As the weather turns colder and the sun shines fewer and fewer minutes every day I am becoming more safety conscious. H and I spend a lot of time walking the mean streets of Baltimore, between our walks to work and taking care of lil MauMau, safety is becoming a huge concern.
Today, at work I received (yet another) "Security Alert" from the Security Department reporting that an assailant robbed a fellow colleague. A "teenager" grabbed her iPhone out of her hand and sprinted away while she was on her way to work. These occurrences happen almost biweekly.
Then on my way home from work I passed another colleague standing by her SUV with her husband/boyfriend, a police officer, and shards of broken glass at their feet. Her driver's side window had been shattered and she was listing objects that she noticed missing. "...Oh, and my EZ Pass too."
After I was home for about an hour I heard some noise in our street. The commotion was coming a few houses down. An ambulance, police car, and a lot of shouting were what I observed. I tried to apply investigative techniques (err, sitting on the floor hunched down with my ear to a cracked window) to gain a better perspective of what was happening. I do believe I missed the majority of the action and I wish I had more details to share. All that I gathered was it seemed like some sort of domestic dispute had occurred.
Those events occurring all within a few hours of one another plus the usual hum of the Ghetto Birds flying around the city was enough for me to spend the remainder of the night looking up personal safety devices and tips.
Photo Credit
I have an old key chain sprayer from college but, it may not be good anymore. We also have bear spray (duh, I'm from Wyoming!) which, I will probably start toting around until I purchase something more easily concealed.
I found this Mace Pepper Gun. It seems to be a happy median between the key chain pepper spray and the full on, huge a** can of bear spray.
Photo Credit
It even comes in Black, Blue, Silver, Navy, and Pink. If anyone is thinking of sending me a, hmmm... Halloween (?) gift this may or may not be on my wish list.
Looks kind of spiffy right?!
To recap, here is a list of things I learned or were reenforced today:
- Electronic theft is on the rise
- Victims are being targeted as they talk, text, or use other features on their phone while not paying attention to their surroundings
- Keep your phone or other valuables secure and out of view
- Always pay attention to your surroundings while out and about
- If you are robbed: stay calm, listen and observe, give up your property, and report the crime ASAP. (do not chase the suspect as apparently, my colleague did today)
- Keep the interior of your care clean. Don't keep expensive or important items inside but, if you do make sure they are well hidden. Remember my car break in?
- Don't play with (some of) our neighbors.
For more Charm City safety tips go here:
Gotta tool up.
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