http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kimkomando/2010-01-28-online-crooks_N.htm?csp=usat.me

Criminals are getting smarter and smarter. So, these days, it isn’t enough to just run security software on your computer. You need to keep up with the criminals’ latest tricks. Here are six threats to your security and tips for protecting yourself.

Flash drives

Flash or thumb drives provide an easy way to infect machines with malware. It’s no surprise that criminals are using them, particularly to target companies.

TECH TIPS: Ask Kim

Criminals use a flash drive with a company’s logo. They load it with malware and drop it in the company’s parking lot. An unsuspecting employee picks up the drive and connects it to his or her computer. What happens next is the scary part. Criminals gain access to the company’s network — and trade secrets.

Never use a flash drive that you find. If you find one at your company, alert the IT department. It can find the rightful owner or destroy the drive.

Facebook ‘friends’

Everyone seems to be on Facebook. It can be exciting to find new Facebook contacts. But pay close attention to who you grant access to your profile.

If you use your account for business, it can be a gold mine for competitors. You may unknowingly post information about projects that would benefit competitors. Even your contact list says a lot. It can give hints about an upcoming merger or partnership. It can also give criminals inroads at other companies.

That’s not the only danger. Information you post can be used for targeted phishing attacks. A criminal can post a link to a malicious site. It could be a phishing site or a site that installs malware.

Limit what others see and be careful about your posts. You may also prevent others from posting to your wall. Above all, be vigilant.

Clickjacking

Clicking on malicious links is known as clickjacking. It can happen anywhere online. Most notably, it threatens Facebook and Twitter users. A victim is lured to a malicious page. The victim’s profile page is opened behind the malicious page. The victim has no idea any of this is happening.

In the case of Facebook, clicking on the malicious page causes the victim to sign in to Facebook. The victim could then perform actions that compromise the Facebook account. Or, victims might be tricked into turning on webcams and microphones. They might even delete their Facebook accounts.

There is no certain way to protect against clickjacking. Your best bet is to watch for suspicious links or sites. Be alert.

Smart phone apps

Smart phone apps are hot. Criminals are looking to them to get your information. Apple checks apps before offering them to users. But other app stores may be less thorough.

For example, one developer recently offered banking apps for Android phones. The developer had no ties to the banks. The apps may have been password-stealing tools.

Although it’s less likely, apps could also infect a phone with malware. Even seemingly legitimate apps pose risks. They may collect location information or access information stored on the phone.

Watch out for unknown developers when installing apps. Read the developer’s privacy statement to understand what is collected and how it’s used. And understand the app store’s approval process. Read reviews.

If it is a third-party app, contact the service to which it connects. Make sure the developer is an approved partner. If in doubt, skip the app.

E-mail messages

E-mail has long been a popular method of attack. And e-mail attacks are improving. Obviously, beware of attachments. If you’re not expecting an attachment, call the sender. Verify that it is legitimate.

Watch out for links in e-mail messages as well. These can take you to attack sites. Links to videos are particularly popular. You may be prompted to download something to display the video. You can bet it’s a Trojan.

Remember that e-cards can lead you to malicious sites. So can e-mail messages telling you to check out pictures of yourself. These malicious sites often use drive-by downloads, targeting holes in Windows. Keeping Windows updated will generally protect you from malicious downloads.

Criminals are also targeting their attacks. Malicious messages may be personalized with information about you.

Remember that it is surprisingly easy to find someone’s e-mail address. Business addresses may be gleaned from company websites or directories. Marketing companies sell targeted lists. And, you can find personal e-mail addresses via Intelius.

A spam filter should stop most of these messages. But never underestimate the importance of vigilance.

Porn dialers

Porn dialers are making a comeback on cellphones. The dialers are Trojans posing as videos, software or utilities.

They affect phones that run Java. Many are found on porn sites. Once installed, they send premium text messages or call premium numbers without your knowledge. You’re hit with a whopping bill. The criminals behind the Trojans share in the proceeds.

