2009-07-13
Columbia Police investigated the theft of a power washer taken from the back of a pickup truck parked in a driveway on Pebble Creek Ct. Again let me remind YOU to take every precaution to protect yourself and your property at all times! And let me know anytime something occurs and you feel all of your neighbors would appreciate being warned!

2009-01-29
Columbia Police Department investigated suspicious footprints in the snow going from the front door around the house and up to two entries on the back of the house in the midst of Bluff Creek Estates..... No signs of attempted entry were found, but it was suspicious.

Please take every precaution to protect yourself and your property at all times! And let me know anytime something occurs and you feel all of your neighbors would appreciate being warned!

A car was stolen from a driveway on Wild Plum Court July 14, 2008 between midnight and 7am. That car has still not been recovered. In addition there have been three automobile break-ins where items were stolen from parked cars in the last year. It is extremely important that we all take every precaution to prevent this from happening to us.

Please take the following precautions to deter crime at your house:
1. Keep cars parked in the garage overnight, when possible.
2. Keep cars locked at all times.
3. Leave outside lights on throughout the night to deter break-ins.
4. Don't leave things outside, visible and unsecured.
5. Keep garage doors closed day and night!

Remember foremost, the best defense against any type of crime in our neighborhood is to get acquainted with your neighbors and lookout for each other.

Protect yourself against home burglary

Whether you live in a house, a condo or an apartment, a break-in can permanently shatter your feeling of security at home.

According to FBI statistics, a house, apartment or condominium is burglarized once every 15 seconds.

Fortunately, burglary is probably the most preventable of crimes. By taking a few simple precautions, you can dramatically reduce the risks.

Of course, every home and every situation is different, and there are no guarantees.

The first step is to determine what kind of threat you are trying to protect against. For example, defending against personal threats, such as assault, requires different measures than defending against burglary.

Most home burglars do not give great amounts of thought to planning the job and assessing the benefits vs. dangers, but understanding how they choose a target can go a long way in reducing your chances of being a victim.

Most burglars look for:

Something worth stealing
Easy access combined with low visibility
A home that is unoccupied

Did you know? More residential burglaries occur during the day because homes tend to be vacant more often.

How to prevent break-ins:

Fool them by making your home look occupied all the time.

Use automatic timers on lights when away from home.

Always park your cars in the garage with the garage door shut. A burglar may otherwise notice a pattern that a closed garage door or no cars in the driveway means no one is home. Closing the garage door and having curtains or blinds on the garage windows also hides some of your belongings.

Place radios on automatic timers and raise the volume so they can be heard outside.

Lower the sound of your telephone ringer and answering machine so that they can't be heard outside.

Never leave notes on your door that can tip off burglars.

When away for more than a day:

If possible, have your telephone calls forwarded when you are away from home. Burglars sometimes check to see if someone is home by making a telephone call.

Have a trusted neighbor pick up the mail and newspaper. If possible, do not have either stopped. That gives information about you being away from home to others whom you do not know.

If away for an extended period, have a plan in place to have the grass mowed or snow shoveled.

If you are away from home on garbage pickup day, ask a trusted neighbor to put your garbage cans out to the street and take them back in. You may wish to have your neighbor use your garbage cans while you are out. Burglars sometimes check for empty cans as a sign the family is away.

There are systems available that will open and close window draperies by timer. Constantly open or closed curtains can tip the burglar off that no one is home.

Even if you don't need specific help, always tell a trusted neighbor if you are going to be gone for a few days.

If you are going to be gone for an extended period, ask your local police to check your home periodically.

In short, make your house look the same whether you are away or at home.

Eliminate hiding places

Make sure there is good lighting around the place where you park.

Install motion detector lights around your house instead of just leaving lights on at night. The lights coming on and turning off attract the attention of neighbors. Install these lights at least 8 feet above the ground so they are more difficult to disable.

Install the motion detector lights so they light all doors and windows. Doors, since they are the preferred entry point, should be the first priority to illuminate, followed by windows.

Remove bushes and shrubs from around the house, especially under windows and next to doors. Keep your yard free of overgrowth.

