As many are aware, there was an armed car robbery last night in the heart of our community. We are thankful to Hashem that the victims were not physically harmed. We are grateful to the Cleveland Heights Police Department who quickly mobilized and apprehended the suspects. While we must Daven for continued safety in our community, it is also prudent to take the necessary steps to ensure our neighborhood is not an easy target in the future.
1) Lighting on your property: As is evident to anyone walking or driving around the streets occupied by a majority of the frum Cleveland Heights community, there are many houses that don’t leave their exterior lights on or don’t have adequate exterior lighting. Criminals love to operate under the cover of darkness; the #1 deterrent to criminal activity is bright lights.
- Keep Exterior Lights On Please walk the exterior of your property (front, side and back) to ensure that current lighting is adequate and in working order and make sure these are turned on each night. There are currently many inexpensive LED fixtures that cost pennies to run, many with dusk-to-dawn sensors that make this a true “set and forget” option. Adequate lighting can also prevent slips and falls to both yourself and any visitors/passersby.
- Make sure your address is clearly seen and is illuminated at night. This will allow emergency services to easily locate houses in case of need. Currently, many houses in our community are not easily identified which can ח”ו exacerbate an emergency situation.
- Streetlights: If you see an inoperable streetlight, report it: 888-LIGHTSS or firstenergycorp.com/service_requests/report-lighting-problem.html If trees are blocking the light, contact the City at 216.291.7300 to request a trimming.
Chaverim is offering free property safety assessments. A volunteer can visit your property at night to assess the lighting and safety and make any pertinent suggestions. If you would like to utilize this service, please complete this form: tinyurl.com/ChaverimAssessment or email: chaverimsafety@gmail.com. (Please do not call the Chaverim hotline.)
2) Make sure doors are locked This applies to car doors, house doors and garage doors. Aside from making sure you are not an easy target, this would prevent a criminal on the run from having any easy place to hide from law enforcement. It is always prudent not to leave valuables in plain sight.
3) Got cameras? Let us know! Many homes are equipped with either full-scale surveillance cameras or Ring-type devices. Chaverim is compiling a list of these cameras in case of any future incidents. Please complete this form: tinyurl.com/CHcameras to be added to this list or email: chaverimsafety@gmail.com (Note: List will be held in complete confidence by Chaverim leadership).
4) If you see something, say something! Any suspicious individuals or cars should be reported to the Police Non-Emergency number: 216-321-1234 This takes a moment and is very helpful in ensuring criminals and other unsavory characters are made to feel uncomfortable in our area.
B”H we live in a quiet and safe community. Your Hishtadlus can help maintain this, עד ביאת גואל.
(Reprinted with permission)
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