Take steps to avoid becoming a crime victim

Posted: Friday, August 25, 2000

   With thousands of students come thousands of opportunities for personal and property crime, police say.

   ''Students need to realize that there's a certain percentage of the criminal population that preys solely on students,'' said Lt. Joe Walter of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. ''Criminals are opportunists -- if we provide them with that opportunity, they're going to strike.''

   To avoid becoming a crime victim, students must develop the same discipline in crime prevention that they have toward the work habits that got them into college, Walter said.

   ''You've got to realize, there's a lot of stuff going on out there,'' Walter said. ''So you've got to adjust accordingly. Most of the victims haven't taken too many of the precautions, and that's what (criminals) look for.''

   Here are some precautions Walter suggests:

    When looking for an apartment, make sure to inquire about the neighborhood. ''Don't look at rent as the sole indicator,'' Walter said. ''Drive in the neighborhood at night. ... You may want to go four or five blocks in all directions to try to get an indication of the area you're moving into.''

   Also, it's a good move to follow what police call the ''three-seven rule'': Make sure no shrubbery is higher than three feet, and no tree canopy is lower than seven feet. ''That way you have good visibility,'' Walter said. ''A house that's covered up with shrubbery and places to hide is a much more attractive target for criminals.''

    Be smart when protecting your car from break-ins. While there isn't much you can do about an in-dash CD player (unless it has a detachable face), you should never leave anything of value inside a parked car.

   ''Forty-five CDs spread across the front seat is a pretty good temptation,'' Walter said.

   As for car alarms, Walter said, ''They may not save you a window or something that can be grabbed quickly, but it will probably save an in-dash stereo. They're not going to spend time sitting in the car with that siren going off. People say folks don't pay any attention to car alarms. The only two people that pay attention to them are cops and the people breaking into cars.''

    If you have valuable items, whether they be TVs, VCRs, even microwave ovens, make sure you've made your mark on them.

   The Athens-Clarke Police Department offers free use of an electric engraver to leave initials, birthdates or some other unique identifier on your stealable items. Make sure to record make, model and serial number, also. Burglary victims tend to have no way of identifying their TV from a hundred others after the fact, police say.

   ''We really do recover a lot more property than people realize,'' Walter said. ''Our problem is we can't always connect it to the victim. All they knew was the brand of the stolen item, if they knew that.''

    In matters of personal safety, be aware that alcohol clouds the senses.

   ''With a number of our robbery, rape and assault victims, whether male or female, an awful lot have had a little too much to drink,'' Walter said. ''I don't say that to diminish the seriousness of the crime.''

   While it's recommended you stay with a crowd, Walter admits, ''You can't always be with a crowd.''

   If alone, rely on instincts: Walk with assuredness. Don't be afraid to look at someone who seems suspicious. Most important of all, ''try to be as aware of your surroundings as you possibly can,'' Walter said. If something doesn't seem quite right, ''it probably isn't.''

    A few words about weapons -- don't rely on them too much. ''A lot of women carry pepper spray now,'' Walter said, ''and that's fine. The trouble is, many people will buy that and put it in their purse, and let all other preventative tactics fade into the background.''

   The goal is to avoid falling into a situation where pepper spray would be needed. And even then, there's no assurance you can get to it in time if it's stashed away in a purse.

   ''If some guy does leap out at you, you're not going to have time to say, 'excuse me a moment,''' Walter said. ''It's not a viable weapon unless it's in your hand.''

    It seems like common sense, but sadly, in the case of at least two serial rapists in Athens during the past 20 years, it hasn't been followed: lock your doors and windows.

   In the infamous case of John Scieszka, who was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting five women in the Five Points area in 1995 and 1996, ''he never actually had to break into the first home,'' Walter said. ''He was going through unlocked doors and windows that were left open.''

    Walter's advice on walking home from downtown: Don't. ''Take a cab,'' he said. ''Call a friend. You go beyond downtown, and Athens is a pretty dark city.''

    Don't be afraid to call police, even if it seems trivial. 911 isn't just for someone bleeding to death or a house burning to the ground. ''There are 102 neighborhood watches, with varying degrees of success,'' Walter said. ''The successful ones have one thing in common. When they see something suspicious, they pick up the phone and call 911."

    It's the only number you have to call. People shouldn't be intimidated from calling 911. So many times, we see people who don't want to get involved, don't want to call the police. Basically, we're just folks trying to do a job, and people should view us as a tool and use us like a tool.''



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