PROTECT YOURSELF FROM POSSIBLE BURGLARY

Your property and safety matter! There are some people who want what you have and use the time when people are at work to steal what isn’t theirs. If someone comes to your door and asks for directions or asks if someone lives there this might be an attempt to burglarize your home. Thieves often knock on a door and if no one answers they force entry and steal what they can. If someone is home when they knock, they frequently ask for directions or ask if their friend lives there. They usually leave and the homeowner is none the wiser. Sometimes the person knocking on the door is a female to try to be less suspicious or threatening. If you see this suspicious activity be a good witness. Try to remember what the subject looked like and also what kind of car they drove. If you have time, try to get a picture of the subject, the vehicle, and the license plate. If you have an outside video system or video doorbell check your footage regularly for any suspicious activity.

There are some more things you can do to reduce the risk of becoming a victim. Keep your house looking like someone is home. Have a vehicle in the driveway, keep a TV or radio on loud enough to suggest someone is home, and keep lights on for when it gets darker. Don’t have your valuables on display where they can be easily seen from outside windows. Consider buying an Internet based surveillance system that alerts you to motion on your porch at your front door. Many of these allow you to see the visitor on your phone and you can speak to them. Sometimes having a large barking dog inside the house can also be a good deterrent.

Protect yourself by making sure that you have a good accounting of all of your valuables. Take pictures of expensive coins, firearms and electronics. Write down the make, model and serial numbers of your valuables and keep this list and pictures in a secure location. Properly install security safes to manufacture guidelines so that the safe can’t simply be removed. Let your homeowner’s insurance know about any highly valuable items and collections that you own to make sure that you are properly insured if a loss occurs. Many insurance companies require extra policies on specialty items or large collections.

Lastly, be a good neighbor and watch out for each other. If you see something suspicious or out of the ordinary at a neighbor’s house, contact them and confirm the people or vehicle at their house is legitimate. Let your neighbor know if you are going to be out of town for an extended amount of time. Hopefully you never have to worry about being a victim of crime. It never hurts to be aware of how criminals operate and remembering tips to protect yourself and your property.

'TIS THE SEASON TO PROTECT YOUR PACKAGES FROM THIEVES

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind you to be alert and aware of what you order online and when deliveries are made. With the Holidays approaching people will be receiving more packages and gifts through the mail and delivery companies. Thieves go through mailboxes and check porches looking for newly delivered packages. If you know deliveries are on their way make arrangements to have them picked up so they aren’t setting in a mailbox or on a porch for a long period of time. Ask a neighbor to help or when buying things online have the post office hold all packages during the Holiday season instead of doing a home delivery. If allowed, have your packages delivered to your work address. If you have home deliveries place furniture or items on the porch that blocks the packages from public view. Postal carriers look for these places so packages are more secured. Sometimes companies allow you to leave special shipping instructions when ordering so you can have deliveries put on a side porch or a specific location. Lastly, use informed delivery so your package can be tracked and you can be alerted by text message or email when it arrives.

Here are some holiday package tips to remember.

Holiday Package Delivery Safety Tips

1. DELIVER TO YOUR OFFICE

If your place of work allows it, have your packages delivered right to your office. You may not be able to get weekend delivery if you’re not there, but it would be a convenient, safe way to handle package delivery when you can’t be home to wait.

2. USE PICK UP POINTS

Different than a P.O. Box, delivery services are setting up temporary delivery points for you to have your packages delivered to. You can then pick up your packages on your way home from work. Amazon and UPS provide areas in local grocery stores, convenience stores, storefronts and more.

3. USE A TEMPORARY PO BOX

Many delivery services such as UPS or FedEx will not deliver to a traditional P.O. Box address, but will deliver to a street address that just happens to be in a Postal Delivery Service Office. Many of those offices will even call you when you have a package arrives, and take a photo of it for you to see ahead of time. The UPS Store has this service, as well as many privately owned companies. Check your local listings to find one a location near you, then rent the P. O. Box through the season. Be mindful of contract times and fees.

4. REQUEST A RE-ROUTE OR RE-DELIVERY

You can request that a package be held at the delivery facility of your deliverer, rerouted to another location, or delivered on another day.