If you DO have shrubs and bushes, select ones with thorns to deter potential intruders from hiding in them.

Install a security alarm system with a loud alarm and/or flashing lights. This will attract the attention of neighbors. If you install an alarm, display the decals, and remember to test the system periodically.

Use common sense caution

Always lock all doors and windows when you leave the house.

Use a peephole to identify visitors before opening your door.

Do not hide spare keys outside your home, instead give one to a trusted neighbor.

Do not provide your house keys to service people.

Do not invite strangers into your home.

Do not have money or jewelry lying out in view from a window. If possible, keep jewelry and other small valuables and important documents in a safe deposit box.

Do not tell strangers your daily routines.

If you are at home working outside, leave all other doors that are out of sight locked.

Avoid telling others about the valuables in your home.

If you have children, discuss home security with them, such as not talking with strangers about their home, its contents or family schedules.

Make your home a harder target

Did you know? The average burglar will spend no more than four to five minutes trying to break into a residence.

When moving into a new residence, have the locks changed.

Consult a good locksmith to make sure you have the correct types of locks on your doors and windows.

Secure your exterior doors and any doors from attached garages by installing:

Good quality deadbolt door locks
Security-type door strikes
Strong, properly installed doors and doorframes that cannot be spread apart
Security-type hinges

Secure your windows by installing additional locks and installing impact-resistant glass on any windows within 42" of a door lock. This will make it more difficult to break the glass, reach in, and unlock the lock.

Prune lower branches of trees near your house if they could help a burglar gain access to a second story window.

Secure your patio doorwith a pin-type lock, a key lock, or a steel rod inserted into the door channel.

Secure your garage by installing automatic openers or bolt-type locks on each end of the garage doors.

Take time to become knowledgeable about your situation and your options so that you can best decide what to do. And remember, you can also ask your local police department for advice.

Inventory and mark your belongings.

Use our free resources to complete a home inventory.

Mark your belongings with an engraving pen so that they can be traced and return them to you if stolen. These pens are usually available at your local police station. Ask your police department what numbers to use when marking your belongings. Never mark them with your social security number.

Be a good neighbor

Organize a cookout or other apartment or neighborhood get together so neighbors can get to know one another.
Organize or participate in an Apartment Watch or Neighborhood Watch program.
Arrange for a local police officer to complete an apartment security survey, or educate your neighborhood about specific safety concerns.
If you are an apartment dweller, notify management if you notice burned out light bulbs, dark corridors, broken locks on mailboxes and doors and/or other safety concerns.
Call the police immediately if you see suspicious activity in your neighborhood.

Tips for your Home Inventory

Record purchase dates and serial numbers of small appliances and the following theft-prone items:

Collectibles
Antiques
Art objects
Figurines
Guns
Paintings
Clocks
Silver
Jewelry
Furs

Electrical Appliances
Lawn mowers
Power tools
Sewing machines
Vacuum cleaners

Electronic equipment
Computers
Digital cameras
Printers
Scanners
Fax machine
Stereos and MP3 players
Televisions
Video cameras
DVD players
CDs and DVDs

Musical instruments
Photography equipment
Sports equipment

Along with the description of each item, attach its receipt, if possible.
If you're making an audio or video inventory, start in one corner of the room and work your way around until the whole room has been covered.
Don't forget closets, attic and basement.
On antiques, art, jewelry, collectibles, and certain other items, appraisals are important. Always include the name and address of the appraiser.

Remember to update your inventory when you make new purchases.

When it comes to a home inventory, a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

Tips for Home Inventory Photos

Use any color camera with a flash, your home video camera, or a digital camera.

Label photos and videotapes with the dates they were taken. If appropriate, record the date of purchase, brand name and purchase price of each item on the record card next to the picture.

If you have a film camera, have your developer save the images to a disk. You can store the print copies with a copy of your inventory.

If you have a digital camera, save the images to a disk or burn a CD.

To get an overall picture, take wide-angle shots of the whole room, then take several close-ups to capture detail. Start in one corner of the room and work your way around.

Focus your flash away from mirrors and other reflective surfaces by standing at a 45-degree angle to the shiny surface.

