You Need Not Be A Crime Victim

The following are some of the Safety Tips to avoid being victimized by criminals:

1. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash or valuables. These may boost your ego; unfortunately, the practice also multiplies your chances of being robbed several times over.
2. Avoid walking alone especially at night, unless absolutely necessary. Robbers are discouraged if you have company.
3. Stay near people but steer away from drunks and groups of suspicious-looking people who could be threats to dignity, life and personal property. If you pass by them, ignore their snide or sharp remarks.
4. Stay in well-lighted areas and routes with uninterrupted pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Risk of being caught by a mob, and/or being identified in lighted places, deter most would-be robbers. Avoid dark alleys, bushy pathways, and shortcuts through parks with lush shrubbery, vacant lots and other deserted places.
5. Don't wander alone from the crowd at picnics or outings. Stay within calling distance.
6. Make a mental accounting of the contents of your bag and wallets so you could identify them when you fall victim to a thief or robber and the police recovers your personal effects.
7. Try to have a presence of mind and remember the description of the thief when victimized. This way, you help the police catch him and probably recover your valuables.
8. Avoid putting your handbag on counters when shopping. Doing so is an irresistible invitation to thieves.
9. Keep your bag close to your body while inside cinema houses, churches, shopping centers and markets as well as when walking in crowded areas. This discourages snatchers, pick-pockets and bag slashers.
10. Be armed with a whistle with which to get help during emergencies.
11. Stay alert while riding in public transportation. Look out for snatchers when seated near the windows of public conveyances or a car.
12. Don't give a holdupper any information. Give only what he asks you.
13. Don't resist an armed holdupper. He is dangerous. To be safe, follow his instructions.
14. Install a warning device in your vehicle, which may alert police when you are being held-up/robbed.
15. Take note of get-away vehicle used, if possible note down the plate number, model, type and color, and the direction it drove away, etc.
16. Take note of peculiarities of holduppers such as moles, tattoos, manners of speech, physical defects.
17. Take down the name, plate and body number of the taxicab right after boarding it.
18. Don't accept rides from a hitch-ride with strangers.