JULY 4- Use Fireworks Safely

The Fourth of July holiday is coming and fireworks will be part of the celebration.

Remember, in unincorporated Snohomish County, you can only shoot fireworks between 9am and 11:59pm on July 4. Cities within Snohomish County set their own regulations regarding fireworks. The following map shows where you can and cannot discharge fireworks in Snohomish County:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/35033/4th-of-July-Fireworks-Discharge-Map-2018?bidId=

The Fire Marshal’s Office recommends that you take the following measures to use fireworks safely:

•         in case of an emergency, when there is an immediate threat to life or property, dial 9-1-1.

•         have a bucket of water for emergencies and to douse used fireworks. Keep the ground wet.

•         never build or experiment with homemade fireworks.

•         never let children handle or light fireworks; even sparklers can be dangerous.

•         never ignite fireworks while holding them; light one at a time and move away quickly.

•         make sure you give yourself enough room in a safe location – away from buildings, vehicles and flammable materials.

•         never light fireworks inside a structure.

•         watch what you wear; loose clothing can catch fire while handling fireworks.

•         never try to re-ignite fireworks that have malfunctioned; soak them in water, then throw them away.

•         never ignite fireworks while you are under the influence of alcohol and/or mind-altering drugs.

•         never aim fireworks at vehicles, homes, or people.

•         Only light one firework at a time.

Also, if you see illegal discharge of fireworks, please call the non-emergency phone number, (425) 407-3999 DO NOT call 911 unless there is an immediate threat to life or property.

http://snohomishcountywa.gov/3637/Calling-911

For other resources about fireworks, go to,

Snohomish County Fire Marshal:

http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/1164/Fireworks

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/290/Fireworks

SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE- 2017 Annual Report

Each year, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office issues an annual report of its operations including crime statistics, budget, highlights of significant events in the Sheriff’s Office and descriptions of the functions of its units.

To review the 2017 Annual Report, go to:

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/53146/2017-Annual-Report

SOCIAL MEDIA- Another Tool for Awareness in Your Community

Social media has become a key component in helping homeowners be aware of crime in their neighborhoods. Ring has added a tool to help neighborhoods to be informed of crime or suspicious activity. Its recently launched Neighbors App allows Ring owners to post videos from their devices on the app and for neighbors who subscribe to the app to receive an alert of the activity.

Burglary and package theft remain a problem for neighborhoods nationwide. Having cameras has improved surveillance of private property. Being able to communicate images from those cameras to deputies and police enhances their ability to investigate crime. Letting neighbors know about crime and suspicious activity helps them be on guard and ensure that their property is secure. While consumers have been able to post photos and videos on social media platforms such as Facebook and Nextdoor, this app makes broadcasting this information to your neighbors much easier.

While Ring claims that information from the app is shared with local law enforcement and neighborhoods, Snohomish and King County law enforcement agencies are not currently tied in.

Knowledge of crime in our communities by residents is important to keeping communities safe. As important, if not more important, is notifying police of suspicious and criminal activity. Social media tools do not replace the need to call 911 when you see a crime or suspicious activity in progress. If you come home and find that a crime has occurred, calling the non-emergency number, 425-407-3999, is a good number for reporting crimes that have occurred in the past.

Ring:

https://ring.com/neighbors

https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/115004851266

SCAM ALERT- Jury Scam Victimizes Snohomish County Couple

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office has issued the following alert on Facebook and Twitter regarding the victimization of Snohomish County citizens to the “Jury Scam:”

“Yesterday an elderly couple was scammed for $2,460. A scammer claiming to be associated with our agency called demanding money because they "failed to show for jury duty." The victims purchased money packs and called the suspect back to pay the "money owed."

No law enforcement or court personnel will call you to demand money over the phone. Ever. Please share this message with your loved ones and our most vulnerable members of our community.”

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://twitter.com/SnoCoSheriff/status/1009507399722364928

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/12/us-marshals-wont-call-you-about-jury-duty

AARP The Perfect Scam Podcast:

https://www.aarp.org/podcasts/the-perfect-scam/info-2018/jury-duty-scam.html

ONLINE REPORTING- One More Way to Communicate with the Sheriff’s Office

Sometimes you might experience a minor property loss, theft or damage that the Sheriff’s Office should know about but that does not constitute an emergency. You can report the incident online without having to call 911 or the non-emergency number.

Sgt. Nathan Alanis, of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, points out that the online report form is for misdemeanor crimes that are under $5,000 and there is no suspect information. Often without suspect information it is difficult for the Sheriff’s Office to follow up on each specific report. Reporting this category of crimes online frees up Snohomish County 911 for more serious calls.