When using a flash, try not to get closer than the recommended focus range. If you must get closer, dim the flash by placing a white handkerchief over the flash while taking the picture.

Open glass doors to prevent reflection.

A family member in the picture helps substantiate ownership.

Open closet doors to show quantity of clothing.

Take pictures of the insides of drawers with the contents fanned out.

Use a non-glare dark cloth as a background for silver, china or jewelry.

When photographing china, take a picture of the pattern name or manufacturer's signature, along with a picture of the pattern.

When photographing jewelry, angle the flash to avoid glare.

When photographing or recording collections in albums, make sure the picture includes the entire page, along with close-up shots of the most valuable items. Make sure the pictures tie in with your home in some way.

Photograph your power tools, including detailed photos of the inside of your toolbox.

If you want to take only a few pictures, either take pictures of groups of your most valuable unappraised items, or record whole rooms with your most valuable and theft-prone items prominently displayed.

Why should I have a security alarm system?

Having a security alarm system may decreases the chances of a burglary. Even if the alarm system does not keep a burglar from breaking in, it may cause the burglar to stay a shorter amount of time.

What Should a Security Alarm System Include?

Most systems rely on a combination of contacts placed at doors and windows and motion sensors.

It is best that all exterior potential points of entry have contacts that sense when they are open. Glass break sensors are also available and recommended.

Motion sensors should not be used as the primary means of detection because they do not detect someone until they are already in the house.

The basic elements of a standard home security system include:

Control panel: This is where the system wiring terminates, the backup battery is located and where it is connected to the phone lines if it is a monitored system.

Keypad: This is where the system is armed and disarmed.

Siren

Inside motion detector: These sense changes in a room caused by human presence. Special motion detectors are available for people who have pets.

Door and window contacts:; This sounds the alarm when the door or window is opened (and the system is on).

A central monitoring station (Company): If the system is monitored, and the alarm is set off, the control panel sends a message to a central monitoring station, which is manned 24 hours a day.

After attempting to contact the homeowner, the central monitoring station will contact the police, fire department, or medics.

There is usually a monthly fee for this service.

Additional items that can be added to the basic system are:

Smoke detectors

Glass break detectors

Panic buttons

Pressure mats for under rugs

Closed circuit TV to allow monitoring and/or recording inside or outside a home.

Alarm screens for windows.

Costs

Costs of systems vary. Many security companies offer the systems for free - in exchange for long-term monitoring contracts.

Monitored System or Unmonitored System?

Monitored systems typically work as follows:

The security system senses something.
The security system waits 30 to 45 seconds to give the homeowner a chance to deactivate the system to prevent false alarms.
If the alarm is not deactivated the security system sends a message to the monitoring company over telephone lines.
The monitoring company receives the message and verifies the alarm, generally by placing a phone call to the home. If they do not receive the proper password or do not receive an answer, they call the police.
The police respond.

Unmonitored systems typically have on-site alarms and/or flashing lights. It relies on neighbors to call police.

Neighbors or passersby should never investigate an alarm themselves.

With an unmonitored system, it is best to have a combination of strobe lights and alarms. They should be located on the street side of the house and in an inaccessible spot as possible. It is best to discuss the installation with your neighbors and to place the siren and flashing light on the house where it can be easily seen.

How to choose an alarm company

Choosing an alarm company can be confusing and the technology complicated. Here are some suggestions:

Check with friends or neighbors for recommendations on reliable companies.

Find out how quickly the alarm company will install your system after purchase. See if the company sells systems faster than they can install them.

Determine how quickly they respond to requests for service after installation. Ask for references from some of their customers who have required service and call and talk to these people.

Ask about warranties.

Obtain quotes from at least three different companies.

Ask the alarm company what screening they do when hiring their alarm installers and salespeople. You want a company that screens for criminal backgrounds/records, etc.

Call your local police department and ask how long it takes them to respond to a home security system alarm. Don't be surprised if the estimated response time is as long as an hour. Also ask if there are any fines for false alarms.

Lastly, when comparing prices remember to compare detection coverage and features. Not all alarms are created equal.

Things to Remember About Security Alarm Systems

Burglars realize most security systems sound inside the house and then the alarm is transferred to remote locations through the telephone lines.

