Crime Prevention

Font Size: + -

Feedback Print

Crime Prevention educates the community on important safety topics. We provide presentations on a variety a personal and business safety issues.

If you are interested in a presentation, or would like McGruff the Crime Dog to make an appearance, you can make a request by clicking here and filling out the online form or calling 239-252-0700 to request an appearance. You can contact Crime Prevention by email at prevention@colliersheriff.org

To learn more about crime prevention visit the National Crime Prevention Council at www.ncpc.org

Holiday Shopping Safety

Here are some tips that will keep you safe this holiday season.

Always lock your car doors.
Stay alert even though you may be in a rush
Do not leave packages or valuables in your car
Park under lighting
Check your credit card bill
Never leave your purse unattended
Have our keys in hand before you approach your car
Avoid carrying large amounts of cash
Avoid overloading yourself with packages, have clear visibility and freedom of movement.

Home Safety

A burglary in your home can make you feel vulnerable and violated. Following these tips can help prevent someone from entering your home and taking your property:

Keep your doors and windows locked, even when you are home. Turn on your alarm if you have one.
Trim back bushes and trees from in front of windows and doors. They can provide a good hiding place for a burglar.
Don’t open the door for anyone you don’t know.
Notify law enforcement if you see something that doesn’t look right
Sliding glass doors are vulnerable. Special locks are available for better security.
Light up your residence. Consider using sensor or motion lights.
If you get something expensive for your home, don’t place the packaging, like a television or stereo box, at the end of your driveway for trash pick-up.
Organize a Neighborhood Watch for your community

If you see anything suspicious, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 239-252-9300 or call 911 if it is an emergency.

Did you know...
The Crime Prevention Section can conduct a free home security survey. Call 239-252-0700 or e-mail prevention@colliersheriff.org for further information.

To learn more about crime prevention visit the National Crime Prevention Council at www.ncpc.org

Neighborhood Watch

Neighbors watching neighbors. That's the program's philosophy.

There are easy steps residents can take to keep their neighborhood safe, from asking a neighbor to gather your mail while you're away on vacation to using lights as security.

CCSO encourages that community teamwork to help neighborhoods from crime.

There are more than 100 active Neighborhood Watch programs in Collier County. The national program, created in California in 1972, has proven to be an effective deterrent in Collier neighborhoods.

HOW TO START A NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Call Crime Prevention at 239.252.0700 or e-mail us at prevention@colliersheriff.net
Share the information with your neighbors
Schedule training with CCSO

Click here to learn more about Neighborhood Watch from the National Crime Prevention Council.

JOIN NEXTDOOR

Nextdoor is the private social network for your neighborhood. Click here to join for FREE

You Hold The Key

You Hold The Key To A Safe Collier County

Thieves are targeting unlocked vehicles more than ever in Collier County, and Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk is calling on the community to help stop the trend.

If motorists simply remove their valuables and lock their doors, the number of vehicle break-ins will go down, said Collier County Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk.

“We are asking the community to partner with us to keep Collier County safe,” Sheriff Rambosk said. “There is no doubt that when you lock your car you are helping us prevent crime.”

Vehicle break-ins are crimes of opportunity. Many thieves pull on door handles until they find an unlocked vehicle. Thieves also tend to look through vehicle windows to see if there are any valuables inside. That’s why CCSO recommends that motorists either remove valuables from their vehicle or stow them away out of view.

Here are more ways you can keep your vehicle safe:

Remove all valuables or keep them out of sight. This is particularly important with GPS systems, laptops and iPods. Make sure to remove all base mounts, cords and chargers from view as well.
Always lock your doors. Many thieves pull on door handles until they find an unlocked vehicle.
If you have an alarm or other safety device, make sure to use it.
Remember to lock your doors even when your car is parked at home. That’s where most unlocked vehicle burglaries happen.
If your vehicle is broken into, report it to law enforcement even if nothing significant was taken. The more information investigators have about these crimes, the more likely it is that they’ll be able to identify and stop the people committing them.

See It, Say It

The Collier County Sheriff's Office wants you to be our partner in community safety.

Nobody knows your neighborhood better than you. It's always important to let law enforcement know about unusual activity.

Make the call if you see anything that doesn't seem right.

We'll check it out.

Together we can keep Collier County safe.

Emergency 911 NON emergency 239-252-9300

To report something that is NOT an emergency on-line click here

Color Me Safe - Coloring Book

Personal Safety

Here are some tips to ensure that you do not become a victim of a crime:

Don’t carry or flash large amounts of money.
Don’t walk alone at night or in an unfamiliar area.
Park your car near a streetlight or in a well-lit area
Lock doors, even when driving
Hold your keys when you walk to you car. They can be used as a weapon if someone tries to hurt you.
Your life is more valuable than your property. If someone wants to rob you, give them what they want.
Keep credit card information in a safe spot in case your cards are stolen
Never put your purse in front of the shopping cart
Be aware of your surroundings

If you see anything suspicious, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 239.252.9300 or call 911 if it is an emergency.