Be careful about downloading software. Don’t download anything from unknown or untrusted sources. You could also receive links to premium numbers via text message. Be careful when texting or calling numbers sent to your phone.

Now that you are aware of the dangers, one thing should be clear. When it’s all said and done, the responsibility of not falling for these scams is on your shoulders. Keep your guard up.

Kim Komando hosts the nation’s largest talk radio show about computers and the Internet. To get the podcast or find the station nearest you, visit www.komando.com/listen. To subscribe to Kim’s free e-mail newsletters, sign up at www.komando.com/newsletters. Contact her at gnstech@gannett.com.

Original Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8459898.stm

Many diallers lurk on sites hawking pornography

As mobile phones get more sophisticated, hi-tech criminals are dusting off some old tricks.

Security companies have noticed a rise in trojans known as diallers that used to be popular during the days of dial-up net access.

On a smartphone the diallers are being used to call premium rate lines leaving victims with a big bill.

Experts say the diallers are proving popular as a quick way for criminals to cash in.

Diallers were widely used during the days of dial-up net access when most people connected via modem.

Many diallers lurked on porn sites and, once they snared a victim, disconnected their modem and then placed a long distance call. Many victims were left with huge phone bills.

The economics of international calls meant that some of the cash spent on the call would be shared with the criminals. Some diallers were very sneaky in that they muted the speaker on a modem so victims could not spot when the overseas call was being placed.

Now, the security wing of software firm CA has said it is seeing a rise in diallers for smartphones. This time, instead of calling international numbers, the diallers call premium rate lines and land victims with the bill.

Writing on the CA security blog, Akhil Menon said it was seeing a "an increasing trend of trojan diallers". Mr Menon profiled one such virus, called Swapi.B, which sends premium SMS messages.

"The messages sent out are in the typical format to invoke premium services and land the mobile user with heavy mobile bills without the user’s knowledge and consent," wrote Mr Menon.

Many diallers, including Swapi.B, are contracted from porn sites which disguise themselves as software, video clips or helper programs.

Mikko Hypponen, head of research at F-Secure which makes security software for mobiles, said it had seen a "handful" of diallers in recent months.

They were popular, he said, because they get round one of the big problems facing anyone wanting to make money out of Windows viruses.

"PC malware can’t just directly steal money from your machine; it has to jump through hoops like keylogging your credit card number or sending spam," he said.

"However, mobile malware can just instantly steal from you by making premium-rate calls or messages," said Mr Hypponen.

Some creators of diallers were also working to ensure that it was hard to shut down the premium rate service they had set up to cash in.

Mr Hypponen said some diallers sent messages or rang many different numbers, including legitimate ones.

"The trojan can place calls to, say, 100 different premium-rate numbers, only one of which is his own number," said Mr Hypponen.

"How would you fight this? Shut down all the numbers, including the innocent ones?"

In the pigeon drop scam, swindlers work in pairs or teams. One befriends an unsuspecting consumer, the "pigeon”, (usually an elderly person) while the other approaches them with money or valuables he claims to have just found. After some rehearsed conversation, the con artists agree to split the money three ways with you and arrange to meet at a lawyer’s office or somewhere else of their choosing. But can they trust you, they ask. To get your share, you’ll need to put up some "good faith" money, which they will return to you after the goods are divided. To prove yourself trustworthy, you turn over a large sum of money to them and later go to meet them at the designated spot. Soon after arriving, you realize the pair is long gone — and so is your money.

Unbelievably, a lot of people still fall for this scam frequently. The list goes on and on. People’s greed often makes them let their guard down or not follow their “gut” instincts. I just finished an investigation that EVERYONE needs to know about. It’s a scam that is claiming victims every day across the country. Here’s how it works:

“Buyers” are searching Craigslists ads all over the United States and responding to the ads telling people that they want their item (laptops, cameras, jewelry etc). The “buyer” tells the person that they will pay via PayPal, the online money transfer and banking site owned by eBay. The “buyer” tells the person that they will add an additional $80 or $100 to ship the item overnight.

