AN INTRODUCTION TO NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Join the Thomaston Police Department in preventing crime and become a member of our Neighborhood Watch program. When we band together, we can help each other and effectively reduce crime in our neighborhoods.

. The success of the program is due to the cooperative involvement of police and citizens. By donating a small amount of your time to observe and report suspicious activities in your neighborhood, you can be one of thousands of citizens who are contributing to the prevention of crime.

The objective of Neighborhood Watch is to organize communities where residents are trained to be alert to potential crimes in their neighborhoods. Citizens are trained to keep watchful eyes on neighbors' homes and be alert to any suspicious or unusual activity that is occurring close to home. Patrol of neighborhoods can be accomplished by citizens-band radio-equipped vehicles or foot patrol. With the quick identification of a potential problem in your area, we can provide a prompt response and the trained personnel to investigate any reported incident or suspicion.

In addition, police officers will aid you in developing security measures for your own home. Receiving a free home security inspection and taking property identification measures can help prevent a thief from choosing your home as a target. To designate your active participation in the Neighborhood Watch program, we will provide you with decals to be placed on windows in your home to deter would-be criminals.

Thanks to many thousands of concerned and involved citizens in Thomaston, our Neighborhood Watch program is a proven success. It is one of the largest such programs in the country and has received national and international recognition. I hope you will become interested in this program. We'll be happy to provide you with more information about Neighborhood Watch. Please ask us.

WITH THREE EASY STEPS YOU CAN BE PART OF NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH!

1. CITIZEN PATROL

Join with your neighbors in volunteering your eyes and your ears on a regular basis to watch your neighborhood and report anything suspicious to the Thomaston Police Department. Thieves and vandals are likely to go elsewhere when they know Neighborhood Watch is "all eyes" for them! Contact the crime prevention officer at your police station for assistance in organizing and training citizen patrol volunteers in your neighborhood.

2. FREE HOME SECURITY INSPECTION

A qualified, trained Thomaston Police officer will inspect the locks, doors and windows of your home with you. Exterior lighting, landscaping and other factors affecting the protection of your home from burglary also will be reviewed. The officer will make recommendations for improving your home security. You can arrange for a free inspection at your convenience by calling the police district station nearest your home.

3. PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION

A Thomaston Police officer will instruct you on how to properly mark your property so it can be identified and how to make an inventory of your valuables. Property identification discourages thieves and makes fencing of stolen property more difficult. When recovered stolen property can be identified, it can be used as evidence against the thief and also can be returned by police to its owner.

"DO"S AND "DON'T"S TO PREVENT HOME BURGLARIES

DO make your home look like you're there. Lights turned off and on by timers give your home a "lived in look" when you're away.
DO have good locks. A high quality, one-inch deadbolt lock on every outside door is a basic requirement.
DON'T leave your home unlocked, even for a brief trip to the store or a visit to the neighbor across the street. Many homes have been burglarized in just such short periods of time.
DON'T hide a key outside your home. Leave the extra key with a trusted neighbor or friend. If you have deadbolt cylinder locks you must use a key to lock the door, and can't possibly lock yourself out.
DON'T put a name or address tag on your house or car keys. That's an open invitation to an unwelcome visitor should you every lose your keys.
DO plug a radio into a timer set to go on when you're away. Set the radio to all-talk station, leave the volume low, and give a would-be burglar the impression you're talking to someone. Light and noise are burglars' worst enemies.
DO have a free home security inspection and be an active participant in Neighborhood Watch. REMEMBER: A thief wants to take the path of least resistance. Your participation in Neighborhood Watch provides the most resistance.
WATCH OUT!

Be alert for strangers in your neighborhood! So many burglaries could be stopped or prevented if only more people would report suspicious happenings.

If your doors or windows look as if they've been tampered with, notify the police. Ask the neighbor who's watching your home while you're gone to check it carefully for you.

Notify the police immediately of any suspicious people, trucks or cars in the neighborhood. Don't worry about being a nuisance. Your police department will welcome your call and the opportunity to prevent a burglary. Remember, your belongings are yours; keeping them out of the hands of burglars and thieves is your responsibility.

Vandalism to homes, automobiles and other property is a major problem throughout Thomaston. Help your neighbors and yourself by taking part in NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH!

To report something or someone suspicious, use the Thomaston Police Department non-emergency number, 860-283-4343. For events that are life-threatening or immediately damaging to property, Call 9ll.

GET involved or BE involved!