Burglary Prevention 

Most residential burglaries occur when no one is home.  A burglar's goal is to get into a home undetected and with minimal effort.  Following the tips in the attached pamphlet will reduce the probability of losses or incidents occurring if properly applied.

 Link to Pamphlet

Car Burglary Prevention

Car burglaries are very difficult cases to solve as there is usually very little physical evidence left behind after one has occurred. The crimes usually occur in the early morning hours in apartment or business parking lots when it is less likely the thieves will be seen. In order to help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a car burglary we have provided some easy tips to follow.

• ALWAYS close your windows and lock your car doors. An open window or unlocked door is an invitation to a criminal.
• Park in well lit areas close to the building. While parking in an isolated spot may reduce the risk of door dings, a criminal looks for cars parked out of the way in order to help ensure less attention is drawn to them.
• ALWAYS remove loose valuables from your vehicle. This includes, purses, wallets, cellular phones, laptop computers, and briefcases. A car burglar loves to see items that can be grabbed easily and carried away without much effort. A brick through the window is all it takes to gain access to those loose items.
• Report suspicious persons seen wandering around in parking lots or looking into cars as they walk by. Don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 to report suspicious persons, you can even call and remain anonymous.
• Keep a list of serial numbers for your commonly used electronic equipment. Even if you plan on never leaving a cellular phone or laptop computer in your car, you should record all of the following information:
  • Make of Item: (Motorola, Ericson, Compaq, etc.)
  • Model Number
  • Serial Number

Having this information available is necessary in order to enter the items into the computer database. This will aid the police in trying to locate the items if the offender(s) are found with them or if they are pawned. This will also ensure the property is returned to the rightful owner.

These simple steps should be used whenever you park your car, whether you are just “running in for a minute” or parking for the evening. If you would like any more information on car burglaries or other police matters, please contact the Mount Prospect Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at 870-5650.

Burglary to Motor Vehicle Prevention pamphlet

Package Theft Prevention

Package theft prevention tends to increase around the holiday season as residents purchase more goods that are shipped to their homes, but these thefts can happen any time of the year! Many of the crimes occur during daylight hours while you're away from home. Thieves are known to target homes after a delivery is made. They often follow or watch for delivery trucks. Offenders may not target a specific home, but when they walk or drive through a specific area and see an easy target where something of perceived value can be quickly be taken without notice. Not only is an unattended package that is visible from the street vulnerable to theft, but it may also indicate that no one is home, making the home a possible target for burglary. 

Reduce your chance of having your package stolen by following these safety tips throughout the year:

• Choosing a shipping option that requires a signature.
• Tracking delivery status online and setting up email or text notifications.
• Ship your package when to a location where someone you know will be available to receive it: work, relatives, neighbors, or a friend's house. If you are going on vacation, place delivers on hold until you return. 
• Consider using other deliver options that are available. Some retailers will deliver to secure locations or stores for in-store pick up.
• Consider purchasing a locked delivery parcel box that can be bolted down or secured.
• Provide specific instructions about where the package should be left, making sure the location conceals the package from people walking or driving by. 

What to be aware of when looking out for package thieves: 

• A suspicious person standing in front a residents on a cell phone.
• Vehicles circling the neighborhood or following delivery trucks.
• Suspicious persons attempting to gain entry into a condo or apartment by posing as a deliver person.

If you ever see these suspicious activities or witness a package theft, please immediately dial 9-1-1. 

Phone Scam Prevention

Phone scams continue to pop up across the nation.  One scam we continue to see is the phone call to senior citizens, often called the “Grandparent Scam” or “Money for Bail” scam.  The scammer is calling in the overnight hours and claiming to be the victim’s grandson or granddaughter.  The scammer says they have been involved in a bad traffic accident in another state or have been arrested and they need money.  They ask for hundreds of dollars to be sent or wired to them to help get them out of trouble.  The Police department wants to remind everyone of these ideas to keep you from being a victim of this type of a scam, as well as other types of scams:

• Do not wire money to anyone unless you are absolutely sure it is someone you know and trust. Once wire funds are picked up, there is little law enforcement can do.
• Do not purchase gift cards and provide card number information over the phone or via email.
• Don’t send a check, cash, or money order or give out your account information to anyone insisting on immediate payment.
• Don’t let anyone rush you into making a decision. Take your time to ask questions and gather information about the product, contest, company, or charity and ask for written information to be sent to you. Scam artists typically will not take the time to provide this.
• Always check out unfamiliar companies with your local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau, state Attorney General, the National Fraud Information Center, or other watchdog groups. Unfortunately, not all bad businesses can be identified through these organizations.

And always remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.