STREET SMART
PC Alan Bartlett 8860
53 Division Toronto Police Service
alan.bartlett@torontopolice.on.ca
Defining Differences
Canadian Criminal Code
322. Every one commits
theft who ... takes ...
anything ... with intent to
deprive, temporarily or
absolutely, the owner of it,
or a person who has a
special property or interest
in it, of the thing or of his
property or interest in it.
Canadian Criminal Code
343. Every one commits
robbery who steals, and for
the purpose of extorting
whatever is stolen or to
prevent or overcome
resistance to the stealing,
uses violence or threats of
violence to a person or
property.
Be aware of your surroundings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FheGKfEpXZs
It can happen anywhere
On the subway and at subway stations
Around bus stations
At cash machines
In parking lots and garages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haZKi-A_IHs
TIPS
Follow the safest route possible, avoid short
cuts and deserted areas.
Walk with a purpose, when using a portable
audio device, be aware, you may not hear
trouble approaching.
Avoid flashing cash, electronics or jewellery,
keep their use discreet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4AGBZZZlAw
A few more…
Avoid walking and texting, remain alert to what
is happening around you.
If you feel you are being followed, make your
way to a well lit and populated area. If still being
followed, consider the following;
Wanting what you have
Those committing thefts and robberies want
what you have… they just don’t want to pay for
it.
Popular items include;
Reality Check
IMEI #
International Mobile
Equipment Identity Number
It’s a unique identification or
serial number that all
mobile phones and
smartphones have.
It is normally 15 digits long.
You can display the IMEI# by
entering *#06# on your
device
BEHAVIOUR OF ROBBERS
Most robbers are only interested in obtaining money
and not in physically attacking their victims. They
often use threats in order to frighten; then they
complete the robbery and escape. Their behavior
may include:
loud, foul and obscene language
quiet demands
threats with a weapon
COMMON REACTIONS OF
VICTIMS
Many of your reactions during a robbery will be automatic. You may not
be conscious of what you are doing. Events may seem to be in slow
motion. Several minutes may seem like an hour. You may focus
exclusively on one or two aspects of what is happening and not notice
other events, which are occurring.
These reactions are common:
fear for one's personal safety or the safety of colleagues
helplessness about being unable to do anything
confusion about what to do or how to respond to the robbers' demands
anger at having to surrender money or goods
FEELINGS TO FOLLOW
MAY INCLUDE
Anger
at having to go through a robbery
at the robbers because they got away
at having to give up cash
CONTINUED
Guilt
that you did not behave properly during the robbery
that you could have prevented it
that you should have remembered details of the robbery
Frustration because you could not remember details of the
robbery
WHO CAN HELP?
CALL THE POLICE
Victims often feel that they should be able to cope on their
own. Only "weak" people obtain professional help. This is an
incorrect assumption.
It is important for victims to receive assurance that it is the
robbery, not them, which caused their distress.
Have someone call the police on your behalf
Call a friend and remain in a well lit, populated place until
they arrive.
CONTINUED
When report to police try to note the following;
Description of suspect(s)
Direction of travel
Time of robbery
Any weapons
If a vehicle was used, the make, model, plate
*Ask Audience* How many people here have cell phones?
*Ask Audience* How many people paid for them with their own money?
*Ask Audience* How many people pay their own cell phone bill?
So really, if someone steals from you, you’re looking at having to afford a new one on your own, or wait til your parents set you up again. Think you’ll get the exact same phone again, if they have to pay full price for it?
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/index.html
Does anyone know the difference between a Theft and a Robbery? *Ask Audience*
Theft *CLICK*
Robbery *CLICK*
It’s important to know the difference between these terms. It means a lot to police, and even more to the person being victimized.
So because you have a cell phone, you could be a target *CLICK*.
You could have a nice phone, or not so nice, maybe it just get does the basics, text, calls. Maybe more, Facebook, Pics, Twitter, Video, check check check.
Why is your phone THAT important that ? (*Ask Audience* the question, get responses if you have time, or *CLICK* for chart)
To maintain connections
To keep peoples BBM’s, phone numbers, emails etc.
To remember your schedule
It’s all you can afford – can’t buy another one
It’s a great device, you like it
It’s has all your pics and videos on it
Okay, so what are you doing to protect it?
