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“Since May, my focus for P.S.A.#1 has been reducing the number of burglaries and enhancing quality of life,” said Lt. Ed Bier, head of the East Falls/Southwest Germantown sector of the 39th P.D. at a July 20th meeting. “Burglaries fell 8% from April to May, then fell 30% more May through June. I’m encouraged,” said Lt. Bier. “And it’s thanks to putting out the word via The Fallser, The Germantown Chronicle, via websites and word of mouth.” And the word is: Lock your windows and doors; install and utilize perimeter and motion-detector lighting; call 9-1-1 if you see anything suspicious…Lock your vehicle and remove all valuables - laptops, G.P. systems, mobile phones. “Burglary is a crime of opportunity,” he noted, “people need to do all these things to deter and dissuade thieves.”
A troubling up-tick noted by Lt. Bier is a spike in robbery at gun-point. “There were four such incidents in all of June. Already nine have occurred in July in just a 20-day span. “Be mindful of your surroundings when you are out and about,” exhorted Lt. Bier. Citing July crime logs, Lt. Bier also passed along some patterns re 18 Part I Crimes: “The highest crime day has been Monday followed (in descending order) by Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.” (Part I crimes include robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, theft from auto and auto theft.) “More than half these crimes have taken place in daylight! So many people are not home during the day,” he noted. “The fewest number of “Part I”s are occurring midnight to 8AM.” He beseeches the citizenry to “Call the police!” to report the amiss, the unusual - and not to hesitate to do so. And in that beseeching, Le. Bier was echoing the 39th P.D.’s Commander, Capt. Stephen Glenn who urged in the July Fallser: “Persons or vehicles - anything out of the ordinary - call 9-1-1.” The Captain also urged neighbors to get involved by helping to patrol with East Falls Town Watch (EFTW). To that end, we offer our telephone #215-848-2033 - and a standing invitation to attend our Town Watch meetings, held the second Thursday of the month at 7:30PM at our HQ, 3540 Indian Queen Lane. Next up is August 11th. National Night Out is being observed August 2nd. Across the country, safety-conscious citizens will turn on porch lights and meet and greet their neighbors. We urge neighbors to do just that here in East Falls. Two opportunities to meet directly with police are slated this month. The first is Monday, August 15th, 7pm at Philadelphia University’s Downs Auditorium with Lt. Bier. The second is Monday, August 22nd, 7pm at the 39th P.D.’s HQ, 2201 W. Hunting Park Avenue with Capt. Glenn and crime prevention and community relations officers, P.O. Joseph Lukaitis and P.O. Carol Keys.
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