I thought for this month’s article I would write to you in the role of a criminal. I am going to tell you what I am thinking and what I am looking for in order for you to protect yourself against me. Here we go:

When I am planning to commit a crime I first look for the easiest target. This includes vehicles with the doors unlocked or windows rolled down. What I do is walk down the street pulling on door handles. When I find one that is unlocked I grab whatever is laying inside. If later I don’t need or want what I took I’ll just throw it on the ground. The real prize is when people leave their personal information inside. I’ll use this information to commit identity fraud. You’d be amazed at how fast I can rack up charges.

I also like to break into houses. I mainly look for houses with lots of concealment. Thick bushes and shrubs provide a great place for me to hide if the police are around. I am often amazed at neighbors that see me in the area but don’t do anything about it. You’ve probably seen me in your neighborhood but didn’t bother calling the police to have them check me out. Thanks. It is surprising how many people leave their front doors unlocked. I usually go to the front door and knock. If no one answers I’ll open the front door and walk right in. It only takes me a few minutes to go through a house and collect what I want.

The best thing is no one nowadays keeps track of the serial numbers to their property. They spend thousands of dollars on stuff and then don’t take the time to write the serial numbers down with the make and model of the items. So even when the police stop me they can’t trace the property back to the real owners. If people locked their doors, rolled up their windows, put lights outside their homes and clean the shrubs, I would have a tough time committing crimes. Oh yeah, it would help if citizens called the police.

Cop Corner is a monthly column provided by officers of the Oakdale Police Department, offering a variety of information and safety tips.