Call UPS or FedEx once you have a tracking number from the company you’ve purchased from, and have UPS or FedEx hold the package at their facility for pickup later.

5. USE A NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE

Keeping your packages safe during the day is hard if you’re working all the time, but you can find a neighbor who may be willing to accept deliveries for you. Or, if you’re the entrepreneurial type, start a service for a small fee for friends and family. You can become your own Amazon Locker!

6. USE A WIRELESS HOME MONITORING SYSTEM

Use a wireless door monitor or security system that allows you to see your porch. You’ll know when packages are delivered, and will be able to see visitors, even when not at home. It works through a Wi-Fi-enabled camera at your door and an app on your phone. You can set off alarms for snoopers, as well as ask questions to those approaching.

7. REQUEST A SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION

Requesting a signature delivery is a little harder in this day of order and drop, but you may be able to call the delivery service to request a required signature for a package using the tracking number. This insures that the package isn’t just dumped. Packages sent through USPS have the option for a small fee.

8. REQUEST A KNOCK

Our UPS delivery folks are hit and miss with this quick convenience. It is helpful to hear that a package has been delivered, even when you’re home, so that you can pick it up, instead of it sitting outside. So request it in the notes on your order form, call your delivery service with tracking number and put that request in, etc. You are not going to be guaranteed a knock, but it is a note that will be on the delivery for the carrier.

9. CREATE A DELIVERY CORNER

You may be able to hide smaller package deliveries behind planters or decorations on your porch. This is not a guarantee that a delivery person will actually put a package there, but many try to make sure that packages are put in places that don’t draw attention.

SUSPECT SOUGHT IN BANK ROBBERY

On the above date at 12:33pm the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a robbery at the First Federal Bank located at 279 Jamesway Drive in Marion Township. The suspect entered the bank wearing a blue and white stocking cap with “DETROIT” on it, a black winter coat, brown pants, and tan gloves. The suspect is a male, approximately 6’00” tall medium build with black hair and a black beard and mustache. After the robbery the suspect fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured during the robbery.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office is actively looking for today’s suspect in connection with this robbery. Sheriff Tim Bailey is asking the public for any information on the suspect’s identity and whereabouts. Sheriff Bailey cautions everyone if the suspect is seen not to approach but to immediately call law enforcement. If anyone has information on today’s robbery or knows who the suspect is they are encouraged not to make contact with him but to call the Marion County Sheriff’s at (740)382-8244 (option 2) to report his location. Attached are two photographs of the suspect.

MCSO Offering Training for Veterans on CCW Law

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Veteran Services and Stephen Chaney VFW Post 7201 will be hosting an informational meeting discussing the new parts of Ohio’s concealed handgun license law pertaining to veterans.

On November 5^th, 2018 Ohio’s concealed carry law changed and now waives the concealed carry permit fee for active duty military, retired, and honorably discharged veterans. The law also allows a veteran applying for a concealed handgun license, who has retired from or has been honorably discharged from military service in the active or reserve armed forces of the U.S., to be exempt from the additional firearms training requirements of the concealed carry law, regardless of the date of their retirement or honorable discharge. Under the new law, no additional training is required for persons who are retired from military service or honorably discharged so long as the applicant provides the applicant's firearms competency certification.

Veterans applying for their concealed handgun license under the new law are still required to understand and follow all of the other parts of the existing concealed carry law. This training is to inform veterans about the application process and to go over other topics that would have been covered in a competency class. Topics that will be covered at the training will include: criminal backgrounds, the application process, law enforcement contact while carrying concealed, forbidden carry zones, use of force, self-defense and the Castle Doctrine.

The training will take place on Saturday November 17^th, 2018 from 8am to 10am at the Stephen Chaney VFW Post 7201 at 1614 Marion Marysville Road (State Route 4 south). The training is free and open to all veterans. Questions about the training can be directed to Major Jeff Cline at (740)382-8244 ext. 5123.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY!

SHERIFF TIM BAILEY AND EVERYONE AT THE MARION COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HOPE YOU HAVE A FUN AND SAFE HALLOWEEN!

HERE ARE SOME HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS TO REMEMBER...

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Have You Seen This Person?

Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey is seeking the public’s help in identifying the skeletal remains of a female located in northeast Marion County on March 10th, 2007.

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