Some things occur which arouse suspicion and which the police should know about. If you see any activity that catches your attention that you think may be out of the ordinary, it is probably suspicious. Call 911 immediately to report the suspicious activity. The following are some examples of suspicious activities.

Persons

• Person going door-to-door in a residential area, especially if one or more persons go to the rear of residence.
• Possible burglary suspects or trespassers
• Person waiting or loitering in front of a house or business, if house is unoccupied or business is closed.
• Possible burglary suspects
• Person forcing entrance or entering a house you know is unoccupied.
• Possible burglary, theft or trespassing
• Person running, especially if something of value is being carried or if it's at an unusual hour.
• Possible suspect fleeing the scene of a crime, such as a burglary or robbery
• Person screaming.
• Possible rape or assault
• Person loitering around a car or going from car to car peering into them, especially in parking lots.
• Possible car thief
• Persons offering items for sale at a very low cost.
• Possible trying to sell stolen property
• Strangers loitering or slowly walking through neighborhood several times.
• Possible burglary suspects or vandals

• Slow moving vehicle without lights, especially if its course appears aimless.
• Possible burglar, drug pusher or sex offender
• Parked or occupied vehicle containing one or more persons; especially significant if observed at an unusual hour.
• Possible lookouts for a burglary or robbery
• Vehicles being loaded with valuables if parked by an unoccupied residence or closed business.
• Possible burglary in progress
• Recently abandoned vehicle, especially one bearing no signs that the driver had mechanical trouble.
• Possible stolen car
• Vehicle into which someone is being forced, especially females or juveniles.
• Possible kidnapping, assault, attempted rape, or child molestation
• Vehicle where a business transaction appears to be under way, especially around schools or parks.
• Possible selling stolen items or drugs
• Locked vehicle that someone is attempting to enter forcibly.
• Possible theft of car or its contents
• Persons detaching mechanical parts or accessories from a vehicle.
• Possible theft or vandalism
• Objects of apparent value being thrown from a vehicle.
• Possible disposal of stolen property

• Property offered for sale at a very low price, except for obvious attic or yard sales.
• Possible stolen property
• Property in vehicles that is not normally found in vehicle such as TV sets, stereos, guns, or auto parts.
• Possible stolen property
• Property being carried by persons on foot, especially suspicious at an unusual hour or unusual place. Very questionable if person is running and property is unwrapped.
• Possible property just stolen in burglary or robbery
• Property being removed from or loaded into a vehicle or building at an unusual hour, from an unoccupied residence or closed business.
• Possible burglary in progress
• High volume of human traffic to and from a certain residence if it occurs on a daily or regular basis.
• Possible vice or fence operation
• Continuous repair operations at a non-business location.
• Possible stolen property being altered
• Vehicle which was obviously abandoned some time ago.
• Possible stolen car

If you observe any of the suspicious activities described in this brochure, call 911 immediately. The longer you wait to call the police, the greater the chances are that the suspect will get away.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

• When the 911-Emergency Operator answers, say, "I'm calling in reference to a possible." and name the type of crime you suspect. You need not go into detail at this point.
• Give your name and location. If you do not know the block number, give the closest cross street or intersection.
• Stand by to answer further questions, if necessary. The 911-Emergency Operator is trained to get the necessary information in order to dispatch a car and to advise the officer about the barest facts in the incident. Be giving the operator a lengthy account by phone, you'll be delaying the officer's arrival. Be Brief!
• Stay on the line until the 911-Operator terminates the call.
• Once the officer arrives, then tell him or her as much as you know about the incident. As the victim or witness to a crime, you can also help by giving police an accurate and complete description of the suspect and his/her vehicle. Be prepared to give such a description to the 911-Operator, if asked, and/or to the investigating officer:
• Sex, race and approximate age
• Height (compared to some other person or object near the suspect)
• Weight (also compared to some other person)
• Color of hair and eyes
• Any visible scars
• Description of the person's clothing
• Any peculiarities of speech, walk, manner of dress, hair style
• Vehicle description: make model and color, distinguishing characteristics (dents, missing parts, etc.), and direction of travel

Calls for police service are ranked in priority order depending upon their urgency.

1. Certain suspicious activities you may report to us will require immediate or emergency responses. In those cases, we dispatch patrol cars as quickly as possible.
2. Calls for police services are prioritized in order to allow police to respond to more urgent situations. An officer may not be dispatched to see you immediately.
3. 911 is available in multiple languages. You should advise the telecommunicator which language you speak if it is not English.
4. Finally, some complaints may be taken by telephone, and don't require that a patrol car be dispatched. For instance, if your bicycle is stolen, you can file your report by phone. In those cases, call the Non-Emergency Police Services, 311.

As a general rule, any time you need a police officer to respond to a scene, call 911.

Remember: Anything unusual should be reported to police. Don't attempt to investigate strange actions of suspects by yourself, call 911.