| Your Property |
- Use a combination padlock on all storage units. Check the unit periodically to make sure nothing has been disturbed.
- Don’t mark your key chain with your name, address and license number. Lost keys can lead to theft. Take care of keys; don’t give anyone the chance to duplicate them.
- Engrave all valuable personal property with your name and social security number. Keep a detailed list of all valuables and serial numbers.
- Move valuables out of view from windows and doors.
- Lock your vehicle at all times.
- Copy all important papers and cards that you carry in your purse or wallet, including your driver’s license. Keep the copies in a safe place. The information will be invaluable if anything is stolen or lost.
- Copy your vehicle ID and tag number. If your vehicle is stolen, it cannot be entered into the nationwide law enforcement network without this information.
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| At Home |
- Keep doors and windows locked at all times, even if you are only away for a few minutes. Do not "prop open" doors in residence halls.
- Be assertive and demand that any unwanted person in your residence leave, or leave yourself. Anyone who refuses to leave is a trespasser. If you live in a women’s residence hall, report any unescorted males to security.
- Make sure hallways, entrances, garages, and grounds are well lit. Leave porch lights on all night. Keep blinds and curtains shut after dark and never dress in front of a window. When you expect to return after dark, leave an interior light on with the shades drawn. If you live on campus, report any malfunctioning light to the physical plant.
- Know who is at your door before you open it. Campus staff carry identification and solicitors are not allowed on campus. Require proper identification from any repair or utility people. If you live off campus, install a peephole in your front door.
- Make calls for strangers who want to use your phone. Don’t open your door or let them in.
- List initials and last names only on your mailbox or door and in the telephone book. Don’t leave your name on your door or answering machine if you live alone. Don’t have the recording state you are away or when you will return.
- Get to know your neighbors. If you live off campus, join a neighborhood watch system and share information on suspicious circumstances.
- When you go home on breaks, have someone pick up your mail, newspaper, etc. Install timers and leave on all outside lights. Make your residence appear "lived in."
- If you come home and see a broken window or a jimmied door, don’t go inside. Confronting a burglar can be dangerous. Phone police immediately.
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| Away From Home |
- Walk or jog with a friend. Avoid jogging after dark. If you must jog at night, stay in well- lit, well-traveled areas.<
- Carry a whistle and don’t hesitate to use it to alert others you need help. Vary your pattern frequently.
- Don’t wear headphones when jogging or biking. They significantly reduce your ability to hear and thus your awareness.
- Tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
- Don’t fight back if your purse or wallet is snatched. Throw it in one direction and run in the other rather than risk personal injury. Call the police immediately.
- Be careful when and where you patronize ATM machines. Accessing ATM cash machines in remote locations, particularly at night, could increase your risk of robbery and personal injury. While you are standing at the machine, keep turning around and scanning for people approaching you or lingering around.
- Avoid working or studying alone in a building other than your residence at night.
- Stand and walk tall with a brisk, purposeful stride. Make brief eye contact with someone who makes you feel uneasy to let them know that you see them and are not afraid, but don’t stare too long or prolong your glance.
- Trust your instincts.
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| In Your Car |
- Check the back seat before entering.
- Keep vehicle doors locked at all times, even when driving in daylight, so no one can jump in at a red light.
- Be suspicious of people approaching your car asking for directions, or change, or handing out flyers.
- When stopping in traffic, leave enough distance between your car and the one in front of you, so you can quickly pull away if necessary.
- If another driver bumps your car or your tire goes flat, keep the doors and windows closed and wait for police to arrive, or slowly drive to the nearest police station.
- Keep enough gas in your tank for emergencies.
- Don’t offer rides to anyone you don’t know, even if he or she claims to be a student.
- Honk your horn if someone suspicious approaches your vehicle.
- If your car breaks down, lift the hood, put on flashers, and wait inside the car for help with the doors locked. Ask people who stop to call the police or AAA. Don’t go with anyone.
- Don’t stop for stranded motorists. You are of greater help to them by calling the police.
- Keep valuables in the trunk of your vehicle, not on the seats.
- Park your car in well-lit areas.
- Remove all keys from your vehicle. Thieves look for keys under fenders and in magnetic key cases. Walk with your keys in hand.
- Remember to buckle up. It’s the law in Alabama.
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| At Work |
- Avoid working or studying alone in a building at night.
- When working late, make sure doors are locked.
- Keep your purse in a locked cabinet or drawer. Never leave it on or underneath a desk.
- Avoid using stairs in remote sections of the building.
- Do not hold the door open for strangers after normal business hours.
- Ask people you don’t recognize if you can help them.
- Report suspicious activity to campus police.
- Be careful what you leave on your desk and on your computer screen when you step away from your desk.
- Keep passwords in secure places.
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It is very important for you to have a plan if an attacker tries to steal your bag, attack you from behind, or your car breaks down at night, etc. Knowing how you would handle situations if you should ever have to face an attacker could save your life. Always be on your guard.
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