To learn more about crime prevention visit the National Crime Prevention Council at www.ncpc.org

Leaving On Vacation

Use these safety tips when traveling to keep burglars away.

Stop your mail and newspaper delivery
Arrange for your grass to be mowed
Activate your alarm system
Ask your neighbor to park in your driveway and use your trash cans
Carry medication and jewelry in a carry-on bag

If you see anything suspicious, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 239.252.9300 or call 911 if it is an emergency.

Did you know…

The Crime Prevention Section can conduct a free home security survey. Call 239.252.0700 or e-mail prevention@colliersheriff.org for further information.

To learn more about crime prevention visit the National Crime Prevention Council at www.ncpc.org

Robbery Prevention

Play It Smart:

Be aware of your surroundings
Walk with a friend
Avoid bushes, doorways, and alleys

Lock Up Your Car:

Always lock your car doors
Park in well-lit areas
Don’t stop to help those on the side of the road

Keep Safe At Work:

Keep valuables locked up
Vary your banking days and times
Have two employees open and close the business

If You Are Robbed:

Lock yourself in a safe place
Call 911
Write down details of the robbery ASAP

If you see anything suspicious, contact the Sheriff’s Office at 239.252.9300 or call 911 if it is an emergency.

To learn more about crime prevention visit the National Crime Prevention Council at www.ncpc.org

Boat Burglary And Theft Prevention

Boat Burglary & Theft Prevention Tips

Remove the keys from the boat. If on a lift, turn off the breaker in the home to disable it. Raise the boat to
the highest level to make it more difficult to board from your dock.
Consider using an additional case-hardened steel cable beyond your normal dock lines at a dock or boat lift.
Install motion sensor lights or make sure the areas around the boat are well lit.
Install surveillance or game cameras and test them to make sure they will capture the face of an intruder.
Cameras are often placed too high and often don’t capture faces. Add signage indicating the property is
under surveillance.
Whether on a trailer or in a canal, make sure your boat can be seen by neighbors and deputies patrolling
the area.
Keep your boat cabin locked and the curtains closed.
Install a GPS tracking device on your boat and engines to make it easier for law enforcement to locate if
stolen.
Install a boat alarm. Audible alarms are very effective at preventing theft.
Disconnect the battery to disable the trim/tilt function. Keep the engine down, touching the ground so the
lower unit cannot be removed.
If your boat is on a trailer, keep the trailer hitch lock on at all times. Chain the rims together or use a wheel boot to prevent the entire boat and trailer from being stolen.
Install boat locks on your engine or install extra long engine bolts. Bend the ends of the bolts or destroy the
threads so nuts can’t be removed.
Back the boat up against a stationary object such as a wall or solid structure.
Keep valuables and electronics in a secure location and out of sight.
Take pictures, record your serial numbers or engrave your drivers license number or other distinctive
marking on valuable property for identification purposes.
If you are gone for an extended period of time, notify a neighbor or request extra patrols of your residence
to keep an eye out while you are away.
Do not leave official documents about your boat (registration, title, etc.) on the vessel.
Ensure you have identifying information about your boat (serial numbers, hull number, make, model, etc.)
readily available in a safe location if it is needed for reporting a theft or identifying your belongings.
Remove the steering wheel if the boat won’t be used for an extended period of time.
Don’t leave fishing equipment or gear outside. It takes a thief only minutes to steal it.

General Boating Safety

Equipment failure can be dangerous and can leave you in a vulnerable position. Keep engines, electronics ,
fuel and air filters in proper working order.
The US Coast Guard requires all vessels to carry certain safety equipment depending on the size of your boat.
If you are not sure what is required, visit the Coast Guard’s website www.uscgboating.org for a list.
Human error remains the leading cause of boating accidents. Learn the rules, your responsibilities, and how
to safely operate your power, sail, or human-propelled vessel.

Boat operators are responsible for the safety of their passengers. Passengers should wear a life jacket at all
times when on a boat.

Collier County Sheriff’s Office Crime Prevention Unit 239-252-0700 prevention@colliersheriff.org	Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission South Region 561-625-5122	Marco Island Police Department 239-389-5050
Collier County Sheriff’s Office Marine Bureau 239-252-0333	Naples Police and Emergency Services 239-213-4844	U.S. Coast Guard (Ft. Myers Office) 239-463-5754 www.uscgboating.org

If you have information about criminal activity that is NOT in progress report it to our tips line at 239-775-TIPS (8477) or email us at tips@colliersheriff.org.