During the month of October the Cobb Sheriff’s Office will hold self-defense classes for women, with the holiday season in mind.
Two of the three sessions are in East Cobb. They’re classroom-only seminars and will last 90 minutes each. Here’s the schedule:
- 6:30-8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 1
Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, 955 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta - 6:30-8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15
South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton - 6:30-8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29
Mt. Zion Methodist Church, 1770 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta
As for everyday crime prevention tips, at home and when you’re out and about, Cobb Police have been sending out the following information recently:
• Never advertise you are leaving town: Don’t broadcast that you and your family will be away. Wait until after your trip to share updates and photos on social media. Remind your children not to Facebook, blog, or tweet your family’s absence from home.
• Create the illusion of occupancy: While away cancel delivery of mail and newspaper or arrange for a neighbor to pick them up.
• Lights: Put inside and outside lights on a timer to establish a look of occupancy. Adding a timer on your TV so it’s on when you’d normally be watching TV is also a good idea.
• Lock all windows and doors: Keep valuables away from windows, lower blinds, and close curtains so passers-by can’t view these items. Remember, a significant amount of crime can be deterred if home owners do not create easy opportunities for the criminal element.
• Garage: Keep your car locked and the windows up even if its parked in the garage and take your keys with you. If your house is broken into, there is no need to provide the thief with a car. You may also want to unplug your garage door opener and lock the garage door while out of town.
• Trust a Neighbor: Make sure a dependable neighbor watches your house, has a house key, and has your cell number in case of any home emergency. Also make sure your neighbor has a way to shut off any alarms.
• Utilities: It’s always a good idea to turn back the temperature of your water heater and shut off the water to your washing machine (washing machine hose breaks are at the top of the list when it comes to home damage costs).
And for preventing specific types of crimes:
Burglary Prevention
- Lock your doors, including the one from the garage
- Keep garage doors closed-check before bed every night
- Motion sensor activated lighting
- Surveillance cameras
Entering Auto Prevention
- Lock your vehicles and remove items of value and items that appear to contain valuables.
- If you can’t keep them with you, secure your valuables in the trunk before reaching your location.
- Keep your vehicle locked and your purse or wallet on your person while fueling at the gas station.
Postal Theft
- Anti-Theft mailboxes with a special locking system
- Security Cameras
- Do not raise the mail flag
- Do not send cash, checks, or anything that has credit card information
Remember to CALL 911 to report any suspicious persons or activity. If you see something, say something!
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