Crime Prevention Tips

  • Call 911, at the first sign of anyone casing vehicles or homes. Casing is defined as looking into vehicles or homes or loitering around them with no apparent lawful purpose.
  • Report persons sitting in parked vehicles with no apparent purpose.
  • Call 911 if you see anyone tampering with automobiles
  • Bottom line is: immediately report suspicious activity or persons in your neighborhoods.
  • Be a good witness - Try to get a vehicle license plate number. If you can't get the vehicle license plate number try to get as much identifying information about the vehicle or person as you can. Such as color, make, model, damage, etc. pertaining to vehicles. Clothing, scars, tattoos, etc. pertaining to people.
  • Write down license plates of unfamiliar vehicles in your neighborhoods in case something comes of them at a later date. The information may solve a case should a crime be occurring.
  • Always lock your car doors. This can help becoming a victim of opportunity due to the vehicle being easily accessible.
  • Remove all items of value, such as GPS devises, cell phones, computers, purses, checkbooks, and electronic devices if the vehicle will be parked in a driveway or on the roadway. Avoid leaving anything of value inside your car in plain view. At the very least, the items should be placed out of view or locked in the trunk.
  • Don't leave garage door openers in your cars when they are parked on the street or in the driveway.
  • Residents should also ensure their main and side garage doors are closed and locked.
  • Develop knowledge of what's going on in your neighborhoods and be ready and able to identify when something is not right. Keep in mind if it doesn't look or feel right it probably isn't.
  • Take a few precautions and send a strong crime prevention message to potential criminals. Such things as forming a neighborhood watch group and communicating with your neighbors can help. Posting signs or stickers warning of security systems, neighborhood watch, cameras, or dogs can also deter criminal activity.
  • Use lights on timers or motion controlled lights in and around your property. Dark areas attract criminal activity. Also keep in mind that bushes, shrubs and overgrown trees near windows and doors create cover and areas for individuals to be unnoticed.
  • Lock doors and windows to your house when you are away.
  • You can tell the difference between solicitors and burglars. Solicitors will generally go to every house on the street and will look for houses that appear occupied. Burglars will skip several houses or look for houses that appear to be unoccupied. Solicitors want to contact as many people as possible, burglars and thieves generally want to avoid people.
  • When possible and practical, leave a car parked in the driveway. Remember, never leave valuables inside your vehicle.
  • Install window slide locks or wooden dowels.
  • Pick up newspapers and mail frequently.
  • Communicate with your neighbors and avoid establishing the same day-to-day patterns when leaving or returning to your home.
  • Get to know your neighbors and have the ability to contact them in case something unusual is occurring at their house.
  • Ask your neighbors to call the Police if they see someone they don't know around your house when you are not at home.
  • Notify your neighbors when you will be on vacation and enter a "Vacation Check" request to the Liberty Lake S.C.O.P.E. office so your residence will be checked on in your absence.
  • Don't make excuses or assumptions for the actions of others. Be alert and report. When in doubt, let the Liberty Lake Police Department check it out.
  • If you are home when someone knocks at the front door and you are not interested in talking to them, announce your presence through the closed door, informing the unknown party you are not interested in opening the door.