Crime Prevention Tips

Public safety is the primary mission of the Winter Garden Police Department. In order to educate you in ways that you can help us to keep you, your family, your home, your property, your business and your employees safe, we are providing the following crime prevention and safety tips.

Crime Prevention - Home & Work

Most crimes occur because of circumstances that created an opportunity for the crime to be committed. Crime prevention starts with you, the potential victim. By practicing proactive crime prevention techniques, you can greatly reduce the opportunity for a criminal to make a victim of you, the members of your family, your business and your employees. 

Tips

The following are some simple tips that can help reduce the possibility of becoming a victim of crime:

• Always lock your vehicle and never leave anything of value in open view. Remove your garage door opener when you park your vehicle at home.
• Beware of persons who may be trying to "con" or "scam" you. If someone, and there may be more than one person involved, is trying to convince you to take part in something that requires you to pay them or give them money to "hold" and the opportunity sounds "too good to be true," it probably is. Do not give them any money and immediately contact your local law enforcement.
• Do not put your name and/or address information on your vehicle and / or house keys.
• If you see something that does not look right or appears suspicious, contact your local law enforcement immediately. You are not wasting the law enforcement officer's time! It is our job to keep you safe.
• Keep your garage door closed unless you are where you can see if anyone enters the garage. Also lock the door leading into your home from your garage.
• Never leave your vehicle running and unattended and never leave your keys in your vehicle when you park it. It only takes a few seconds for someone to take an unattended vehicle that has been left running.
• Record the make, model, serial numbers and description of your valuables. Invest in an engraving tool and mark your valuables with your driver's license number, including the state of issue, (e.g., Florida) which can easily be traced by law enforcement officers nationwide. Do not use your social security number. Take photographs or videos of items such as jewelry that cannot be marked for identification. Keep this information in a safe place.

You are your own first line of defense against crime. Do everything that you can to protect yourself, your family and your employees from becoming victims of a crime. Don't create opportunities for criminals!