In The Home or Apartment

1. Do not leave your shades or draperies closed during the day when you are out. Drawn window coverings are a solid clue that no one is at home.

2. Create some source of noise in the home before you leave. An empty house is a silent house.

3. Always close and lock garage doors before you drive away. An empty garage is a strong sign of an empty house.

4. Never leave a note in the door for anyone explaining that you are out to lunch, have gone shopping, etc. This advertises the fact that you are not at home.

5. Never hide a key outside your home or apartment, under a mat, over a door, beneath a flower pot, etc. If there must be another key available, leave it only with a trusted neighbour.

6. Keep the shrubbery trimmed near your doors and windows so that they are visible from the street.

7. Keep your grass cut, your leaves raked, etc. This indicates that your house is well cared for.

8. Always have lights (preferably in more than one room) turned on when you're away at night. An inexpensive timer will accomplish this automatically.

9. Never leave small valuable articles (watches, jewellery, cameras, typewriters, cassettes, etc.) On window sills, on shelves near windows or in places easily visible from the outside. Money, stocks, bonds, and as many other valuables as possible should be kept in banks and safety deposit boxes.

10. Empty your mailbox or arrange to have it emptied as soon as mail is delivered. Avoid slant-type mail boxes, as they lend themselves to incidents of vandalism.

11. Get to know your neighbours. They want to be safe too. You can help one another by being alert to anything unusual that occurs in the area.

12. Record descriptions and serial numbers of power tools, outboard motors, television sets, stereos, etc. Have pictures taken of jewellery.

13. Never admit a stranger into your apartment lobby when you are entering, even if the stranger turns out to be a tenant. He will appreciate your caution.

14. If there is a Tenants' Association in your apartment building, join it. However, do not depend on it alone for your security.

15. Ask your landlord to install bright lights in all corridors, if they are not there. If he objects, call the Residential Tenancy Branch and complain.

16. An elevator is like an automobile in which you are a hitchhiker. Do not enter one with anyone who makes you feel uneasy. If they enter on an intermediate floor, simply walk out of the elevator.

17. Stand next to the control panel in the elevator. If accosted, push the emergency button or several floor buttons.

18. Double-lock your apartment door, even if you are only visiting a neighbour next door.

19. Keep a list posted of the places where you can get emergency help in the building. (The building manager, the building alarm button, a neighbour, etc.)

20. When apartment hunting, remember that ground floor apartments with sliding doors and windows are particularly vulnerable to entry.

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    On The Telephone

21. Never give any personal information (your name, address, age, etc.) To a stranger on the telephone.

22. Never let a stranger on the telephone know when you will or will not be home.

23. If your husband is not home, do not indicate this. Simply say that he is not available, take the caller's telephone number and tell him that he will return the call.

24. Instruct a babysitter never to tell ANYONE who phones that she is alone with the children.

25. If the children are old enough to be left alone, instruct THEM never to tell a caller that they are alone.

26. If you receive an obscene telephone call, hang up immediately and notify the police. Put a metal whistle near the telephone and blow it into the mouthpiece should you receive another obscene call.

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    When Going Away

27. Leave a key with a friend. Ask him / her to check the inside of the house periodically, changing the position of the draperies and blinds.

28. Consider inviting friends, or relatives or associates to live in your apartment while you are away.

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    Travelling

29. Carry as little money as possible. Use credit or debit cards and traveller's cheques as much as possible.

30. Be aware that pickpockets frequent airports, train and bus terminals, so watch out for them, particularly there.

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    On The Street

31. Always be aware of the possibility that you may be accosted by day or night while out walking. DO NOT DAY-DREAM!

32. Always carry your purse close to your body. If you have a shoulder bag, keep an arm around it. Do not dangle the straps from your hands.

33. If you are walking on the sidewalk and believe that you are being followed, cross the street. If you still are followed, head for a place where there are people as quickly as you can.

34. If possible, do not walk alone, particularly at night.

35. If you are walking and are being followed by a car, turn around and walk back the other way. The car will have to turn around and will then be on the opposite side of the street.

36. If you are walking and someone in a car asks you for directions, remain several feet from the car as you give them. Be sure you are far enough away to be safe from a hand that might grab your purse or you.

37. Do not wear revealing clothing while alone in the street. If you are dressed for a party, add a jacket or wrap to your costume if you must do any walking en route.

