When you, or someone you know, experiences a crime or incident in the Cottonwood areas, please report it on this website!!! This is an interactive website designed for your use. Just email Susan Botticelli at sbotticelli@att.net with the information and she will post it here! Thanks for sharing information on what crimes are happening in our neighborhood to help all of us be more aware!

June 16, 2010
VEHICLE BURGLARY - 1800 BLOCK DONAHUE DRIVE

Just so you know....My husband was going to work at 4:00 a.m. yesterday and caught the two guys breaking into a mini van two houses down from us. He tried to stop them, but they got what they were after and were gone...the alarm on the mini-van was going off too. So someone is casing the area first and then coming back to get what they feel is worth the chance. Be careful and as we already know, don't leave anything of value in plain site. I think I already told you about our son getting his rear license plate stolen off his truck already.

http://www.crimemapping.com/DetailedReport.aspx?db=6/14/2010 00:00:00&de=6/14/2010 23:59:00&ccs=AR,AS,BU,DP,DR,DU,FR,HO,VT,RO,SX,TH,VA,VB,WE&xmin=-13015468.148267187&ymin=3862795.443682385&xmax=-13014620.772148814&ymax=3863075.513731375

March 30,2010

NEW SCAM ALERT

Type: U.S. Census Scam

Method of Delivery: In Person

Primary Region Effected: All Regions (National)

Source: Better Business Bureau (www.BBB.org)

Scam Characteristics:
Beginning March of this year the U.S. Census Bureau's will send out a short questionnaire to every household in the U.S. and Puerto Rico in an effort to collect important demographic data. As a citizen, you are required by law to respond to the 10 short questions. From April to July, those that haven't completed their census will receive a visit at their home address from a census taker..

Identity criminals are taking advantage of the census law and targeting unsuspecting victims in an attempt to steal sensitive information. The scams perpetrated range from fraudulent emails designed to obtain sensitive information to attempts to impersonate census collectors.

Most Citizens don't think twice about sharing personal information with a census worker, and that's why these scams can be very effective. It's important to remember there are distinct differences between a real census worker and an identity thief posing as a census worker.

U.S. Census workers will have identification, a handheld device and a confidentiality notice. But these things can be easily fabricated, so it's important to know what census workers will not do:

•They will not ask for your Social Security number or financial information, e.g. bank or credit card accounts.

•They will not ask you for money or say that you owe money.

•They will not harass or intimidate you.

•They will not contact you by email- only by phone, by mail, or in person.

For more information on this scam or variations of it visit the Social Security Administration’s website at www.ssa.gov. Use the search function and enter keywords 'email scam'.

It is recommended that you follow universal safety rules-- even with U.S. Census workers. For example, avoid inviting strangers into your home, and be suspicious when someone asks for your personal and sensitive information.

To learn more about the 2010 Census and U.S. Census workers, call (800) 923-8282 or visit them online at www.2010census.gov.

ALERT #: 201001-4

March 3, 2010

NEW County Curfew Aims To Keep Kids Safe

Beginning next month, young people in the unincorporated areas of the region will need to be home by 10 p.m. following a unanimous decision of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today. Supervisor Dianne Jacob urged turning back the curfew from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m. to make the County consistent with other cities and keep young people safe.

The curfew will apply to all those under 18 loitering in public places without permission from a parent or guardian. It won’t apply to minors at or heading home from sanctioned events.

Jacob joined forces with District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and Sheriff Bill Gore to advocate for the earlier curfew. The three officials said the move will stop young people from seeking out jurisdictions with later curfews to stage parties. Jacob said the change will especially help crack down on gang-related activity in the Spring Valley area.

“I can tell you firsthand that Sherriff’s deputies need this important tool to make communities safer,” Jacob said, describing a scene she witnessed during a recent curfew sweep in Spring Valley. Jacob said deputies and probation officers lacked the authority to break up a large party outside an apartment complex at 10:30 p.m. The group included suspected gang members.

“Statistics reveal that the hour between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. is prime crime time for kids. By enforcing the earlier curfew we can ensure that kids are exactly where their families believe them to be,” Jacob said. “For kids that are in the wrong place, we’re working with law enforcement, community groups and faith-based organizations to put them on a path to better behavior.”