The “buyer” often states that they are out of the country and request the item be shipped to a U.S. address. The “buyer” then sends the person a very realistic looking but fake PayPal notice stating that the buyer is a confirmed buyer with a verified address. The fake PayPal notice states that the money has been deducted from the buyers account and is being “held” until shipping confirmation is verified at which time the money will be credited to the persons account.

The scam I investigated was using an address in the city where I work. Unsuspecting victims shipped laptops, cameras, jewelry and all kinds of items to the requested address where a middleman resold the items and sent the “buyer” the proceeds after keeping a cut for himself. The money is usually sent out of the country, in my case, Nigeria. The sellers of the property never receive payment because the e-mail notice was a fake notice from PayPal.

I recovered 4 laptops, several expensive cameras and diamond rings at the residence. There were several empty boxes where the items had already been sold. All of the victims stated that the PayPal e-mail they received stating that the money would be deposited in their accounts after the item was shipped looked very official and real. I posed as the middleman and began corresponding with the “buyer” online who was telling me what items were being sent overnight; there was expensive jewelry, game consoles, more laptops etc. It was an unbelievable amount of merchandise that people were unsuspectingly shipping without any knowledge it was a scam.

I use PayPal myself, it is a fast, secure and protected way of making purchases or receiving money. But please be aware, there are scams using fake PayPal e-mails like the incident above. PayPal DOES NOT hold money until shipping is confirmed. Sometimes a transfer may show as pending but all purchases, transfers and pending transactions will show up on your PayPal account statement. If someone tells you they sent you money via PayPal, log on to your account to verify the funds were sent. You are protected by PayPal this way. Everyone that fell for the scam did not check their PayPal accounts until it was too late. PayPal could not help them because the transactions never went through PayPal, they were all fraudulent fake e-mails.

I see several “phishing” e-mails that try to claim victims. Scammers send out very realistic e-mails with logos from Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Bank of the West etc stating “your account was possibly compromised and your account has been temporary frozen to avoid fraudulent transactions. Please click on the link below to verify your information so we can unlock your account. We are sorry of any inconvenience this may cause you”.

These notices are VERY real looking because they have cut and pasted actual bank logos and wording from real banking websites. If you click on the link it requests your personal information including your PIN to “verify” your account. Your account is then quickly drained of all your money and you won’t realize it until you start getting overdraft notices or bounced checks.

NEVER NEVER NEVER give anyone personal information such as social security numbers, bank account information and PINS, or other personal information unless you know who you are talking to. Request a call back number and call it, call your bank to verify suspicious e-mails. Most sites are secure and trusted so beware of scams or e-mails using the same realistic looking logos asking for your personal information.

All banks and most web-sites have a security department. If you have any doubts, call your bank or send an e-mail to the security department of your bank to see if the e-mail is actually from them. Sites such as PayPal and most banks request that you forward the entire suspicious e-mail to them and they will let you know if it was a scam.

Certain things should raise red flags such as someone offering to pay an unusually large amount of money to ship an item overnight, saying they are out of the Country and asking to ship to a different address, e-mails stating the money will be held until the item is shipped, people selling electronics cheap in a parking lot, promises of large sums of money if you send good faith money, all red flags pointing to a scam.

These scams have been around a long time so none of this is new information for crooks. We are just trying to make innocent people AWARE of these scams and help them avoid becoming a victim of crime.

And follow the old rule; “if it seems too good to be true, then it probably isn’t true”…… Or else you might end up with a box of rocks instead of a TV…….

