ATM Safety Tips

A customer using an ATM at a Folly Road bank office was robbed Friday night, the second such robbery at the same bank in as many days. About 9:10 p.m., two men approached a woman who had made a withdrawal from the ATM at the Bank of America branch office on Folly Road, said Charles Francis, Charleston police public information officer. At least one of the men was armed with a handgun. The men demanded that the woman turn over her cash and cell phone, and she complied.

ATM ROBBERY FACTS

ATMs are a great convenience, but they can compromise your safety if you are not careful. A robber looking for easy prey only has to stake out an ATM in a low-traffic, dimly lit area and bide his time. As all categories of theft are on the rise across the nation, we’re providing these ATM safety tips to help protect you, your account and your life. Remember, ATM theft can occur two ways – unauthorized withdrawals from an account or the physical theft of cash as a person completes a transaction.

Most bank ATM robberies occur at night between 7pm and midnight when the machine only produces 10% of the daily transactions. Between 7pm and 4am, the ATMs handle only 11% of the total daily transactions but suffer 60% of the crime.

ATM SAFETY TIPS

 

1. As always be mindful of your surroundings. Don’t select an ATM at the corner of a building — corners create a blind spot. Do your automated banking in a public, well-lighted, high traffic locations that is free of shrubbery and decorative partitions or dividers.
   
2. Maintain an awareness of your surroundings throughout the entire transaction. Be wary of people trying to help you with ATM transactions. Be aware of anyone sitting in a parked car nearby. When leaving an ATM make sure you are not being followed. If you are followed or think you are, drive immediately to a police or fire station, or to a crowded, well-lighted location or business.
   
3. If lights around the ATM are not working, don’t use that machine
   
4. Do not use an ATM that appears unusual looking or offers options with which you are not familiar or comfortable. There are machines that thieves stick on top of ATM machines called skimmers that steal your banking information
   
5. When using a walk-up ATM, park as close as you can to the machine. Before leaving the safety of your car, check for suspicious persons or circumstances. Have your ATM card ready before you approach the machine
   
6. Use your body to block the view of your transaction. Especially as you enter your PIN and take your cash. If necessary, ask a person to leave, even if that person is just curious. If the ATM is in use, give the person using the machine the same privacy you expect. Allow them to move away from the ATM before you approach the machine. Having a friend with you is also beneficial.
   
7. Do not wear expensive jewelry or take other valuables to the ATM. This is an added incentive to the robber.
   
8. Never count cash at the machine or in public. Wait until you are in your locked car or another secure place.
   
9. When using a drive-up ATM, keep your engine running, your doors locked and leave enough room to maneuver between your car and the one ahead of you in the drive-up line.
   
10. Beware of a car that ‘accidentally’ bumps into yours, if you are at a drive-up ATM, and have gotten your cash (SEE: Bump and Crime)
    
11. Maintain a supply of deposit envelopes at home or in your car. Prepare all transaction paperwork prior to your arrival at the ATM. This will minimize the amount of time spent at the machine.
    
12. Many of the new ATM’s will take your cash or check without envelopes, so be extra careful especially if you are depositing cash. If possible do these transactions inside a bank.
    
13. Closely monitor your bank statements, as well as your balances, and immediately report any problems to your bank.
    
14. If you are involved in a confrontation with an armed robber who demands your money, COMPLY. Your cash is not worth your life.
    
15. Some banks offer secure ATM’s that can only be accessed with a bank card. If you have the opportunity, use these. If possible, have someone go with you to the ATM.
    
16. Do not leave your car running or the keys in the ignition as you walk up to an ATM. As you return after your transaction, have your car keys and your pepper spray ready and check around and under your vehicle.
    
17. If there are other people at the ATM you want to use, remain in your car with the doors locked and widows up until they leave, or go to another ATM.
    
18. When using a drive-up ATM, keep your doors locked and windows up until you are ready to use the machine, Keep cash, checks, or money bags out of sight until you are ready for your transaction.
    

 PepperEyes.com is dedicated to providing you with the best personal protection products on the market to meet the security needs of you, your family members or your business, by assisting anyone who is unwilling to become a victim of crime.  If you want to take personal responsibility for yourself, your home or your business, buy our high quality discount personal protection products and arm yourself with the knowledge of the best way to stay secure in an ever-increasing violent world. In today’s society being equipped mentally and physically is no longer an option. 

A Good Way to Stop a Home Invasion

Just in the last few days I’ve seen a number of news stories concerning home invasions. It seems to be the crime of choice any more.

Here is a sample of a few of them.

1. Resident kills intruder in Puyallup home invasion
2. Residents tied up in Ft. Bend County home invasion
3. Tacoma man turns shotgun on home invaders, kills one
4. One man killed in reported home-invasion robbery in Pierce County

As recently as a few years ago the term ‘home invasion’ was rarely heard of.. By way of explanation “home invasion” is a term coined by police departments to describe a home burglary when the residents are home. As you may know most burglaries happen when the residents are not home.

