By Scott Harvey
Pecan Gap – The newly formed Community Crime Watch program in Delta County is gaining momentum as residents plan to meet Tuesday night in Pecan Gap.
The program, established last month, is working to create a rotating call and email list to let residents know of any crimes that occur. This list will also be used for weather emergencies.
The big push is for the sale of 18" x 24" metal signs that show the Crime Watch logo and Delta County Sheriff's phone number. Checks are payable to Executive Persuasion and can be picked up at Duncan Insurance Agency in Cooper.
Tuesday's meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Pecan Gap Community Center.
The Community Crime Watch program has issued a flyer to area residents with a number of crime watch tips. Those tips are as follows:
- Engrave all items with ID # (drivers license #, etc)
- Make a list of all serial numbers & model numbers of valuables
- Take pictures of valuables of insurance purposes
- Post Crime Watch signs & No Trespassing signs
- Mark your trees with purple paint (international sign for no trespassing)
- Lock your doors, gates, windows and outside buildings at all times
- Lock your vehicle doors and farm machinery
- Ask your postman, UPS, Fed Ex, garbage collectors, school bus driver and utility service people to report anything suspicious at 903-395-2146
- Get to know your neighbors and their phone numbers
- Consider indoor and outdoor light, alarm systems, turn on radio and barking dogs
- Have a gun and know how to use it
- Make property look inhabited by keeping vehicle in year, times on lights, etc.
- Collect newspapers and mail regularly
- Do not announce vacation plans
- Public announcements of weddings, funerals and graduations attract burglars
- Don't leave your purse or valuables in your vehicle
- Understand your insurance policy coverage for theft
- Avoid placing home photos on facebook and the internet