MBPD Tips for a Safe Holiday

The Morro Bay Police Department shared some helpful ideas to keep the Grinch at bay during the holidays.
Tips for keeping packages safe from
theft during holiday season:
• Send packages to a secure location (work, PO Box),
• Use delivery instructions when available such as; leave behind front gate or, around a corner out of sight,
• Track your packages and be ready for their arrival,
• Require a signature,
• Install a front door security camera and post a sign warning that your property is under surveillance.
Tips for keeping your home and property safe:
• Keep driveways and yards free from debris and clutter, trim trees and bushes for clear lines of sight from inside the home and while approaching your home,
• Using motion lights to alert when someone or something enters your property,
• Use surveillance cameras for monitoring or purchase a monitored security system,
• Install a smart doorbell,
• Install and use window locks,
• Lock and secure all doors,
• Do not leave your garage door opener inside your vehicle that is not parked inside your garage.
Neighborhood watch type information,
keeping an eye our for your neighbors
The Morro Bay Neighborhood Watch Program is a non-profit organization that is part of the National Neighborhood Watch program that empowers citizens to become active in community efforts to keep their neighborhoods safe from crime, criminal elements, traffic safety concerns, and other quality of life issues. Neighborhood Watch is designed to bring neighbors together to help each resident feel safe and encourages neighbors to contact the police if something doesn’t seem right either in the neighborhood or maybe at a particular neighbors home. In a well organized neighborhood watch neighborhood, a person looking to do harm will feel exposed and seen by the residents and will generally leave to look for a less monitored neighborhood.
• Reporting things that don’t look right, hotline tips.
• If something does not look right, contact the police department. In an emergency the number is always 911. Non-emergencies the number is (805)772-6225 and press * for dispatch. When reporting suspicious activity please remember that the simple appearance of a person is not in and of itself suspicious. Race, age, gender, does not establish suspicious activity. When calling the police for suspicious activity please remember to provide a clear description of the actions and activities of the person(s) causing you to believe their behavior is suspicious. For example, hiding from approaching vehicles, knocking on doors asking for odd things or people, sitting inside of a vehicle for an extended period of time, checking residential doors or vehicle doors to see if they are locked, walking in and out of yards, sitting in a driveway of your neighbors home who is out of town, removing items from a home and you don’t see the owner of the residence around.
• Leaving a tip on a tip line does not generate an immediate response. Tips are great if they are something that can be followed up on after the fact. In progress crimes should be called into dispatch for an officer to respond immediately. MBPD has a tip line on our website as well as our mobile app. SLO Crime Stoppers is also available for crime tips at (805)549-STOP or online at http://sanluisobispocounty.crimestoppersweb.com/sitemenu.aspx?ID=805&