Mark
© Coptalk.info

Suicide Attempts: "5150"

I have been to a lot of suicide attempts in my career as a police officer. There are many reasons people have for trying to kill themselves. Some want attention, some may have a severe medical situation they want to end, some lose a loved one that they can not handle losing, and some are just drunk, stoned and stupid. Luckily, most people tell someone what they are planning to do, or someone catches them trying to attempt the act. Usually we respond out and put the person on a "5150" hold, which means that the person is sent to County Hospital for a mental evaluation by a professional doctor. The 5150 hold is good for up to 72 hours. Depending on the mental evaluation, the person is released, held longer, or referred to another hospital or psychologist. Very rarely does the police officer find out what happens to the person, unless the person is a chronic "5150" who often gets sent over to the hospital and released, only to be sent over on a weekly basis.

When someone makes a comment about killing themselves, whether or not they mean it, it puts the police officer in a bad situation. If the person tells an officer "I didn’t mean it, I was just angry", and the officer leaves, the officer is liable if the person follows through on his/her threats. Usually the person is sent to the hospital on a 5150 hold and a health professional will make the decision whether to hold the person or not. If someone actually made an attempt like overdosing on pills, or slashing wrist, it’s an automatic "5150" hold. These are the usual types of "5150’s" that I usually deal with. Tonight, I had one that made me think, and brought a tear to my eyes. (Yes, cops do cry at times. Most do)

It was 1809 hrs. (6:09 p.m.) when I got dispatched to a quiet street in my beat. A doctors office called stating that a out of state relative of a person named "Helen" (we will call her Helen to protect her Identity) called saying that they were on the phone with Helen, and that Helen was trying to commit suicide by asphyxiation with a plastic bag over her head. The relative said that Helen then dropped the phone and they tried to call back but only got a busy signal. I arrived moments later, and knocked on the door. No answer. I went around to the back, and saw a light on upstairs in the bedroom. I knocked on the walls, back door, and windows with my flashlight to get a response.

Still, no answer. I had my dispatch call into the residence but they still got a busy signal. I requested a supervisor since I thought I was going to have to force entry to check on "Helen" due to the nature of the call. I again pounded on the front door, and this time, an elderly woman dressed in pajamas answered the door. I asked the woman if her name was Helen, and she said yes. I asked if I could speak with her, and she was hesitant, but agreed to let me in. I explained to Helen why I was there, and she kept telling me to leave her alone, that she was busy. Helen was 90 years old, but still had all her faculties, able to walk, drive, clean her house, shop, etc.

Helen kept saying that her daughter was coming from out of state tomorrow, and for me to leave and come back to talk to her daughter. I told Helen that it was her that I was there to check on, and asked her about the threats. Helen said that she only told her daughter that she was going to suffocate herself to get her daughter to come visit from out-of-state. Helen said that she was lonely and depressed since her husband died years ago, and she had no local family nearby.

Helen went on to tell me about how her late husband used to practice medicine in the city for 40 years, and about her long, interesting life. Helen was almost convincing about just making the suicide comments to get her daughter out to see her. Helen said that she not feeling like hurting herself or anyone else, (a necessity for a 5150 hold). Helen kept telling me to leave; saying that she had things to do. As soon as my Lieutenant arrived, I began to check Helen’s house. Know what I found?

All of Helen’s financial papers were organized on the dining room table, along with attorney names, numbers, and will papers. All of Helen’s relative’s names, addresses, and phone numbers were laid out. A note to Helen’s daughter, with financial instructions. Upstairs, on Helen’s bed, a pad of paper with a note that was just started. Also on the bed, a large plastic bag with a string wrapped around it.

I had obviously interrupted Helen in her suicide attempt. As I banged on her wall, she put the phone back on the hook, put everything aside and answered the door. If we got the call 15 minutes later, it could have been a dead-body call. If someone didn’t call, Helen may not have been discovered for a week or more. Helen still denied wanting to hurt herself until I showed her the bag I found. Then Helen said, "90 is too old to live" You know, it’s sad. I see people in their teens try to commit suicide because of a failed romance. I see a lot of people try to commit suicide because they cant enjoy life like they used to do to a serious injury or illness. But here is Helen, 90 years old, still up and about, good health, driving, cleans her own house, all her senses. But she lost the will to live, because she had no one left to share life with. I admit, I got teary-eyed talking to this wonderful elderly woman, who knew exactly what she wanted to do. I thought about what she might have gone through. Each and every day, alone, no one to talk to, family out of state.

