Elder Scams courtesy Redlands Police Department

The "Grandparent" scam has been making the rounds, to include local victims.  The Redlands Police Department put together a very nice video demonstrating how the scam may work.  This video is a great way to get the word out to the community and bring awareness to this crime.  Please pass this information on to your loved ones and friends!

Weekly Tip - April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Congress designated April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.  The Arcadia Police Department joins in bringing your attention to the dangers associated with distracted driving.  The video above comes from the National Safety Council, an excellent resource for education and awareness information related to distracted driving.

Here are some interesting facts on the topic, courtesy of the California Office of Traffic Safety:

·                    “Distraction” is a specific type of inattention that occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task to focus on some other activity instead.  (Source: Overview of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Driver Distraction Program).

·                    The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Source: Virginia Tech/NHTSA)

·                    Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

·                    Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent. (Source: Carnegie Mellon)

·                    Using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah) 

Help improve safety for all on the road - don't drive while distracted!

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 20-26, 2011

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_3-20.pdf

Staged Auto Collisions

The Arcadia Police Department has received information regarding unreported auto collisions on private property where the collision was actually staged.  Staged crashes or auto collisions are nothing new, but usually involve insurance fraud.  The staged collisions that have allegedly occurred in Arcadia, differ in that the suspect convinces the victim driver that they are at fault and then demands immediate cash payment for "damages."  It is reported that the staged collisions were low speed and involved backing.  The suspect(s) have been reported to target Asian drivers in parking lots in West Arcadia, such as shopping center or market parking lots.  To date, APD has no documented victims and this information is being passed on to make our community aware of the possible occurrence of these crimes.


If you have been victimized, we encourage you to report the event.  If you become involved in a minor collision on the street, or in a parking lot, and you believe the collision is staged, call the police immediately.


Anyone with information is asked to call Arcadia Police Detectives at 626-574-5160.  You can also submit crime tips and information via text, phone, or web to LA Regional Crime Stoppers, 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by clicking on the "Submit a Tip" button on the APD Blog side bar.


Refer any questions to Lieutenant Bob Anderson, Patrol Division, 626-574-5156.

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 13-19, 2011

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_3-13.pdf

Weekly Tip - Crime Mapping

Take a proactive approach to crime prevention by becoming aware of crime trends and activity in your neighborhood!  The Arcadia Police Department provides the community with daily updates that detail crimes occurring within our jurisdiction through the service CrimeMapping.com.  You can access the CrimeMapping.com website at any time, or you can subscribe to daily email alerts, delivering a daily synopsis of activity directly to your email in-box.  Community members are the first step in crime prevention and this type of information will give you the advantage in knowing what to watch for.  Sign-up for daily updates HERE.

Looking Forward to Summer in Arcadia

Over on the Arcadia's Best website, Scott Hettrick has a nice article outlining some upcoming summer activities for the Arcadia community, including the return of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce summer carnival, along with an Independence Day weekend celebration.

The summer carnival is scheduled for the weekend of June 24-26, 2011, and the Independence Day celebration will take place on Saturday, July 2, 2011.  According to the article, the Independence Day activities will include "...this town’s first-ever Independence Day weekend community parade, street fair, car show, and performance program."  Take a look at Arcadia's Best for details of the listed events and much more information.