If you See Something , Say Something
Informed and alert citizens play a key role in keeping neighborhoods safe . Do your part in keeping your community safe by paying attention to your surroundings . If you see something suspicious , call the police .
Your whole family
• Someone going door-to-door asking unusual questions or looking into houses or car windows .
• Unusual noises that cannot be explained , like breaking glass or pounding sounds .
• Business transactions conducted from a vehicle . ( This could be drug or stolen property sales .)
• Someone removing property from unoccupied homes or closed businesses .
• Someone loitering in a neighborhood on foot or in a vehicle when there is no apparent purpose or destination .
When you call the police be ready to describe specifically what you observed :
• Who or what you saw ;
• When you saw it ;
• Where it occurred ; and
• Why it ’ s suspicious
9-1-1 should be reserved for emergencies . Here are some examples of when to use 9-1-1 :
• A person ’ s safety is in immediate peril .
• A crime is in progress .
• A person has a serious injury that needs an immediate response .
• Any time when an immediate response is required and you cannot be placed on hold .
The Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department non-emergency number is 949-770-6011 , option 1 , then 9 and then 1 again . This number should be used to report incidents that have already occurred , when no immediate danger is present , and suspects are long gone .
Staying Safe from Online Threats
This holiday season , more and more people will be shopping online for that perfect gift . However , don ’ t let cybercrime ruin the holiday for you and your family . Before cracking open your laptop , make sure you take some precautions .
• Update everything . Make sure your device is running up-to-date software . That means everything from the operating system to the apps you use to shop or bank with .
• Strengthen any weak passwords . This is especially important on email , shopping and banking accounts . Long strings of random letters , numbers , and symbols are best . Never use the same password for more than one account .
• Install antivirus software . Windows 10 has good security built in , but you can boost your protection by adding an antivirus product . Avira Free Antivirus 2017 is Consumer Reports top-rated package , and it works with both PC and MAC .
• Enable multifactor authentication on accounts that offer it . Once you do this , you will need two pieces of information to log into your account . The first is your password , and the second is typically a onetime code sent to you on your smartphone .
• Stay off public WiFi for shopping . Save your shopping for home . Additionally , never use public WiFi to check your bank accounts .
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