Helen had got all her financial affairs in order for her family, and she was going to "check out" of life. That is until I interrupted her. Helen was not pleased with me.

But I took Helen’s hand as she laid on the ambulance gurney, and I told her that although she may hate me now, I hope that she will appreciate it later. I told Helen that she was a wonderful, interesting woman, and that I was going to make a habit out of stopping by her house to visit her when she gets out. And I meant every word. I just hope that Helen re-thinks her situation and realizes how wonderful life can be. Because Helen seems like a determined person, I can only try to get her some help. To try to help her get rid of the feelings that are making her want to give up on life. Just because there is no one to share it with….

I’m lucky. I have a wonderful caring local family. I have both my parents in their 70’s who still go out, dance, dine, and have a great time. I couldn’t imagine having no one in my life. But a lot of people are in that situation. If you have a relative that is alone or lonely, please call them. You don’t want a call from a police department or coroner with bad news. Sometimes, just a phone call is just what it takes to let someone know that someone still cares. If you know someone who has made comments about hurting or killing themselves, don’t "blow it off" as false threats. You don’t want to live with a death on your conscious that you could have prevented. Even if it is in your own family, and you don’t want your family problems exposed, someone who is making threats to harm themselves is calling out for help. Let a professional make the determination if the threats are real or not. Don’t wait till it’s too late; don’t wait until someone "really" does it. Because it’s too late then.

Most thoughts of suicide, depression, despair, can be corrected through medication, counseling, or both. Whether you or someone you know is having suicidal feelings, please call. There are a lot of cops, paramedics, and professional people who care and who still get a tear in their eye trying to help.

ML

© Coptalk

Here is my question. If you have a couple that split up and there are 2 vehicles between them. one takes one and the other takes the other vehicle. both vehicles are registered to only one of the two. can the one that has their name on the title report the car stolen if the other individual refuses to give it back? also would that both names are on the registration only make a difference.

Our Reply:

If the cars belonged to a couple that split up and each take a vehicle you really cant make a stolen vehicle report under most conditions. If the title is in your name only then you have a right to get the car back. If the title is in your name then you can ask for a civil standby for the police to meet you where the car is and assist you in getting the car back.  If both of your names are on the title then the car belongs to both of you and you have no right to take it if the other person already has possession and refuses to give it back. In that case then it’s a civil matter that you’ll have to take to court to decide who gets to keep the car.

One thing to think about if both names are on the title; When two names are on a vehicle title it either says "AND" between the names or it says "OR" between the names. If it says "AND" it means the car belongs to both parties and both parties would need to sign the title if the car were to be sold or for the ownership information to change. Basically it takes both signatures for anything to be changed on the title.

If the title says "OR" then you are out of luck. That means the vehicle belongs to both names on the title but EITHER ONE of the parties can sign off on the title to sell the car or change ownership information. Then it’s a matter of who gets to the DMV first……

© CopTalk  

What guidelines would you suggest for calling the police? I once got a "smart" response from a dispatcher because I waited 20 minutes to report something I thought "looked" suspicious. I gave a completely thorough description of the man and his bike, but not timely evidently… but it made me think, "How does Jo (Anne) Public know when and when not to call the police?"

Our Reply:

Thanks for the question…

I am sure my partners will also submit replies it’s just been a really busy week…

Personally I would never fault someone for calling on anything that strikes a person as suspicious or illegal as long as the caller has rationalized the situation. I can cite you many examples of what I mean by this but as a general rule more citizens help to stop crime than cops ever could based on the fact there are more eyes in the general public than on your local police force.