That does not mean that the Sheriff’s Office does not pay attention to online reports. A Sergeant reviews each report. For example, if there turns out to be suspect information provided by the report, the Sergeant will refer it to a patrol deputy for contact with the reporting party and a fuller report.

Online reporting can be helpful in catching burglars and thieves by tracing reported stolen property. With detailed information about stolen property including descriptions and serial numbers detectives can check pawn shops for the property. Also, found property can be checked if it has been stolen. No one can be charged with a crime unless the property has been reported stolen. Also, stolen property cannot be returned to the rightful owner, even if there seems to be a slim chance of its return, if the property is not reported stolen.

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/301/File-an-Online-Crime-Report

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/437/Home-Inventory

Other forms, reports and applications that you can find online:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/239/Forms-Reports-Applications

SCAM PREVENTION- Podcast Provides Insight

Fraud and scams are growing crimes, especially with the ease that scammers have in contacting people on the phone, through email, texts, and over the world wide web. We see many alerts on TV, in the newspapers, radio, and via social media about the latest scams or frauds to hit our area.

One of the leading organizations that has been educating the public about fraud and how to protect yourself from becoming a fraud or scam victim is the AARP through its Fraud Watch Network.

Earlier this year, AARP began a podcast series called “The Perfect Scam” to educate the public about scams and how scammers think and work. Hosted by Will Johnson, who has hosted and produced web content for Discovery Communications, and Frank Abagnale. Frank Abagnale, of the “Catch Me if You Can” book and movie fame, provides his expertise about fraud from his experience as a young fraudster and his subsequent work as an advisor to the FBI.

Each 30-minute episode focuses on a specific scam with an interview of a victim and insight into the workings and psychology of the scam from Mr. Abagnale.

If you enjoy listening to podcasts and want to learn more about how to protect yourself from scams and fraud you might want to listen to this podcast. You can find it wherever you subscribe to your podcasts or at its website.

AARP The Perfect Scam Podcast:

https://www.aarp.org/podcasts/the-perfect-scam/

AARP Fraud Watch Network:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/fraud-watch-network/

BURGLARY PREVENTION- Now is the Time to Secure Your Property

Property thefts such as burglaries and car prowls tend to increase in the summer, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistic 2014 report. This is a good time to take stock of how you secure your home.

Burglars want to stay in a house only a short time when they break in. So, they often will look in typical places where we store our stuff, then leave quickly. They will start looking in the master bedroom then look elsewhere. The first places burglars look include the bedroom closet, under the mattress, dresser drawers, the medicine cabinet, a portable safe, the freezer, desk drawers, and the liquor cabinet.

Most often, burglars take what is easy for them to carry, such as jewelry, electronics, cash and credit cards. Guns, collectibles and narcotic prescription drugs can also be easily turned into cash. They also look for items with your personal information, such as birth certificates, Social Security cards and passports, that can be used in identity theft.

Here are some things you can do to prevent being victimized by a burglar:

·         Keep a car in the driveway

·         Don’t let your mail pile up

·         Keep outdoor valuables locked up

·         Keep your garage door(s) closed, even when you are working in the yard

·         Keep quiet on social media about your planned vacations and trips

·         Leave your TV or radio on when you leave the house

·         Don’t leave valuables in your car

·         Get a dog

·         Install security film on your windows, and a security system and cameras

For more details, look at:

KGW8:

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/we-asked-86-burglars-how-they-broke-into-homes/344213396

Money Crashers:

https://www.moneycrashers.com/protect-home-car-theft/

South Snohomish County Crime Watch:

http://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2018/06/identity-theft-your-id-can-be-lost-by.html

SUICIDE- Resources That Can Help Prevent Suicide

The suicides of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade have brought new focus on suicide in the media. If you have someone that you are concerned about, who you think is considering suicide you can feel lost or helpless to help. There are many legitimate resources that can help you and/or your family member or friend.  One way to help is to educate yourself about the risk factors, warning signs, and things that you can do to help your loved one or friend.

Here are some resources that can help you learn about suicide and to develop an effective plan to help:

Snohomish Health District:

http://www.snohd.org/SuicidePrevention

Volunteers of America of Western Washington:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/37303/Suicide-Awareness-for-Parents

Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

Phone: 1-800-273-8255

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

Sno-Isle Libraries:

https://sno-isle.bibliocommons.com/list/share/696686260/1205152012

SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE- Search and Rescue- That Others May Live

The latest issue of the Sheriff’s Office’s crime prevention newsletter “Partners in Crime Prevention” has been posted. This issue focuses on the volunteer Search and Rescue unit and gives tips on how to stay safe in our county’s backcountry.

 Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5997

IDENTITY THEFT- Your ID Can Be Lost by Physical Means

In a recent report, the University of Texas at Austin Center for Identity noted that 53% of identity theft incidents were “non-digital,” that is caused by an office burglary or theft of a laptop, or other physical theft.

With the publicity over the last few years about identity theft, we may tend to think that ID theft only occurs via electronic means such as through data breaches, email phishing schemes, or other digital means. However, this report shows that guarding your identity physically is just as important as guarding it electronically.

The report’s findings highlight the old-fashioned security recommendations of locking up valuables and keeping them out of sight of casual observers. You normally take precautions for valuables such as expensive jewelry, or other valuable items. Now, you need to expand what you secure to your identity. This includes your Social Security card and your Social Security Number, your check book, your credit/debit cards, and any information that someone else could use to impersonate you for their own gain, and to your detriment.

Another finding of the report is that 99% identity theft incidents occurred locally, as opposed to a national data breach or other national identity theft incident.

So how can you protect yourself. Some things that you can do include:

·         Keep documents such as your Social Security card, locked up in your safe or your bank’s safety deposit box or at least out of sight.

·         Do not routinely keep your Social Security card in your wallet and minimize the number of credit and debit cards that you keep in your wallet.

·         Take your wallet or purse with you. Do not leave it in your car, especially where it can be seen by passersby.

·         Secure your digital devices. Make sure that you use a password. PIN, or biometric capability on your smartphone and your tablet or laptop computers to ensure that no one can see the personal information that you might be carrying in them. Also, keep them with you, or store them out of sight if you need to keep them in your vehicle. Car prowls are a lucrative method for thieves to gain access to your personal information.

·         Reduce the amount of paper records that you keep at home. Statements and other documents that have personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, etc. can be used by a burglar for identity theft, especially if they are lying around or are intercepted from your mailbox by a mail thief. Try to reduce the number of statements and invoices sent to you via the mail. Use online accounts to review your statements and pay your bills. If “https:” is in the web address of the bank, vendor, or financial institution’s web site, doing business is secure.

·         Use a locking mailbox for your mail. Check your mail daily. If you can, take your outgoing mail to the local post office. Consider signing up for “Informed Delivery” from the Postal Service. Informed Delivery sends you a daily email with pictures of your mail that you will receive that day.

·         When you are finished with sensitive documents and your statements, shred them with a cross-cut shredder.

CNBC:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/11/non-digital-identity-theft-can-be-as-damaging-as-breaches-from-hacking.html

U.S. Postal Service:

https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action

The University of Texas at Austin, Center for Identity:

https://identity.utexas.edu/assets/uploads/publications/ITAP-Report-2017.pdf

HUMAN TRAFFICKING- Local Case Highlights Problem

The news reports of the missing 15-year-old Lily Christopherson in the Bonney Lake area highlights a little talked about problem of human trafficking. The teenager appears to be a victim of sex trafficking. Human trafficking can also involve forced labor.

Concern about the problem has included the Mukilteo Fire Department. In May it had its crews attend training on the signs of human trafficking. Providence Medical Center Everett also hosted a forum on human trafficking for local government, police and health care workers. First responders, government employees, and health care workers are often in a good position to detect human trafficking if they know what to look for.

Sex traffickers often target under age children. To help prevent your child from getting involved in sex trafficking you can do the following:

·         Know what your children are looking at online.

·         Talk to them about what dating should look like.

·         Know their friends.

·         Look for warning signs such as

o   Signs of physical abuse

o   Withdrawn, depressed, or distracted

o   Displays expensive clothes, accessories or shoes

o   Acquires an older boyfriend or new friends with a different lifestyle

o   Talks about wild parties

o   Shows signs of gang affiliation

If you need help with your child and sex trafficking call the Providence Intervention Center for Assault and Abuse 24-Hour Crisis Line at:

                        (425) 252-4800

If you suspect sex trafficking in your neighborhood call the Snohomish County Human Trafficking 24-Hour Hotline at:

                        (425) 258-9037

Q13 Fox:

http://q13fox.com/2018/05/30/family-friends-comb-pierce-county-streets-motels-in-desperate-search-for-missing-15-year-old/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/missinglileana/posts/167580697271617

The Herald:

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/fires-medical-crises-and-now-human-trafficking/

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4662