Read original letter to residents HERE.
Dear Las Olas Blvd Corridor Communities,
Over the last few months, the East Fort Lauderdale area has experienced a higher-than-normal rate of crimes. These crimes include robberies, auto thefts, home burglaries, car burglaries, thefts and more. In consultation with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and our own personal observations, we have found the majority of these crimes are crimes of opportunity.
Thieves are targeting the neighborhoods in many different ways. Some are entering in stolen cars, some are riding bicycles, and some are on foot. There is no rhyme or reason, and they are hitting all hours of the day and night. There is no real pattern established, so we need to make it more difficult for the thieves to succeed. It is hard to believe, but there are people out there that make a living driving around waiting for someone to make a mistake, like leaving their car running, so they can take it. That is their job to be a professional criminal.
Some victims think they may have been followed home, so we need to be more aware of our surroundings. We need to think about everything we do from the time we leave our front door, to the time we return home. Criminals watch us when we are shopping, going to the bank or working out at the gym. They will follow you home if they think you have something they want. Always be aware and pay attention to who follows you into the neighborhood. If you think you are being followed, drive by your house and go around the block, you can never be too careful. If you are being followed, call the police.
There are many reasons for crime to be spiking in our nation and the major reason is inflation. People are hurting and the easy way to get money is to commit crimes. Let’s work together and do our best to not be victimized. If we make it harder for criminals to steal from our neighborhoods, they will go elsewhere.
Some of the most common mistakes made by victims are:
Leaving Key FOBS in cars– Most new cars have mirrors that automatically fold in when the FOB is removed, so if the mirrors are not folded in, the thieves recognize that the FOB is in the car. This makes it easy for them to enter and steal the car within seconds.
Leaving the car running in the driveway or carport – Victims sometimes leave the car running while they go to grab something in the house or unloading the car. This is an easy target for a thief to jump in and go.
Leaving car doors unlocked – We have seen many criminals, on video, walking down a street checking every door handle until a car door opens. They are not smashing windows anymore, because it is too easy to find open doors. We need to lock the car doors and definitely do not leave anything of value in the car or anything in plain sight for a criminal. If they see a purse or a computer on a seat or in plain view, they will take it.
Close your Garage doors/gates – An open door is an invitation to a thief. It would be a good idea to take a good look around the house before going to bed to make sure everything is secure, i.e. cars, garage and doors.
As a company SIG 9 Global has instructed our security officers to challenge bicyclists and people on foot to identify whether they live in the neighborhood or not. If they don’t live in the neighborhood, they are instructed that it is private property. If they are suspicious, the police are called. When the security officers see cars that are unfamiliar, they are to follow them to make sure they belong in the neighborhood or until they leave. If they are suspicious, they will call the police and alert the other neighborhoods. SIG 9 security officers receive calls from our residents continually and respond to calls as needed. If you need a security officer, please don’t hesitate to call for assistance.
An important reminder for all if you see anything suspicious or a crime in progress, please call 911 first, that will get the police enroute. Then call security; we will respond but the police need to be notified first. Even if the police do not get there before a suspicious car or person leaves, they transmit a BOLO (be on the lookout) to other patrol units who might spot them up casing out another community or driving out of the area. The police must get called first, that helps us and will probably help in the capture of the suspects. I can’t tell you how many times someone has seen something suspicious, and they didn’t call the police, but it turned out they were witnessing a crime and should have. If you think it is suspicious, it is probably something that needs to be investigated.
For HOA members, don’t forget you have a direct benefit — if you go on vacation and would like your security patrol to check on your house, please fill out the vacation watch paperwork.
DON’T BE A VICTIM! SECURE YOUR KEY FOB, SECURE YOUR CAR, SECURE YOUR HOME!
Thank you and I am always available for questions.
Jim Fondo
SIG 9 Security Global
Jim@SIG9global.com
(954) 650-7719