Since the possibility of a confrontation is drastically heightened, the odds of injury or death or injury to the residents are high. That’s what is so scary about these crimes-the very real possibility of assault, injury, rape, or even death to you and members of your inner sanctum-your family. Imagine you are at home for the evening, sitting in your chair listening to the news, and all of a sudden your door is kicked in at your staring at a thug with a gun. This is happening more and more each week.

The Cold Facts

According to the FBI, every 12 seconds a home is invaded by going right through the front or back door.

According to most crime data, one of the main targets for this crime are elderly or physically disabled citizens. Criminals who commit home invasions often target the weak and unprepared. They often use a weapon such as a knife or other cutting instruments to intimidate or even assault their victims. While in most cases this is the intended crime to be committed, in several cases home invasions occurs with the intent to commit a rape, an assault or even a murder. Money and expensive belongings may be the motivation behind most break-ins, but sometimes it is a secondary intention of criminals. Because the reasons, methods and intentions of home invasions are so varied it can be difficult to define reliable statistics on the crime. According to a report by the United States Department of Justice, 38% of assaults and 60% of rapes occur in the home during an invasion.

Common Tactics

There are different methods used to gain entry in a typical home invasion to be aware of, which I have cover in previous blogs (Knock, Knock – Home Invasion Tips). For instance, a perpetrator may use deception as their way to get into someone’s home. This type of invasion usually takes place during the day or early evening. . Once you open your door to them, the perpetrator smashes their way into the home.

 Another more abrupt method is to simply use force to gain entry. In this scenario, the home invader approaches a doorway and proceeds to kick the door in. A solid kick aimed just below or above the doorknob will often break open most doors, even those with a dead-bolt installed.

A more traditional approach is when the invasion starts out similar to a break and enter. The assailant uses a lock pick or pry bar to defeat a door or window lock, then slips into the house and surprises the homeowner in another room. These methods can take place at anytime day or night

It’s doesn’t have to be

According to my crime experts, the average burglar will spend no more than 2 minutes trying to get in. Just think about that. If you can find a way to keep a robber out of your residence for two minutes chances are pretty good they’ll find another target. As we stated earlier, most home invasions happen right thru the front door. Seriously! Either the residents open the door or the door is forced open. No matter-THE FRONT DOOOR, If you have a peephole – use it! If you don’t install one!

We no longer live in a world where you can have your doors open or unlocked when you are home. You can no longer just open the door when someone knocks or rings the bell. Once you open the door an inch or two it doesn’t take much to force it open all the way.

Make sure you have a peephole, dead-bolt locks, or a door stop that you actually lock and if possible solid hardwood doors. Lastly, your residenceshould have at least two maybe three locations (one by the front door) where you keep non lethal self-defense weapons such as pepper sprays, stun guns, or maybe even a Taser.

Remember that the home intruder, like the burglar, has three big enemies light, sound, and time. The more obstacles you can put in his way the safer your home will be. For sure keep your front door locked and don’t open it until you know who it is.

See also

• Knock, Knock – Whos There?

• Introducing the Ultimate Lock

• Knock, Knock – Home Invasion Tips

• HOME INVASIONS – Part 1 – What you should know.

PepperEyes.com is dedicated to providing you with the best personal protection products on the market to meet the security needs of you, your family members or your business, by assisting anyone who is unwilling to become a victim of crime.  If you want to take personal responsibility for yourself, your home or your business, buy our high quality discount personal protection products and arm yourself with the knowledge of the best way to stay secure in an ever-increasing violent world. In today’s society being equipped mentally and physically is no longer an option.    

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What should you do during a Burglary? – Part 1

With the holidays coming, people will begin to window shop. This includes burglars.

The following situation can place you in a position of life and death during a burglary. Carefully read the situation and know what you should do if you find yourself in any of these circumstances. Remember your reaction to the situation can determine the outcome.

 

SITUATION: You are in bed or sleeping and you are awakened by a burglar in your bedroom.

What should you do?

Since you have no idea what the burglar has in his hands it would be unwise of you to let them know that you are awake. Don’t make any sound or sudden movement –it is considered unwise to confront the burglar.

Pretend you are still asleep and have not been awakened by the burglar. You can try to sneak a peek so that you can identify them. Let the burglar grab their loot and go. Never run after them or chase after them. As soon as possible call the police.

There are several things you could have done to prevent them, these are covered in our home invasion series.

SEE ALSO

HOME INVASIONS – Part 1 – What you should know.

Using Your Car Alarm as a Protection Device and other Tips

 

 

 

PepperEyes.com is dedicated to providing you with the best personal protection products on the market to meet the security needs of you, your family members or your business, by assisting anyone who is unwilling to become a victim of crime.  If you want to take personal responsibility for yourself, your home or your business, buy our high quality discount personal protection products and arm yourself with the knowledge of the best way to stay secure in an ever-increasing violent world. In today’s society being equipped mentally and physically is no longer an option.