I remember a call where we were asked to give additional patrol to an affluent community in my area because a citizen there thought a man was casing her house. There is a good potential this could be a crime solving tip so we responded and after a few days and some additional tips from this person, mainly one that he runs by the house daily, we finally were able to find out who this person was and why in the end the call was one to be remember yet for all the wrong reasons. The person running by her home was a very respected Dr. in the neighborhood, he was not casing the home of the citizen that called, he was simply taking his morning jog and from what we could figure the only reason the person called was because his skin color (in this case black) made her feel uncomfortable. We handled the call as we do all of the calls myself and my partners go to in a very professional manner and even the Dr. got a laugh out of it.

That said I have seen many calls end tragically because the person was afraid to call.

It’s all about common sense. Also in the situation is a non emergency situation please feel free to use the standard business line that goes to your local police department – commonly referred to as the non- emergency number. You can usually have someone call you back like a detective etc that might be able to answer if what you have seen etc might be more than just what it appears.

Additional Replies:

Basically use common sense. If something raises your suspicions or just doesn’t look right, call the police. If it’s an emergency dial 911. If it’s suspicious but not an emergency, call the non-emergency number for your local police department. It’s great you called in a suspicious circumstance but time is very important. A suspicious person will usually be gone in 20 minutes, burglars will be done ransacking a home and gone in 20 minutes, people selling or using drugs in a car will be high and gone in 20 minutes, etc etc. Police would rather get a call and find out it’s nothing rather than get dispatched to a burglary or other crime and find out someone saw something suspicious 20 or 30 minutes earlier but didn’t call. You know your neighborhood, if it looks suspicious then follow your instincts and call right away. If you realize it was a mistake, you can call back to cancel the response.

Thanks for being a concerned citizen!

Duh……

We try to remind people of this every year when the weather starts turning cold. When it starts getting brisk in the mornings, people take chances warming up their cars in the morning while they tend to other things in the house. Or, they pull into a 7-11 to grab something and leave their car running in the parking lot. Everyone believes it won’t happen to them; that is until it happens to them. If you leave your car running unattended to warm up or leave it running while you dash into a store, it’s not a matter of IF it will happen, it’s a matter of WHEN it will happen.

People always say “I was only inside for a minute”. It takes less than 5 seconds for someone to jump in the car and speed away. Not only with your car, but your laptop and purse or wallet on the seat too. Crooks cruise through neighborhoods on cold mornings looking for the telltale sign of steam coming from the exhaust of an unattended car. They dump a stolen vehicle they’ve driven a few days down the street and jump in yours, all warmed up and toasty for them. They’ll use it a few days and then go hunting for a “fresh” one. Or the school kids complaining about the long walk to school can’t resist a free ride already running and waiting for them.

When the weather gets cold we get calls EVERY DAY about vehicles stolen while they were running unattended. Everyone believes “it won’t happen to me”. It doesn’t matter where you live, affluent area or not, rural area or a tract home, it can and will happen sooner or later.

And don’t forget the expense and time to have the locks on your house re-keyed because the thief probably now has the keys to your home, business etc.

So the choice is yours; warm up your car by sitting in it a few minutes or by driving down the street slowly OR spend your morning calling the police, insurance company, banks, credit card companies etc………    

© Coptalk

Why does it work?

To understand the value of neighborhood watch in a community, you must first understand that your local law enforcement agency is limited in their available manpower. A neighborhood watch program in your community will greatly help your local police overcome their manpower shortage. This is done by the use of alert citizens within the community who are constantly observing their neighborhoods for suspicious activities.

On a national average, there is approximately ONE police officer for every 2,000 citizens.

