Be wary of surroundings to avoid being victim of crime

What can happen in 20 minutes? That’s barely time to put on your shoes and walk down the block, right? Let me assure you that your vehicle windows can be smashed and your purse, packages and property can be long gone. Most of the time, the items taken don’t amount to the loss from the window and vehicle repairs.

There are people hanging out in parking lots, malls, parks and events just looking for the chance to get something for nothing. Sometimes it’s the entire car and sometimes they strip out the good stuff and head out for wherever dirt-bags sell that stuff.

Don’t be an easy victim. Pay close attention to those around you and assume that someone is watching for women leaving the vehicle without a purse, trips out to the car with packages, or vehicles parked for the night containing loads of stuff in the back seat.

Keep your items with you until you are ready to leave the area or consider having someone come along who may be entertained watching the people show and would consider hanging out in the vehicle while the others shop.

We seem to have sunk to a new low, these days, where people remove yard decorations, steal newly delivered packages, pull on door handles of vehicles, make calls to elderly folks pretending to be arrested grandkids — the list goes on ad infinitum. Pay attention to your surroundings and make sure you stay in well-lit and occupied areas. Stay safe out there and have a wonderful holiday season.

Nov. 30. Wanted: A subject on a bike gives the officers a run for their money at 1:03 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

DUI: Sleeping it off in your vehicle isn’t a terrible idea, however, not in the middle of the sidewalk at 3:02 a.m. in the 1100 block of Boulder City Parkway.

Thought for the day: You can outrun the officer, sometimes even the cruiser, but you can’t outrun the radio.

Dec. 1. Traffic: The stop takes an interesting turn when the vehicle in question runs out of gas at 12:27 a.m. in the area of U.S. Highway 93 and Ville Drive.

Drug paraphernalia: The driver acts impaired and seems to have various pieces of paraphernalia on their person at 3:21 a.m. in the area of U.S. 93 and the overpass.

Thought for the day: Speeding to the gas pump is still not a good excuse.

Dec. 2. Suspicious: The caller states a subject came to their door asking for directions and it appears a strange time for that at 12:10 a.m. in the 600 block of Kings Place.

Accident: The out-of-towner fails to negotiate the detour in the construction zone at 4:22 p.m. in the area of Railroad Pass.

Thought for the day: It’s best to remember that vehicles travel better on their wheels than their roof.

Dec. 3. Accident: For the second time in two days when the road zigged the driver didn’t at 4:20 a.m. in the area of Railroad Pass.

Vagrancy: The caller states the subject in the restroom appears to be taking a bath in the sink at 8:23 a.m. in the 600 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: While it is appreciated that folks take periodic ablutions, we prefer they are not done in the public sink.

Dec. 4. Suspicious: The caller believes it is unusual for two people with flashlights to be inside a vehicle parked in front of a house throwing clothing out the windows at 5:15 p.m. in the 200 block of Big Horn Drive.

Vagrancy: The subject has set up camp behind the location and appears to be living there at 5:45 a.m. in the 800 block of Adams Boulevard.

Thought for the day: There’s no camping in Boulder City with the exception of established recreational vehicle parks.

Dec. 5. Recovered stolen vehicle: The owner has received a letter stating their vehicle will soon be sold after being impounded for an extended period of time at 1:39 p.m. in the 1600 block of Foothill Drive.

Panhandling: The subjects in the parking lot appear to be only approaching females to ask for assistance at 9:10 p.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Thought for the day: It appears the friend who borrowed the vehicle (and got arrested) forgot to mention it to their former friend.

Dec. 6. Petty theft: The culprit left the hose hanging out of the caller’s gas tank at 2:05 p.m. in the 1500 block of Foothill Drive.

Animal: The wayward feline has decided that it doesn’t want to go into custody so the owner gets the pleasure of a few deep puncture wounds at 3:29 p.m. in the 300 block of Yuma Court.

Thought for the day: The bites qualify the felonious-feline for an all-expenses-pending trip to animal quarantine for observation.

Call(s) of the Week: The driver is pretty insistent that the traffic control device is the at fault in this incident after it crashed into the vehicle;however, the facts don’t support the hypothesis at 8:21 p.m. Dec. 3 in the area of U.S. 93 and Railroad Pass.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.