overboard, when that armed citizen does get into a confrontation that he cannot avoid, that is when that additional level of security may be needed.
Some people buy a gun and simply stick it in a bedroom drawer and think they are safer.
They aren't.
Using a firearm in self-defense is like taking part in a NASCAR race: It all happens very quickly; It's dangerous and people sometimes die; Only people who have trained properly and who practice regularly are likely to have a chance of surviving, let alone winning.
The National Rifle Association sponsors basic classes across the country. Contact the NRA to find local instructors.
In the two decades that I've been an instructor, a total of three students have taken the entire class and then told me that they appreciated the information and that it helped them to decide that owning a firearm for self-defense was not for them.
That's OK.
My job as an instructor is to give students the information they need to make an informed decision for themselves, not to convince people to acquire a gun.
Let's recognize that most people, including police officers, go through their entire lives armed, but never have to use a gun to defend themselves. We can liken this to the sailor who spends his entire career at sea wearing a life preserver that he never needs unless he falls overboard. But when that police officer does need his gun to stop a criminal, when that sailor does fall overboard, when that armed citizen does get into a confrontation that he cannot avoid, that is when that additional level of security may be needed.
Some people buy a gun and simply stick it in a bedroom drawer and think they are safer.
They aren't.
Using a firearm in self-defense is like taking part in a NASCAR race: It all happens very quickly; It's dangerous and people sometimes die; Only people who have trained properly and who practice regularly are likely to have a chance of surviving, let alone winning.
The National Rifle Association sponsors basic classes across the country. Contact the NRA to find local instructors.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A Simple Way to Avoid Check Fraud
Every year companies and individuals lose millions of dollars to check fraud. Thieves steal checks from mailboxes, change the payee name and then cash the check.
Think of it as getting mugged, but without the threats and physical violence (and without the opportunity to inflict an appropriate violent response to the mugger in self-defense either).
Thieves who commit check fraud first have to steal a check that has been issued by a person or a business or government entity. Next, the thief uses a common household chemical to wash the name of the payee and the dollar amount off the check, but leave the payer's signature in place. Then, the thief writes their own name, or the name of a fake business for which they have already opened a bank account, on the check, and adds whatever amount of money that they want to steal. The thief then takes the check to their bank and cashes it or pays it into their account.
But there is a very simple way that anyone who writes a check can prevent this type of theft. Simply buy a Uni-Ball 207 gel pen and use it to write checks. The special ink in the pen will not wash off when someone tries to tamper with the check.
While this is a great idea, it doesn't mean that we can be careless with where we leave our mail and our check books and credit cards. We need to be sure we keep financial material away from people who do not need to know our personal business.
Here are some links to stores that sell the Uni-Ball 207 pen. Before buying, make sure it actually says that it helps prevent check fraud. There is a message right on the packaging:
Amazon.com
Staples
Walgreens
Think of it as getting mugged, but without the threats and physical violence (and without the opportunity to inflict an appropriate violent response to the mugger in self-defense either).
Thieves who commit check fraud first have to steal a check that has been issued by a person or a business or government entity. Next, the thief uses a common household chemical to wash the name of the payee and the dollar amount off the check, but leave the payer's signature in place. Then, the thief writes their own name, or the name of a fake business for which they have already opened a bank account, on the check, and adds whatever amount of money that they want to steal. The thief then takes the check to their bank and cashes it or pays it into their account.
But there is a very simple way that anyone who writes a check can prevent this type of theft. Simply buy a Uni-Ball 207 gel pen and use it to write checks. The special ink in the pen will not wash off when someone tries to tamper with the check.
While this is a great idea, it doesn't mean that we can be careless with where we leave our mail and our check books and credit cards. We need to be sure we keep financial material away from people who do not need to know our personal business.
Here are some links to stores that sell the Uni-Ball 207 pen. Before buying, make sure it actually says that it helps prevent check fraud. There is a message right on the packaging:
Amazon.com
Staples
Walgreens
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