38. If you MUST walk alone at night, plan your route in advance. Know the restaurants and shops that will be open, the locations of telephone booths and police phones.

39. Never walk near high shrubbery, dark buildings or parked cars. If you are surrounded by both, walk in the middle of the sidewalk. If the sidewalk seems too dark, walk in the centre of the street.

40. Never take short cuts through alleys or parks at night. If at all possible, walk closely behind a group of people who look trustworthy.

41. When you walk through a parking lot, always have your own car keys out and ready to slip in the lock.

42. If your bus stop is not adequately lighted, complain to the transit authorities. Also, some transit services at night allow you to request a stop along the route that is closer to your home. Ask your bus driver in your town about this option.

43. If you go to the movies alone, avoid dark corners or rear seats in the balcony.

44. If you are bothered by someone in the theatre, express your feelings, change your seat, or complain to an usher. If there is no usher, then SCREAM. This is the quickest means of getting help.

45. When you return home, never leave your house key in the lock for even a minute after you open the door.
46. Never put your key and handbag down inside the open door while carrying packages inside.

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    While Driving

47. Never leave the key in the ignition of your car and never leave your car unlocked. Eighty percent of stolen cars have been left unlocked and 42 percent had the key in the iginition.

48. Never hide an extra key anywhere in your car. As with housekeys, thieves are familiar with all the hiding places.

49. Never pick up hitchhikers and never hitchhike yourself.

50. Consider an alarm system for your car. Whether you have one or not, paste an alarm decal on your windshield.

51. Always keep your automobile well maintained to avoid possible breakdowns. Check your gas gauge every time you start your car. Check your tires at least once a week for wear.

52. Always check the back seat of your car before you enter it. Carry a small flashlight with you for doing this at night.

53. Keep your car doors locked day or night. Keep your car windows closed. If you need ventilation, open the window an inch or so and use the air vents.

54. Never place valuables on the seat beside you. If you must have things, keep them on the floor. When you leave your car, don't leave things visible, place valuables in the truck or under the seats. Don't cover stuff up with blankets - blankets suggest that something is there. So try not to keep stuff in the car!

55. If you have any expensive accessories in your car, engrave your social insurance number on them for identification.

56. If another car is following you, DO NOT drive home. Drive to a police or service station.

57. If you are stopped at a traffic light and someone tries to enter your car, keep honking the horn, and if you can safely do it, go through a red light. You may even attract a police officer.

    Seventy Ways Anyone Can Protect Themselves...

    Confrontation

58. Always be psychologically prepared to protect yourself. Ask yourself, what if? What if I find that the lock on my front door has been tampered with? What if I go inside and find that someone has ransacked the place? The answer to all of these is: GET OUT, GO TO A NEARBY TELEPHONE AND CALL THE POLICE.

59. If someone should enter your bedroom while you are in bed, pretend that you are asleep, as long as they do not come near you.

60. If someone is prowling outside your house, make him think that several people are at home. Call to an imaginary man in the house - "Dear, there is someone outside." Then, CALL THE POLICE. If it is dark, be sure that several lights are on in several rooms.

61. If he has already broken in, retreat your home - put other doors between the two of you.

62. Memorize a description of the intruder. When he has left, write it down as soon as you have called the police. Don't rely on memory.

63. If you find any evidence that someone has entered your home or apartment, report it to the police - EVEN if nothing has been taken. Illegal entry is a crime.

64. Never knowingly buy stolen property. When the price is ridiculously low, when a stranger is selling it at your door, on a corner, etc., it is almost certainly stolen. Report it to the police.

65. Do not fight a mugger if you know that he is armed. He will very likely turn the weapon on you.

66. If you have been overpowered by an armed attacker determined on rape, remember that in a rage he may kill you if you refuse to submit.

67. If he is armed, do what he says. If you have children, be sure that they do as he says as well. Remain calm. He wants your property rather than your life.

68. If you are attacked on the street by a man who appers to be UNARMED, scream loudly and fight dirty: gouge his eyes with your keys or with your thumbs, scratch him with your fingernails, knee him in the groin area.

69. If you are attacked from behind, dig your heels into his instep, kick his shins, grab his little finger and bend it back.

70. Remember that only about three percent of all burglars enter a home when they believe that people are there. It may, therefore, never happen to you. Should you confront one, the very first rule is STAY OUT OF THE WAY. NEVER get between a burglar and the exit, and NEVER try to stop him from leaving.

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