Annapolis PD Offers Tips To Stay Safe

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Annapolis Police Department wants to remind its residents how to stay safe when out and about. In the past several days, police officers reported that a woman was approached by a man who demanded she hand over her bag. When she refused, they struggled. The man grabbed the bag and took off when the woman fell down. In another incident, a man visiting a friend was in the laundry room of an apartment building when he was robbed of his wallet and cell phone by three men carrying knives. Elsewhere, a woman was walking along Hanover Street when a man walked up to her, shoved her down to the ground and stole her driver's license.

The police department has issued several tips to help people protect themselves from criminals while walking, whether it's to dinner, to the store, in an apartment complex or while out with the dog:

• Don’t be distracted. Don’t focus on your cell phone while walking, keep your head up and remain aware of your surroundings. If you wear headphones, keep the volume down so you can hear what is going on around you.
• Stay in well-lit areas or carry a flashlight.
• Stay in heavily traveled areas or carry your cell phone close at hand to make an emergency call.
• Know who to call if something doesn’t feel right, call 9-1-1 in an emergency, but you can also the non-emergency number for the Annapolis Police Department, 410-268-4141, it is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Walk like you own the place. By being confident and keeping your head up you show people that you’re paying attention to what’s going on.
• Take a friend. If you can’t take a friend, let someone know where you’re going and when you should be back.
• Carry a whistle or other noise maker. If you need help it will attract immediate attention and may scare a criminal off.
• Don’t walk drunk. Drugs and alcohol affect your perception, reaction time and judgment.
• Don’t overload. Avoid having your hands full while walking, or be prepared to drop everything if you need to move quickly.
• Help your neighbors walk safely at night by leaving on outside lights that illuminate sidewalks and other walkways. Consider motion activated lights that will turn on when people need them and also alert you that someone is outside your home.