September 6, 2024
A
home invasion occurred on Winner Avenue behind Cross Country Elementary School.
Three Hispanic men dressed as BGE employees knocked on the door of an elderly
resident’s home, claiming to smell gas. They pushed their way inside and became
violent towards the homeowner and ransacked the house.
* * *
September 16, 2024
There
was an armed robbery with multiple gunmen in front of Shomrei Emunah. A second
carjacking attempt occurred on the 6500 block of Baythorne, near Rabbi
Eichenstein's shul.
* * *
September 18, 2024
An
attempted armed robbery occurred on the 6800 block of Maurleen Road. Two
suspects, driving a black sedan, pointed a gun at the victim. The victim was
able to drive away unharmed. A second attempted carjacking occurred in front of
the Agudah of Greenspring. Two suspects exited a dark blue sedan and pointed
guns at the victim, who managed to escape.
* * *
September 23, 2024
A
carjacking took place on the 6200 block of Winner Ave. The suspects approached
on foot, assaulted the victim, and demanded the victim's car keys and personal
belongings. The victim had two babies in the car, but fortunately, the suspects
allowed the victim to remove them before fleeing in the stolen vehicle.
* * *
September 24, 2024
A
car theft occurred off Kelly Avenue in Mount Washington. The suspects, driving
another vehicle, intentionally bumped into the victim’s car. When the victim
stepped out to exchange information, the suspects proceeded to steal the car.
What Can You Do?
These
incidents are becoming more and more common in our neighborhood. They should
scare you. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. You have the option, every day,
to refuse to be an easy target. Think about how you will react in a bad
situation. Having an idea or a plan in advance keeps you from having to come up
with one on the fly during a stressful situation.
This
is a reminder and overview of some things you can do to make you a less
attractive target to the bad guys:
1) Do not linger in or around your car. When
you get into your car, lock the doors, buckle up, and drive away. Do not sit in
your car and check your phone, program your car radio, or arrange your
belongings. Start the car and drive away. Similarly, at your destination, turn
your car off, exit, and proceed to your destination. In several of the
incidents listed here, people were either sitting in their cars, buried in
their phones, or standing outside their car having a conversation with others.
Lock your car and walk away. If you use YouTube, search for a video titled “How
to Survive a Carjacking.” It’s just over six minutes long and well worth your
time.
2) Avoid using your phone in public.
Shabbos observers get along for 25 hours every week without their technology.
Do the same in public. If you are out and about looking at your phone, you are
only seeing three inches in front of you. This makes you a very attractive
target. Even without a phone in hand, most people only see a few feet in front
of them. Make it a habit to take a longer view, both in front and around you.
If you must have earbuds in your ears, use only one. Make sure you can hear
what is around you and who might be approaching you. (The “ambient sound” mode
is insufficient for this.)
3) Don’t look like an easy target. Walk
with purpose. Make eye contact with everyone you encounter. Smile and say
hello. If someone seems suspicious, don’t worry that you will insult him by
turning a corner, going into a building, or crossing the street.
4) If you are robbed at gunpoint, try not to
panic. Make a quick assessment. If they want your car, give it to them. If
they want your wallet, give it to them. Better yet, throw your wallet or your
keys in one direction and run in the other. Be a good witness. If you can
describe your assailant, there is a better chance of them getting caught. Call
911 immediately.
5) Back into parking spaces. From now on,
park facing forward – only. If you spend the maneuvering time backing in when
you first park, you will be able to pull out quickly later, if you have to. If
you have a backup camera, learn how to use it. They are accurate and reliable.
If you do not have one, learn to use your mirrors. At the very least, look for
a parking space that you can pull through, so that you are facing forward.
6) Find all the exits. The door you used to
enter may not be the door you can use to exit. When you enter any new place,
such as a store or a doctor’s office, scout out all the available entrances and
exits. You only have to do this once for each place you go. An emergency is not
the time to go searching for a way out.
7) Don’t open your door for anyone. If you
can’t 100% positively identify who is at your door, do not open it. If it is a
utility worker or a police officer, you can call to make sure they are
legitimate. (Don’t let them give you the phone number; look it up.) If you are
home alone, it is not necessary to open your door to someone who might or might
not be a meshulach.
8) Don’t have the darkest house on your block. Lights,
cameras, and alarms are all there to make you safer. Criminals don’t want to be
recognized, and they will bypass your home for another that is darker or looks
empty.
9) Keep an eye on children and grandchildren,
especially during the Yom Tov season. Don’t be distracted in shul – not by
davening and not by conversation. Know where children and teens are at all
times. This is especially true during Sukkos when children walk around town and
walk through backyards to go to different sukkahs. This is the year to make
sure that a responsible individual (older teen or adult) accompanies every
child and group of children and knows what to do in case of emergency.
Esti Rossberg is a local firearms instructor and
safety educator who is particularly passionate about teaching Jews,
especially Jewish women, how to be safer in a dangerous world. She specializes
in low pressure introduction to firearms for self-defense and is certified by
the Maryland State Police to teach concealed carry classes. For further
information or to find a firearms or safety class, Esti can be reached at womenoffire18@gmail.com.
