BICYCLE THEFT – Protecting Your Ride from Theft

Having a bicycle stolen is not fun. Whether the bike is used by your child, for commuting, or for recreation on a nice day, you would hope that no one else would take your bike.

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office averages 3 stolen bike reports per month. While this may seem very modest for a county of our size (cities in the county may have different experiences with bike theft). You still want to know that bicycles that you own are secure.

Here are some things you can do to prevent bike theft,

·       Use a lock. Be sure it is made from hardened stainless steel and offers good weather resistance. Some people recommend U-locks and D-locks as being tougher and harder to be picked.

·       Apply your lock effectively. Secure your bike to something that is cemented o bolted to the ground and cannot be easily lifted, and is made of a material that cannot be easily cut. Place the lock around the bike rack, street pole/parking meter, or parking sign so that it secures the bicycle frame and a wheel. If possible, also secure the second wheel (see picture below).

·       Remove anything that can be taken (quick-release seat, light, etc.) and take it with you.

·       Choose a well-lit area if you are parking your bike when it is dark.

·       Do not store your bike outside overnight. Take it inside of your garage or your apartment.

·       Take a picture of your bike and make a note of its serial number, color, make, model, size, and save it where you keep your records for your valuable possessions. This can be used in your report to the Sheriff’s Office if your bike is stolen.

 

 

 

 This bike is secured properly. The U-lock secures the frame and the rear wheel. The attached cable secures the front wheel.

                                         

 

 

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia:

https://bicyclecoalition.org/resources/locking-and-theft/

 

Reolink:

https://reolink.com/best-bike-theft-prevention-tips/

 

Economical Insurance:

https://www.economical.com/en/blog/economical-blog/june-2018/8-tips-to-prevent-bicycle-theft

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LYNNWOOD – Burglary Alert

The Lynnwood Police Department has issued an alert to its residents of a high level of burglaries around Meadowdale High School.

Lynnwood PD says that burglars are operating between 5pm and 8pm when it is dark. The burglars also enter houses that they think the homeowners are out. Entry is with a rock or other hard object to break a back window.

Items taken have included guns, jewelry, and cash.

In the past, most residential burglaries have taken place sometime during the day when most homeowners were away at work. This series of burglaries may be part of a new trend of burglars finding other times of the day to find empty houses to enter. Most burglars do not want to get caught, so they enter houses that they think are not occupied, and houses that can help them conceal their presence. The dark hours and making entry from the back of a house helps conceal their presence.

With Christmas shopping coming, many people may go out shopping at local stores for gifts.  Here are some things you can do to help prevent a burglar in your house,

·         When you leave, always lock your doors and windows.

·         If you have an alarm system, use it.

·         Turn on your outside lights. Also, security lights that use motion sensors can help deter a burglar and may help a neighbor detect that someone is on your property.

·         Make it look like someone is in your house. Burglars do not want to get caught. Anything that makes a burglar think you are at home will spook them. Keep some lights on inside. Turn on a radio or TV that is loud enough that a burglar can hear it before he enters your house.

 

And when you receive your purchases,

 

·         Don’t leave your presents under the tree in view of burglars. Keep them in a secure place until Christmas Day.

·         Don’t leave the empty boxes from your presents outside. Burglars then can know what they can take from you. Break them down and put them in your recycle bin.

·         Make a note of serial numbers of electronic goods, take pictures of them and other valuable gifts such as jewelry and ad them to your household inventory.

 

If burglars are attacking a neighborhood in Lynnwood, they can easily move to yours. Taking some easy precautions can help you from becoming disappointed during this Christmas season.

 

 

 

 

 

Lynnwood Police Department:

https://www.facebook.com/LynnwoodPolice/posts/1335994870071115

 

https://fb.watch/1-IrIrUWYm/

 

Edmonds Police Department:

Edmonds Police Department on Twitter: "You're never bothering us. If it doesn't look right, Call 911! https://t.co/ekVGO7Wkvy" / Twitter

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6573

 

 

Everett Police Department:

Holiday-Crime-Prevention (everettwa.gov)

 

VProwl.indd (everettwa.gov)

 

 

 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – Crime Prevention Newsletter, Holiday Crime Prevention Issue

With COVID-19 growing again just before the holidays, making purchases for Christmas gifts will no doubt migrate online, continuing a trend that has been going on for several years.

The latest issue of the Sheriff Office’s crime prevention newsletter highlights a few tips on how you can protect yourself from being victimized online and on ways that you can protect your package deliveries.

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6573

 

 

2020 ELECTION – Misinformation Flying Around Social Media

As America continues through its election process, misinformation continues to spread through social media. The press and fact checking organizations have been reporting on the specific items of misinformation that they have detected. One organization, the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), has been posting updates on misinformation specifically related to the election for the research community, election officials, government agencies, civil society organizations and social media platforms. The EIP is made up of four organizations that are researching the affects of social media on society. Included in the partnership is the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (CIP). The CIP conducts research into misinformation and disinformation and education targeted primarily to students.

Why are these organizations important?

Rumors and misinformation have always been with us. The spread of misinformation has always been rapid. But even a couple of hundred years ago, information spread by word of mouth, or on horseback. As we have developed communication technology like the telegraph, telephone, radio, TV and now the internet, information and therefore misinformation can spread around the world in the blink of an eye. The effects of making decisions base on misinformation have become magnified in their potential for harm.

On an individual basis, we have unprecedented access to all kinds of information. This is wonderful for all of us. We can find out about just about anything. Bill Gates championed “Information at Your Fingertips.” And we have achieved that with smartphones. But in recent years it has become obvious that not all information based on fact circulates on the internet. Bad information also spreads by people who innocently pass it along and by actors whose motivations may include disruption, gaining an advantage for themselves or a cause, or simply to steal from individuals or organizations.

For several years, there have been efforts by government such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and volunteer organizations such as AARP’s Fraud Watch Network to educate the public of the threat to them by scammers and fraudsters and methods the public can take to detect and prevent online fraud.

The efforts of organizations like the Center for an Informed Public in understanding how misinformation develops and spreads online is important for all of us. Not in the sense of promoting a particular political point of view but in allowing us as individuals to better evaluate the information that we receive as we read, hear, or watch on a screen of our choice.

Having a simple, systematic method to evaluate information like SIFT (Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace) should help us to avoid becoming victims of crime and improve our decision making in other parts of our lives.

 

University of Washington Center for an Informed Public:

https://www.cip.uw.edu/

 

Election Integrity Project:

https://www.eipartnership.net/

 

Politifact:

https://www.politifact.com/

 

FactCheck.org:

https://www.factcheck.org/

 

Snopes:

https://www.snopes.com/

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.ftc.gov/

 

AARP Fraud Watch Network:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/?cmp=RDRCT-cda29a46-20200401

 

 

2020 ELECTION - Be Ready for Misinformation

With election day almost here, we usually expect a culmination of campaign efforts in an election that determines if an incumbent remains in office or a new leader takes office. 2020 has proven to be exceptionally contentious. And with COVID-19, election procedures for many parts of the country have been changed to try to protect voters from this aggressive virus.

The contentiousness along with the pandemic provides an opportunity for misinformation to spread causing fear, anxiety and anger. And given the speed of how information can spread in our internet age, the damage that misinformation can make to our lives is especially important.

Academics who study misinformation expect the following trends during and after election day,

 

·         Expect a longer time to have results to races. Many states are relying on more mail in ballots than they have in the past (except of course Washington State). More people may turn out to vote in states that have polling places, causing long lines.

·         Reported ballot counts may show a “blue shift” (Republicans in the lead then Democrats in the lead as counting shifts from polling places to mail in ballots) Some people think that some states may experience a “red shift.” This can give rise to rumors that try to delegitimize the electoral process.

·         On voting day, pictures or videos may show long lines at the polls and rumors of COVID-19 breakouts or protests that may tend to deter voting.

·         The voting process will be watched very closely. Stories of procedural problems may try to be used as examples of widespread fraud or irregularities.

 

The potential misinformation during the period after November 3^rd could only heighten the concern and anxiety that we have been experiencing for the better part of 2020.

Apply the SIFT method to news articles and stories that you find on social media.

 

1.         Stop- When you read something that gives you a strong emotion, shock, surprise, or a strong urge to share, STOP, then go to the next steps.

2.         Investigate the Source- Is this a reputable source? Who is telling me this? Is it a friend of a friend or is it a reputable news organization? How do they know it? Heard it from a friend? What are they trying to sell you? What is their motive to pass this information to you?  Open a second tab in your browser and do a Google or Wikipedia search on the source. If you cannot find an entry, then you probably should question the credibility of the publication.

3.         Find Better Coverage- If the “reporting source” doesn’t inspire confidence, but the story is still compelling, see if anyone else is covering the subject. A Google (or Bing) search should help you. You can also select the headline then right-click, long press, or cmd-click. A list of links on the subject should pop up. If no one else is covering the subject or claim, you might become more suspicious about it.  

4.         Trace Claims, Quotes and Media to the Original Context- First, check the date. Is this old information circulating now? Next click through to the original source of the claim from the reporting source. Do a quick search in the article of key terms in the claim. If you find the terms, the claim may have validity. If you don’t, you might continue to be suspicious.

You can also check out a story with a major fact checking news site. Three major reputable fact checking sites are,

 

·         Snopes- https://www.snopes.com/

·         Politifact- https://www.politifact.com/

·         FactCheck.org- https://www.factcheck.org/

 

As with many predictions, the predicted trends may not come to fruition. But this is a time to be cautious in passing on any information that we read or see. Remember:

 

·         Think more, share less

·         Slow down

·         Pick trusted sources

 

  

University of Washington Center for an Informed Public:

https://www.cip.uw.edu/2020/10/26/election-integrity-partnership-what-to-expect-on-nov-3-and-days-after/

 

Politifact:

https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/oct/06/7-ways-avoid-misinformation-about-election/

 

The Seattle Times:

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/you-are-probably-spreading-misinformation-heres-how-to-stop/