NOVEMBER 2004

It was an early October evening as the man sat in his car minding his own business waiting for the light to change.  He saw a younger male run across the intersection and get into the passenger seat of the car next to him.  The younger male then reclined the passenger seat until it appeared the driver was the lone occupant.  If you had witnessed this, what would you do?

To some people, the younger male's actions wouldn't seem suspicious; to others, it would raise red flags.  Fortunately for us, the witness thought the behavior odd enough that he wrote down the license plate number and called 9-1-1.

A strong armed robbery had just occurred one block from the intersection, and this observant citizen was able to provide police with the information needed to identify the suspect.  Without him, we would have had no substantial leads to investigate.

Although vital to investigations, good witnesses are sometimes hard to come by.  It's common to hear people say, "I thought that looked weird, but I didn't want to bother you;" or, "I didn't know who to call."   Police need your help.  Instantaneous information is always best, so if you are a witness to something that seems strange, report it immediately.  

A good rule to follow - if you see something that makes you ask, 'What are they doing?' you should probablytake a second look.  To clarify, I'm not talking about kids playing whiffle ball in the street.  I'm talking about the person(s) hanging out behind a closed business at three in the morning, or the guy walking through a neighborhood looking in car windows; both examples where crimes occurred and we later discovered citizens had seen them in action.

Here are a few things to consider if you witness suspicious activity.

• Don't contact potential suspects.  If they just committed a crime, you, too, could become a victim.
• Take a second look.  What actual behaviors are making you suspicious?  How many people are involved?   Do they have a car and can you read the license plate?  Which direction did they go?
• Focus on the details; clothing, height, weight, hair/eye color, mustache/beard.  Begin with the head and work down.
• Check out their shoes; look for jewelry and things not commonly changed.
• If possible, write down your observations so they are easier to remember.  
• Call 911 and describe what you saw.  Don't worry about "bothering" the police; it's much better to err on the side of caution.  Call and let us take a look at it.

Perception of suspicious activity comes in a variety of ways; past experiences, understanding of criminal activity, or a good old fashion hunch.  Your observations will go unchecked unless you act on them.  A wise investigator once told me, "Mere suspicion alone is just that.  Suspicion supported by fact is a good case."  If you witness something you believe is suspicious, don't wait until tomorrow.  Be a good witness, take a second look, and call 9-1-1.  The information you provide may be the key to solving a case.

Sergeant Mike Don
Crime Prevention Division