Most phone lines are typically exposed on the outside of the house in an easily accessible location where the phone line can be cut. If the telephone line is cut, the security alarm system cannot notify the central monitoring station of the break-in.

If the phone line is run underground until it is inside the home (with the main telephone junction box inside the home), the thief cannot tamper with the telephone line until after he or she has broken in.

Having a protected phone line to your house is a good idea whether you have a security alarm system or not.

Remember: Security systems do not prevent thieves from breaking into homes.

A good security plan should include strong window, door and lock products and good security habits.

9. Buildings or Uses Other Than for Residential Purposes; Noxious Activities; Miscellaneous
(c) No truck (except standard three-fourths (3/4) ton or smaller noncommercial pickup trucks) or commercial vehicle shall be parked, left stored on any Lot or street for more than an eight-hour period. No vehicle in inoperable condition or any trailer, mobile home, bus, van, camper, recreational vehicle, boat, boat trailer or other mobile apparatus of any nature or kind whatsoever (other than personal automobiles and standard ¾ ton or smaller noncommercial pickup trucks) shall be parked, left or stored on any lot or street for more than a 24-hour period except in an enclosed garage. Motorized vehicles shall not be operated on any Common Area, other than in the street.

(g)No sign of any kind shall be displayed to the public view on the real estate, except for one sign not more than 5 feet square, advertising the property for sale by the homeowner, realtor or builder during the construction or sale period.

11. Landscaping and Lawns.
Prior to the occupancy, and in all events within nine (9) months following commencement of construction of the residence, the Owner thereof shall sod all front lawn areas and otherwise landscape the Lot to the same standards as those generally prevailing throughout the District in accordance with plans approved by the Architectural Committee. No vegetable gardens shall be permitted. The Owner of each Lot shall keep the lawn neat, clean and uniformly mowed and clipped to a reasonable and attractive height and shall properly maintain and replace all trees and landscaping.

The City will no longer deliver bags to resident’s yards. Look for your voucher in the mail to obtain your black trash and blue recycling bags. This new program is an effort to save cost on thousands of bags that go unused each year. You can help us reduce costs by redeeming the voucher only when you need additional bags...help us reduce our carbon footprint!

Guidelines for redeeming your vouchers:
• You will receive one voucher to redeem for black trash bags and one to redeem for blue recycling bags.
• Take your voucher to one of the local retail stores listed on the reverse side.
• You will not be charged for the bags, but you must have a voucher to receive your bags at no charge.
• Vouchers are redeemable one time only, as they are tracked by barcode and therefore can not be duplicated.
• If you need additional blue recycling bags, contact Phoenix Recycling and another voucher will be mailed to you at no cost (does not apply to black trash bags).
• You will receive vouchers each April, August and December, around the 10th of the month.

Questions about the voucher system may be directed to Phoenix Recycling at 1-800-866-3954, or Click here for link to Request Form at Phoenix Recycling if you did not receive your voucher.

Bag vouchers are redeemable at these local merchants:
• Gerbes Supermarket
1729 W. Broadway
205 E. Nifong
2900 Paris Road
• Hy-Vee, 3100 W. Broadway
• Moser’s Discount Foods, 705 Business Loop 70
• Patricia’s Foods, 900 N. Keene
• Schnuck’s Supermarket, 1400 Forum Blvd.
• Wal-Mart Supercenters
3001 W. Broadway
1201 Grindstone Parkway
415 Conley Avenue
• Westlake Ace Hardware, 1910 W. Worley
(Eastgate IGA was originally on this list, but no longer participates)

Why not ask them to verify, in writing, that the service is available and can be installed at your house? And tell them, then you'll look over their prices and make the choice. LETTING THEM VERIFY THE SERVICE IS AVALABLE AT THEIR EXPENSE ON THEIR TIME BEFORE THEY PROMISE THE PRODUCT SEEMS TO BE A MORE BUSINESS LIKE WAY TO DO BUSINESS. But that is just my opinion and you are welcome to share yours.

A Summary of Its Primary Covenants & Restrictions

U S E R E S T R I C T I O N S