Here’s an example; a police department in a city of 65,000 citizens might have a force of 85 sworn police officers. That may sound like a lot but remember that includes ALL personal including the Chief, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, administrators, evidence personnel, traffic officers, narcotic officers, detectives, etc. Those officers are not on the streets patrolling. A force of 85 sworn police officers may have a patrol force of only 35 officers that regularly patrol the streets. Of those 35 officers, they are divided into different shifts and work days. Depending on how many officers are assigned to a shift, there may be 6-8 police officers on duty during the busiest time of the day or evening. Take away officers for vacations, sickness, injury, court appearances, training etc and there might only be 4-5 officers on the street. As you can see, that’s not a lot for a city of 65,000.

Police officers in high crime areas or busy cities usually have to be reactive, responding to calls and incidents AFTER they occur. There is not much time to be proactive to try and PREVENT crime from occurring. I used to work a very busy graveyard shift running from call to call to call. High priority calls such as fights, robberies, injury accidents etc and most in-progress calls always take priority over a “cold” call where the suspect is unknown or already gone. I’d show up at “cold” theft or burglary call 2 hours after it was called in and the homeowner would be furious at our response time. I’d ask how many officers they thought we had on the street and people would usually say 20 or 25. They would be shocked when I told them that we only had 4 or 5 officers on the street and that there were over 15 calls still waiting to be dispatched.

That’s why neighborhood watch is so important. An alert citizen’s call can be the difference between police responding to an in-progress call such as a burglary and apprehending a suspect versus police showing up hours later to write a “cold” report with unknown suspects. Obviously there are many more citizens than there are police officers. Citizens become an extension of the police department’s eyes and ears.

Here’s an example;

A burglar pulls onto a residential street and cruises slowly through the street. A few open garages with tools and bicycles in view but no one around. He parks near a house and watches for a few minutes. After seeing no one around, he pulls up to an open garage, quickly grabs the toolbox and bicycles and drives off undetected. Or he might have even knocked on a door to see if someone was home, went into the backyard and broke in through a window. After taking jewelry, cash and a gun, he walks back out to his car and drives off unnoticed. The homeowner later arrives home from work to find their house ransacked. The police are called and check the neighborhood for witnesses and a few people say they saw some unfamiliar cars come and go during the day but they didn’t pay attention and couldn’t provide any information. The crime will be unsolved with the suspects unknown.

With a neighborhood watch group in place;

The same burglar pulls onto the same street and slowly cruises through. He sees some people looking out their windows watching him. He parks for a few minutes and he sees another person standing in their driveway writing down his license plate number. There’s no way he’s going to stick around and try to commit a crime with people watching him or with his license plate written down by a neighbor. He knows someone is probably calling the police to report a suspicious car in the area. He starts his car and drives off to find a victim on another street where he goes unnoticed.

Here’s something else: The license plate jotted down by a neighbor can help solve a crime committed elsewhere. Police may be investigating a burglary on one street and check a nearby street for witnesses or leads. A neighbor who reported a suspicious vehicle in the area earlier and provides a license plate number might be the one lead police need to solve the crime. Remember, a thief might cruise through your neighborhood and leave if he is noticed, but he will be going to another neighborhood, probably nearby. That one call of a suspicious vehicle or person in an area can make the difference between burglars being arrested or getting away and committing more burglaries.

How to form or join a neighborhood watch group:

Most police departments have someone assigned to set up neighborhood watch groups. If you are new to a neighborhood there may be one in place already. If there is no neighborhood watch group in place, the police department can help you set up a meeting in your neighborhood and have neighborhood watch signs installed on your street. A police officer assigned to that area or “beat” usually attends the meetings to update citizens of the crimes occurring in their neighborhood and to address the concerns of the residents.

Neighborhood meetings allow residents to get to know each other, know who drives which cars, know who should be home or not. This allows people to call in suspicious activity. For example, if a neighbor knows that you work during the day and that no one is usually home, they would be more likely to call the police if they see a strange vehicle in your driveway or people hanging around your home while you are gone. The police would rather respond to find out it was unfounded rather than get a call from the homeowner hours later reporting that their home was burglarized.

