The Minneapolis Police Department has noticed an increase in robberies of individuals in the Camden area in recent weeks. The circumstances around these robberies are varied, and the times in which most of them take place run anywhere from about 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. At the time of this writing, the Minneapolis Police Department is working on several suspects. Witnesses and victims have given varied descriptions, involving both juvenile and adult males, suggesting that this is the work of more than one individual or group of individuals.
One familiar pattern has emerged in some, but not all, of these robberies. This involves people being robbed as they enter or exit their cars. With colder weather and shorter daylight hours, this particular MO often becomes more frequent. The extended hours of darkness provide assailants with more cover, while people tend to be in more of a hurry to go from their car to their home in the cold. This results in people being a little less observant about their surroundings, which is just the opportunity that muggers often look for.
The first principle of good personal safety habits is to be aware of your surroundings. Assailants look for people who they can approach without being noticed. They want to get within striking distance before their victim is aware of the danger. If they can’t get close through concealment, they’ll often try to distract their targets by asking them for the time, or directions, or some other innocuous question. While responding to the question the target fails to notice that the assailant is getting closer.
When we enter or exit our vehicles or homes we are more vulnerable to robbery or assault simply because we’re more focused on what we’re doing than on our surroundings. Fumbling for your house key, locking the car, closing the garage door, are all distractions that take our attention off of our surroundings, and muggers know this. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do, and habits that you can acquire, to reduce your vulnerability.
Adequate lighting is especially important at this time of year. Having good lighting around your garage, your yard and the doors to your home will greatly reduce the opportunities for concealment that muggers look for. Motion sensor lights are particularly useful here. Having a motion sensor light on the front of your garage with the sensor directed at your driveway will automatically illuminate the garage area as you arrive home after dark. Motion sensor lights can also alert you to recent movement around your home as you approach. If you come home at night to find that the motion sensor light on your garage or back yard is on, this tells you that someone or something has recently been moving about in the area. This should alert you to pay a little extra attention to your surroundings.
Take a good look around your home and garage at night and ask yourself if you can find any areas where it’s dark and easy for someone to hide. If there are any such areas, consider illuminating them.
It’s also a good idea to pay a little extra attention to your surroundings when you leave or arrive at home. Get in the habit of visually scanning the area as you approach. Are there people you don’t know loitering in your alley? If so, maybe an extra trip around the block before you pull in to your garage would be worth it. If they’re still there maybe parking in front of your house and going in the front door makes sense. Trust your feelings. If something doesn’t seem right, pay extra attention. So many times, robbery and assault victims tell us that they “had a funny feeling” about the situation just before they were mugged. If you adopt these practices, you will reduce your vulnerability, and your chances of being robbed.
Don’t hesitate to call your area Crime Prevention Specialist for more information on improving your home and personal security. Camden residents north of Dowling Ave should call Shannon McDonough at 612-673-2805. Camden residents between Dowling and Lowry Avenues should call Mary Etzioni at 612-673-3364. If you’re not sure who to call, call the 4th Police Precinct at 673-5704 and ask to connect with your neighborhood’s Crime Prevention Specialist.