Local statistics suggest that the enforcement of an earlier curfew will lessen the number of crimes against juveniles and especially target violent crimes. More than 43 percent of curfew violations within the Sherriff’s jurisdiction occur on Friday and Saturday night, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

The cities of San Diego, El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee have 10 p.m. curfews. The County plans to contact cities with 11:00 p.m. curfews to request the earlier hour.

# # #


Jennifer Stone
Communications Advisor
Office of Supervisor Dianne Jacob
County of San Diego
619.531.5522

January 2010
SHERIFF ANNOUNCES ZERO TOLERANCE FOR TEEN DRINKING AND DRIVING

Sheriff William D. Gore is announcing a new program designed to keep teen drivers safer when on the roadways.

“Lose your license, lose your car, lose your life,” is the message behind re-enforced patrols, curfew checks, teens driving with unauthorized persons in their cars, texting, cell-phone usage, and all other unsafe driving practices.

“The recent deaths involving teens drinking and driving were entirely preventable,” commented Sheriff Gore, referring to several local fatalities involving teens driving under the influence. “By enhancing patrols, working with our law enforcement partners, and focusing on teen drivers, we hope to be an active partner in reducing accidents, preventing deaths, and educating parents.”

Additionally, when underage minors are in private homes drinking alcohol and driving away, the Social Host Ordinance may come into play. Those who provide alcohol to children may also suffer consequences for their actions.

Sheriff Gore explained, “We wanted to send a clear, definitive message to parents and teens this holiday season and beyond. When you knowingly violate the law, there are consequences. We are looking for you.”

AUGUST 2009

PROTECTING THE GREATEST GENERATION
Read this complete article

APRIL 2009

WARNING! THEIVES BREAKING INTO CARS THEN GAINING ACCESS TO THE HOME

It has been reported in April 2009 by a Sheriff that Rancho San Diego is experiencing a lot of breakins to autos parked outside the garage. Thieves are stealing anything of value so you must take all valuables out of your car every night. This only invites trouble!

More importantly, thieves are taking the garage door openers from the autos and using that to immediately enter the property, or waiting for another more opportune time to ransack the home. TAKE YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPENERS OUT OF YOUR CARS WHEN THEY ARE PARKED IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME AT NIGHT!

February 19, 2009

Purse Stolen - Home Burglarized . . . Supermarket Safety/Security Reminder

A Monarch Ridge Resident had their purse stolen out of their basket at Vons located on Chase and Avocado on February 19, 2009. Before they were able to return home the thief had burglarized their home. They filed a report at the Market and had the El Cajon Police Crime Unit to their home taking all the evidence left by the thief. Their credit card had been used for Gasoline and at a San Diego Target before they could report the incident. The thief was caught on video tape taking the purse at the Vons; described as a women in her late 20's, early 30's wearing a large jacket.

NOTIFY COUNTY WHEN YOU SEE GRAFITTI IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

On property owned by the county call: 858.874.4030

On Private Property call Code Enforcement: 858.694.2705 - Please leave address and Parcel # on the message along with your contact information.

Home Robberies Reported November 2008

There have been several home robberies lately in our general area of Steele Canyon homes. The robber’s pull into the driveway in either a van or pick-up truck disguised to look like a normal worker/repair man. Neighbors have seen the vehicles in their neighbor’s driveway, but haven’t thought anything was out of the ordinary.

One of their main targets has been stealing computers. The thieves are not after the computer itself, but the information on the computer. In one robbery, they only took the hard drive out of the computer. Maybe most of you already have your computer in a safe mode: with personal, confidential and financial data either stored separately or inaccessible. However, I though it might be a good idea to pass the word to consider keeping your confidential information off of your computer’s hard drive or very secure. External hard drives are very inexpensive storage devices, or information can always be burned to a CD or DVD… maybe someone else may have additional suggestions to share with us all.

Anyway, be careful: the bad guys are in our neighborhood and are trying to steal our personal information…

Al ..

Neurologists say that if they can get to a stroke victim within three (3) hours, the effects of a stroke can be reversed...totally. They said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and getting to the patient within three (3) hours, which is tough.

Read More on this Topic

How To Identify A Stroke!

After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

Click Here for the 9 Tips

Advice on Keeping Your Credit and ID Information Safe!

1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'

2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card Accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.

3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home Phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.

4. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to Call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a Photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards. Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my Wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(S) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card Numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an Investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)

7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc., has been stolen

1.) Equifax: 800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 888-397-3742

3.) Trans Union : 800-6807289

4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line):800-269-0271