DANBURY — A report of a suspicious male hanging around Harmony Street and looking into car windows Thursday led to the arrest of a Pawling, N.Y. man on multiple charges.

Lt. Thomas Michael said when officers approached the man, Ian Clokey, 28, he ran away and hopped [...]]]>

Download the printable pamphlet Halloween may be a fun holiday for kids, but for parents, trick-or-treat time can be a little troublesome. Concerns about children’s saftey-whether they are out in the neighborhood or back at home with bountiful bags of goodies-can cast a spell on the evening’s festivities. [...]]]> Crime Prevention:
Playing it Safe on Halloween
Pointers for Parents
Pamphlets

Download the printable pamphlet Halloween may be a fun holiday for kids, but for parents, trick-or-treat time can be a little troublesome. Concerns about children’s saftey-whether they are out in the neighborhood or back at home with bountiful bags of goodies-can cast a spell on the evening’s festivities. But not to worry! Following a few safety tips will ensure that Halloween will be a “howling” good time for all.

“Unhaunting” Your House and Neighborhood
Welcome trick-or-treaters at home by turning on your exterior lights.
Remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard to visitors.
Ask your Neighborhood Watch or citizens’ group to patrol the community.
Involve students from a local college or university to be “witch’s helpers.” These students help trick-or-treaters cross busy streets and watch out for ghoulish behavior.
Drive slowly all evening-you never know what creature may suddenly cross your path.
Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your local police or sheriff’s department.
Consider This
Parents and kids can avoid trick-or-treat troubles entirely by organizing a Halloween costume party with treats, games, contests, music, scary stories, and much more. Make your Halloween party the place to be! Schools, fire stations, libraries, even malls in many communities organize “haunted houses” and other festivities for families.Making Safe Costumes
Check that costumes are flame-retardant so that the little ones aren’t in danger near candle-lit jack-o-lanterns and other fire hazards.
Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
Encourage kids to wear comfortable shoes.
Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable, and, more importantly, they can obstruct a child’s vision – a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.
Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes.
Dressed up and Dangerous?
Halloween blood and gore are harmless stuff for the most part. But sometimes dressing up as a superhero, a scary monster, or a slimy alien from outer space – coupled with the excitement of Halloween – brings out aggressive behavior. Even fake knives, swords, and guns and other costume accessories can accidentally hurt people. If these objects are part of a child’s costume, make sure they are made from cardboard or other flexible materials. Better yet, challenge kids to create costumes that don’t need weapons to be scary and fun.Preparing Ghosts and Goblins for Their Tricks and Treats
Make sure older kids go out with friends. Younger children should be accompanied by an adult. If you live near a rural area off all kids a ride in the car.
Set a time limit for children to trick-or-treat. Together, map out a safe route so you know where they’ll be. Remind them not to take short cuts through backyards, alleys, or playing fields.
Remind kids not to enter a strange house or car.
Try to get kids trick-or-treat while it is still light out. If it is dark, make sure a couple of people are carrying flashlights that work.
Pranks That Can Be a Little Trick
Halloween is notoriously a night of pranks – toilet papering a house or filling mailboxes with shaving cream are not unusual. Try to get a handle on your children’s plans before they go out. Explain to them that while you want them to have a good time, some tricks could hurt other children or vandalize property. Emphasize that you disapprove of vandalism.Eating the Treats
Kids need to know not to eat their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters from digging in while they’re still out is to feed them a meal or substantial snack beforehand.
Check out all treats at home in a well-lighted place.
What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Don’t forget to inspect fruit and homemade goodies for anything suspicious. By all means, remind kids not to eat everything at once or they’ll be feeling pretty ghoulish for awhile.

How to Protect a Home From Halloween Vandalism

Contributor By eHow Contributing Writer Article Rating: (0 Ratings) Although you can never know that your home will be completely safe, you may be able to minimize the risk of vandalism. Here are some ways to try to keep a home safe.

Step 1 Set up elaborate sound and light [...]]]> http://www.ehow.com/how_4430494_protect-home-from-halloween-vandalism.html

How to Protect a Home From Halloween Vandalism

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (0 Ratings)
Although you can never know that your home will be completely safe, you may be able to minimize the risk of vandalism. Here are some ways to try to keep a home safe.

Step 1 Set up elaborate sound and light systems. Lots of homeowners keep fun, loud and crazy Halloween setups around to adorn their houses each year. The systems serve two purposes–they add to the festivities and protect the home. Vandals are less likely to target a house where trip wires or lasers set off alarming sounds.

Step 2 Use camera and sensor technology to protect a home. Many companies will help you outfit your home with laser sensors so that you can be informed when visitors enter the property. With the popularity of vandalism in some neighborhoods, on Halloween and year-round, some homeowners choose this option.

Step 3 Leave the lights on to make vandals think that you are at home. This practical step is endorsed by police departments across the country as a means of deterring petty crime. The idea is simple: Vandals and thieves are more apt to strike homes they think are empty or where they think everyone is asleep.

Step 4 Stick close to your home on Halloween night if at all possible. Vandals love to target homes where everyone is clearly away. If you do have to go away, follow the step above and take other measures to make it look like someone’s still around.

Step 5 Just give them the candy. If you are going to be away, or don’t feel like answering the door every five minutes, leave a bowl of candy out on the front porch.

Step 6 Get a dog to deter vandals. People that are out to cause trouble will most often skip the house with the barking dog.