Neighborhood Watch Alerts

As we all gear up to enjoy this nice warm weekend, I want to send out our annual reminders about solicitors.   As the weather gets nicer, we start to see more calls to police about aggressive or unlicensed solicitors.  I’ve already taken a few calls and emails as well.  The answers to the questions I’ve taken plus more information is below. 

 

Boise Police want to remind residents to be cautious of suspicious or aggressive door-to-door solicitors.  In some cases, offenders pose as solicitors or delivery people, knocking on doors to determine if anyone is home.  If no one answers, the criminal could then move to the back of the home (out of sight from the street), and locate an unlocked window or force their way in.  If someone answers the door, they may pose as a legitimate company or act as if they have the wrong address.

 

 

All Boise City door-to-door solicitors must be licensed by the City and display their official license when interacting with home owners. Boise City Solicitors Licenses have the individual's name, picture, and the Boise City logo.

 

Representatives from non-profit 501c(3) organizations (certain charities), local service groups such as Boy or Girl Scouts, and political groups are not required to have a city license.  However, even if a solicitor claims to be a non-profit organization you should still ask for identification to confirm they are an actual representative, and if you feel threatened, call 911 immediately.  Solicitors are allowed to engage in their licensed business only between 9:00 a.m. and one hour after sunset unless located in a commercially zoned area.

 

NOTE:  A flyer taped to the door or slid under a doormat where no actual selling has occurred is considered advertising and not soliciting.  However, if the person handing out the flyers engages in conversation trying to sell the product or service, it would then change their role into a solicitor and a license would be required.

 

Crime Prevention Tips:

 

During the Daytime:

 

Solicitors operate all year and calls regarding non-licensed solicitors are common.  Education will help you, your family and your neighborhood stay safe from crime.  For more information, please contact the Office of the City Clerk, Boise Licensing at (208) 972-8150 or visit https://www.sterlingcodifiers.com/Boise,ID to review the Boise City Code on Solicitors.

Spring is here!!!  Each spring many of us taken on our annual spring cleaning, whether it is cleaning up our yards and flower beds, garages and shed, or closets and around the house. 

 

 

Trim trees and shrubs to maximize visibility around your property.  Trim trees so the lowest foliage is 6-7 feet above the ground.  Trim shrubs to a maximum height of 2 feet.  So you don’t have to worry about measurement, keep branches trimmed above your head and shrubs below your knees.

 

 

Curb It Boise has many collection sites and times to dispose of hazardous household chemicals, old paint, electronics, and many other items.  Check out the link below for more information or see the attached flyer for household waste collection information.

 

 

Spring cleaning is also a good excuse to properly dispose of unused or expired medications.  The DEA typically schedules take back events at different locations around Ada County in late April.  However you don’t have to wait for these events to dispose of medications.  All police departments in Ada County have a medication drop off bin that is available to the public during open business hours.  See the flyers in the links below for locations and other details.

 

 

Happy spring!

Vehicle burglaries are a crime we receive reports on year round.  However as the weather gets warmer and the days longer, we can see an increase in these types of crimes.  See the attached map for all burglary reports taken by officers in February.

 

In residential areas we still encourage everyone to lock their car doors and remove valuable items, especially when parking overnight.

 

If you are parking at recreation areas, parks, trailheads, or even at your gym, we have taken reports of individuals targeting these parking lots for daytime thefts.  In some instances they have been breaking car windows if they know a purse or wallet is inside.  In these places we encourage you to only take what you need for your trip and take it with you.  Don't leave wallets or purses in your car.

The City has been trying to communicate out information on the condition of the foothills trails to prevent as much damage as they can to users on muddy trails.  I included a link below to the Ridge to Rivers webpage that discusses trail conditions.  If you are considering getting out for a walk, the Greenbelt might be a better option until things dry out.

 

Ridge to Rivers:

 

Last but certainly not least, with scams continuing to victimize many in our community, we have been trying to put out more information to education on scams and how to recognize.  The link below was for last week, talking about a few recent scams.  For more information on scam, look for our updates on the Boise Police webpage. 

 

Happy holidays to everyone.  As we start to see some snow and with many preparing for traveling around Christmas, officers from our Motors unit wanted to share a few simple trips for winter driving.

 

  Pre Trip (Before you go):

             - Check your tires/make sure there is good tread 

             - Check your wiper blades/washer fluid to keep windows clear

             - Scrape windows before you leave

 

  On the road tips:

             - If roads are snow covered/slick, avoid using cruise control

             - Plan ahead and leave earlier than normal

             - Increase following distance on the road, even if you have an SUV or all-wheel drive

             - Always buckle up!

             - SLOW DOWN!

With freezing temperatures in the mornings, we see more people warming up their cars in the drive way while waiting inside their homes for the vehicle to heat up.  Each year we get reports of vehicles being stolen from this practice.  A few years back we made quick prevention video on the topic. (VIDEO LINK https://www.facebook.com/BoisePoliceDepartment/videos/2828026787485446/)  Your two options to prevent your vehicle from being stolen are to keep it locked while it is warming up, or better yet, stay inside the vehicle.  A few minutes in the cold is a small price to pay to prevent your vehicle from being stolen.

In an effort to show transparency and accountability, the Boise Police Department Crime Prevention Unit is developing dashboards on different measurable data.  As many of you like to keep up on what crime is happening in your area, the dashboard link below shows information about incidents responded to by the Boise Police Department in different areas of the City.  The dashboard is interactive, allowing you to select specific incident categories and date ranges going back to January 1, 2017.  The dashboard includes a map of each area along with a breakdown by day and hour.

 

 

Let the Boise Police Department know what you think and what other police data dashboards you would like to see by answering a few questions at this link:

With the cooler weather, many of us will be heading out to local trails, golf courses, and other outdoor recreational areas.  Whenever you park and head out on the trail be sure lock your car and remove any personal items from sight.   In the last month, BPD has responded to multiple vehicle burglaries or vehicle vandalism reports at or near trailheads.  In some cases the vehicles were unlocked, in others, the suspects broke into the vehicle to remove the items. Stolen items include purses and electronics.  We encourage you to not leave valuables behind in your vehicle. Take it with you or leave your wallet/purse at home and only take the essentials you need like a driver’s license and keys. Please report any suspicious activity immediately to police at 208-377-6790 (suspicious) or 911 (urgent).

Theft from gyms is a real concern for patrons who are trying to maintain or improve their health.  Often, gym lockers contain jewelry, wallets, and car or house keys, but locker rooms typically have no security cameras (ensuring privacy).  Last year, police arrested a female who was entering local gyms, taking keys left unsecured in the gym lockers, and then using the keys to open the victim’s car in the adjacent parking lot to steal items.  Recently, two vehicle break-ins at local gyms were reported to police.  With many health-conscious residents welcoming the year 2021 by joining gyms as their New Year’s resolution (with Covid restrictions in place), please keep these security tips in mind: 

 

 

Be alert to suspicious behavior and if you observe someone loitering around your vehicle, notify the gym staff immediately.  Your focus at the gym should be exercise (not theft), so be sure to take steps to improve your security, as well as your physical health!

Reports about the release of COVID-19 vaccines are promising, but plans for distribution are still being worked out. While we wait, scammers are finding ways to take advantage of the situation.

 

Here are some tips from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to avoid a vaccine-related scam:

 

 

Bottom line – beware of any vaccine offers that ask for personal or financial information. Please view the attached Covid Scam Poster.pdf and consider sharing or posting it where appropriate. For more information, visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/12/covid-19-vaccines-are-pipeline-scammers-wont-be-far-behind?utm_source=govdelivery.

 

Stay safe and healthy!