Pubdate: Wed, 09 Nov 2005
Source: Reporter-Times, The (IN)
Copyright: 2005 The Reporter-Times
Contact: (765)342-1446
Website: http://www.hoosiertimes.com/mv-to-top/index-rt.php3
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2081

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BEGINNING COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Morgan County Sheriff Robert Garner has announced the beginning of a 
community awareness campaign to draw attention to criminal activity 
that may occur in the county.

The campaign involved placing large posters in schools and local 
businesses that will target six criminal activities that are either a 
continuing problem or on the rise.

Identity theft, stranger danger, shoplifting, sex offenders, 
methamphetamine labs, and online predators will each have a poster 
outlining items people should be looking for.

With the holiday season coming up, identity theft and shoplifting 
incidents will increase as more people are shopping at stores.

For people who have suffered identity theft, life can become 
complicated for years as they try to remove bad information the 
imposter has placed on their credit reports. The poster gives tips 
for people on how to protect their personal information and what to 
do if you suspect someone is using your identity.

Shoplifting is a crime and costs businesses millions of dollars a 
year in lost income. While it occurs everyday, shoplifting usually 
peaks during the holiday season. Those loses have to be recovered and 
the merchants have to pass those costs on to their customers. 
Shoplifting is not always confined to stores and people at shopping 
centers have suffered when thieves target the items in their vehicles.

Three of the posters work together as they target sex offenders, 
online predators, and stranger dangers. In many cases, sex offenders 
use computer chat rooms to make contact with children, often trying 
to lure the unsuspecting child into a situation where they can be 
abducted. The posters contain information for parents on monitoring 
what their children are doing with their computers and what children 
should do if a stranger approaches them.

Meth labs and the debris they leave behind have been a growing 
problem for years. While recent changes in the law have made it 
harder for those involved in the Meth business to obtain the 
ingredients they need for their illegal work, there are still some 
who find the materials they use to make their deadly drugs.

The poster shows what the public should be on the lookout for and 
what to do if they find items that may have been used for Meth making.

Garner said law enforcement counts on the public for much of the 
information used to find criminal activity.

The sheriff said many criminal cases are the result of members of the 
public being aware of criminal activity in their area and informing 
authorities.

Community awareness is crucial if law enforcement is to be effective 
in fighting crime said the sheriff.

With the public's help, this holiday season could be quieter for all, 
Garner said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth