SAPD Offers Shopping Safety Tips

News4 recently broadcast a segment on shopping safety during the Christmas rush.  An SAPD official recommends:

• Guard against carelessness, it's easy to become distracted while power shopping
• Don't leave items in plain view, cover with a jacket or blanket
• Park in well-lit areas, and, if possible, near the store front
• Don't carry large amounts of cash

FSR Safety adds:  Don't store recent purchases in your car.  Bring them inside the house right away to avoid a vehicle burglary.

To all shoppers:  Good hunting!

Area Apartment Dwellers Report Vehicle Burglaries

Eleven vehicle burglaries were reported at the Silver Rock and Bandera Crossing apartments near Bandera Rd and Camino Villa between 2 and 16 October, according to SAPD call logs. Five break-ins were reported at Bandera Crossing on Friday, 2 October alone, and another three were noted at Silver Rock, Monday, 5 October. Though gated access is featured at both complexes, burglars were not deterred.

Residents of gated communities like Finesilver Ranch are not immune to vehicle burglaries either. Thieves last struck the neighborhood June 2009 when at least six autos were broken into. These crimes are pervasive in San Antonio and, based on historical patterns, burglars will likely return to FSR during the months ahead.

The best way to prevent a vehicle burglary is to park in a secured garage. When this is not practical, remove valuables, or, if these must remain in the vehicle, hide them from view.

Incidentally, our own Cellular on Patrol volunteers notice many dark spots in the neighborhood. Residents are urged to keep their porch and coach lights on. Though lighting has not deterred criminals in all FSR cases, a well-lit area will aid witnesses to crimes in progress, assist first responders regardless of the nature of an emergency, and offer a sense of well-being in the dark of night.

Leave it; Lose it.

October 2009 Safety Committee Report

National Night Out a Popular Success

Thanks to the combined efforts of Safety, Welcome, and Social Committee members, NNO 2009 held October 6 was well-attended. San Antonio FD rolled an engine to many of the 11 block parties and Blue Armor Security cruised the neighborhood for much of the evening. FSR Cellular on Patrol made a pitch for more volunteers, though there were no new additions to the team.

It was a great night to make a point about looking out for each other in a stand against crime. Thank you to all FSR residents who came out, especially the host families who opened their driveways and sidewalks to their neighbors.

Use Caution Entering/ Exiting FSR

An engaging topic during NNO was the number of crashes at the neighborhood entrance. Whether dodging a wreck at the intersection of Braun and Finesilver or testing patience at the gates, entering and exiting the neighborhood requires full attention behind the wheel.

Previous research informs it is unlikely a signal will be installed at the intersection. As for the gates and stone column...Watch out! There are gates and a stone column in the middle of the road.

Halloween Passes; No Mischief Reported

Cellular on Patrol members stood the gate to welcome visiting trick-or-treaters and Blue Armor patrolled FSR shortly before and after the official treating hours. There was nothing significant to report.

Cellular on Patrol

Mike Snedeker concluded his tenure as lead for FSR's COP team. Many thanks to Mike for forming the team of 18 "regulars" and scheduling training and patrols. Residents, especially current COP members, are invited to lead the team. Call Association Management Services (829-7202) for contact information.

The next Cellular on Patrol class will be at SAPD's Prue Rd Substation, 12 and 19 November. Any San Antonio resident may register directly or through the Safety Committee. Please call AMS if you are interested in joining FSR's COP.

Blue Armor Patrol Summary

On Tuesday, 6 October Blue Armor received complaints of a blue Ford Eclipse speeding and running stop signs. The officer was unable to locate the vehicle.

On Wednesday, 7 October at about 6:00 pm, a security officer came upon two Hispanic males, aged approximately 15-17, smoking pot on a park bench. The teens ran into the woods before the officer could make contact.

Blue Armor also ticketed a suspected abandoned vehicle on Bakerswood, 8 and 9 October.

SAPD Responses

Police responded to 17 calls for service to Finesilver Ranch during October, compared to 14 calls during October last year. The monthly average for 2008 was 14 responses.

There were six burglar alarms, four disturbances (two at the same location, 11 October) and five miscellaneous reports, including a case of credit card abuse. An unspecified report of threats was also taken. Finally, police made the aforementioned vehicle accident at Braun and Finesilver, 11 October.

The Greenbriar neighborhood near Nichols ES recorded a single burglar alarm.

Greenbriar, with about 1/4 the number of homes of Finesilver Ranch is the closest gated community and, presumably, has similar demographics for crime reporting comparison purposes.

Sex Offender Watch

No registered sex offenders live in Finesilver Ranch as of this post.

SAFD Responses

San Antonio Fire and EMS responded to two medical calls in FSR during October.

Follow FSRsafety on Twitter

Join Twitter and follow FSRsafety to receive time sensitive announcements of neighborhood safety and crime prevention concerns online and via text message.

During October, FSRsafety issued 11 "tweets" on public safety interests occurring in and immediately surrounding Finesilver Ranch.

Subscribe to the FSR Safety Committee Blog and follow on Twitter for updates throughout the month.