Neighborhood watch groups are not formed for people to take the law into their own hands; they are formed for the residents to be alert and to report any suspicious people or activity in their neighborhoods. Residents should refrain from interrupting suspicious activity and should call the police immediately as a witness. Have a notepad handy by the telephone or window. You might remember a license plate number for a minute or two but it could get mixed up trying to remember it later. Write down a description of suspicious vehicles or people in your neighborhood and save it for a few days. It may be nothing but then again, you may read about a nearby burglary in the paper a few days later and the license plate number you copied down just might be the burglar’s car. Calling the police department and providing the license number of a suspicious vehicle just might help solve a burglary that has occurred. Or an officer on patrol might spot the car “casing” a neighborhood and know from your call that the same car was called in as suspicious hours earlier in another neighborhood.

The bottom line is that neighborhood watch groups work as long as they stay active. Groups usually meet once a month at different residents homes to discuss the things occurring in their area. Some groups even have their meetings on the street during a neighborhood BBQ. Getting to know each other and knowing what belongs in the neighborhood and what doesn’t is the key to a successful neighborhood watch group.

If you don’t have a group formed yet, contact your local police department for information on how to form one. Most departments have booklets with all the information you need to get started!

© Coptalk

i just got a ticket the other day and the police officer wrote me a ticket for 5 over but he wrote on the ticket i was driving a 86 ford. but i was really driving a 99 Cadillac escalade will this help me beat the ticket in court?

Our Replies:

5 over, hmmm. Must have been a slow day for the cops wherever you live. Most cops don’t bother giving tickets for 5 over unless it’s a zero tolerance special enforcement detail or if the driver really pissed off the cop.

It’s a crap shoot, could go either way in court. The error could cause doubt on the officers credibility (if he made a mistake on the car, maybe he made a mistake on the speed, etc). If you go to court you can argue the above point of maybe he was in error on the speed just like he was in error on the vehicle description, or maybe he pulled over the wrong vehicle after clocking a Ford with the radar (if it was a radar ticket) etc. You’d have to establish enough doubt for the judge to dismiss the ticket. The officer will have to explain why he wrote the wrong vehicle information down. If you admit being pulled over by the officer and you signed the citation, the judge may not care too much about the error in the vehicle information. You have a 50-50 chance.

If the officer paced you in his patrol car, you can ask when the patrol car’s speedometer was last calibrated. If it hadn’t been calibrated lately you might win your case in a 5 mph over case. It’s not uncommon for speedometers to be off by a few miles an hour so if the officer cannot show that the speedometer was recently checked and was accurate, the citation might be dismissed. If it was a radar or laser ticket, you’ll have to hope the officer doesn’t show up or the errors on the citation cause enough doubt. Let us know what happens.

Hope that helps..

Mark
© Coptalk

Is the license plate correctly listed on the cite?

If you "RESPECTFULLY" explain to the judge that the citation has inaccurate vehicle information listed – he may decide to dismiss the citation in the "interest of justice".  The few cites I’ve written where I listed wrong dates, locations, speed limits, or vehicle information were always dismissed in court so I learned quickly to ALWAYS be accurate when filling out cites – but mistakes happen, and when they do, they usually end up being in the driver’s favor. There are not too many similarities between an 86 Ford and a 99 Escalade. Sounds like the officer maybe entered the wrong plate into the computer and didn’t give it a 2nd thought.

Good luck!

Jim Lambert
Coptalk

James Miller was released to the custody of his girlfriend. (Police Photo)

November 03, 2009

OXFORD, Ohio – An 18-year-old Ohio man decided to dress up as a breathalyzer for a Halloween party. What do you think happened next?

James Miller was arrested after driving the wrong way down a one-way street. His car’s headlights weren’t on, and he had several different Ohio IDs on him.

Police say he had an open can of beer with him, as well as unopened cans.

At the police station, he blew a breathalyzer and was found to be nearly twice over the legal limit.

Miller’s been charged with underage drinking and DUI.