Ways to protect your phone – cause we’ve established, its important, so you should be protecting it.
Physical Protection
How many people have or know someone who has damaged their phone to the point it couldn’t be used anymore? (bring up instances of dropping in a sink full of dishes, or out of pockets onto concrete etc.)
Water damage
Breaking
Cracking / scratches on the screen
Buttons wearing or falling off
Once you cover these basics, you can look at
Anyone here own a house? Or a store? Or car? (said in jest)
Have you heard of people putting stickers on their doors from security companies, without actually having security from that company? Or people installing little blinking lights in their car to mimic a security system?
What do we call this? *Ask Audience* A deterrent.
Someone will think twice before committing a crime if there are obvious signs of security or ways for them to get caught. Apply this to your phone.
How can you deter a thief?
Make sure you have a password or passcode on your phone, and don’t give it out
Personalize the background, so it is obviously your phone – some iPhone apps allow you to add a name or email to the lockscreen image, incase you lose your phone or to deter someone from taking it, cause it’d obviously not be theirs with your name on it. Michael B (refering to picture) obviously values his iPhone A LOT with a $5000 reward on it – perhaps just your email would suffice?
Get insurance – companies like Bell actually have insurance programs for lost or stolen devices, but you can include your phone in many other insurance policies.
Install a tracking program, it uses the GPS connection in your phone to track its location. This is not precise, but can help in finding your stolen or lost device. These are not available for all devices, check online for options.
The benefits of having a tracking program installed can lead to instances like this ...
Just when you thought security cameras were limited to elevators or the TTC, some security programs are using your phones camera and photos to track down thieves.
Paragraph reads: A group of thieves are currently being tracked thanks to a Sprint store who had GadgetTrak Mobile Security installed on their demo units. Several phones were stolen from the store on Saturday, but the store managers activated GadgetTrak and were able to start tracking location. In addition to location we were able to pull photos of the suspects from the phone. One image we collected even had a clear image of a temporary trip permit in the back window. Investigators were able to track the location of the phone to an apartment complex and found the car with the trip permit. Busted!
http://www.gadgettrak.com/emails/swireless/
http://www.gadgettrak.com/blog/2011/08/09/gadgettrak-leads-police-to-phone-thieves-targeting-wireless-store/
If your phone does get stolen, what will the phone company do? *Ask Audience*
Let’s go through the process...
You report the phone lost/stolen ASAP, as any call made before reported, you will be charged for.
The cell phone company will shutdown your account – phone can’t be used with your account/SIM card, therefore you will not be charged for any usage at that point. Make sure this happens immediately, and doesn’t take time to take effect.
When the phone is confirmed stolen, or permanently lost, they will shutdown full function on the phone by blacklisting the IMEI#. This disables the phone from being used with any SIM card from your same network.
Did you sign a contract? Whether you replace your phone or not, if you have time left on your contract, you have to pay for that – 2 years at $60/month = $1440
Will you have to buy a new device? If you already have a contract, then you have to pay full price for that device – since you can’t get the sign-up deal (aka. Sign for 3 years, phone is free!)
Cell phone companies may negotiate with you, but you are on the hook for remaining months in your contract, and the cost of a new device - potentially hundreds of dollars.
Have you heard of the IMEI #? Anyone know what it is? *Ask Audience*
IMEI #
International Mobile Equipment Identity Number
It’s a unique identification or serial number that mobile phones and smartphones have – like a licence plate for your phone. Every single phone has its own unique number.
It is normally 15 digits long.
You can display the IMEI# by entering *#06# on your device – or looking at the back, in or around your battery.
It’s important because it is used by your network provider to identify your exact device, and can be used to disable your device from ever being used again, by anyone. You can also report your IMEI# to different ‘stolen phone’ directories which are used as a reference by certain companies.
(NOTE for Presenter: When is phone is jailbroke, the IMEI is disassociated with it, and thus the phone has no overall defence.)
http://www.phonerecyclebank.com/
For instance, this is a site that buys your used mobile devices from you. Nice bonus, if your phone is legit, you can sell it when you want a new one. *CLICK* The check the IMEI# through stolen phone directories, before accepting it.