Full Notification

There are two crime issues which have been recently reported of which everyone should be aware.

THEFTS

The first involves the theft of wallets and credit cards from unattended purses while the unaware victim is shopping or enjoying a meal. The suspects steal the wallet and/or cards, leave and begin using the victim's credit cards before the victim even knows their wallet or credit card is gone.

To prevent this, please do not leave your purse or wallet unattended. When shopping at a grocery store with your purse in the shopping cart, ensure that the purse is closed and secure. Use the safety seat straps to secure your purse to the cart. When you are at a restaurant, don't just sling your purse over the chair so that it is exposed to anyone walking or sitting nearby. Consider keeping your purse on the floor between your feet or in-between you and a wall so that it is nearly impossible to get to it.

If you discover that your wallet or credit card(s) have been stolen, please call the Police immediately. Additionally, notify your credit card companies ASAP so that fraudulent transactions can be stopped and/or an alert merchant may be able to notify the police while the bad guy/gal is still there.

SCAMS

The second issue is the return of our scam artists. This week, we received two reports of the "grandchild" scam. A phone call is received from someone claiming to be your grandchild, telling you they are in jail and, for an amount of money, they can be released. Another person comes on the phone and says they are a public defender or lawyer and supports the story, urging you to send money. They usually request that the money be sent in gift cards, Green Dot money cards or sent via Western Union. As I have shared before, this happened to a family member of mine and wasn't discovered until over $5000 was lost.

If this occurs and you think it might be real, contact the family member who supposedly needs help and confirm it. If you can't reach them, call another family member or friend. Police Departments, jails, public defenders, etc. will never ask for money to be sent via gift cards or Green Dot cards. You can also call the jail facility or police department (obtain the number from Directory Assistance or via a website, not from the person on the phone) to confirm the story.

Both of these crimes can be easily prevented through some simple steps, saving you money and a great deal of hassle. As always, please contact the Moraga Police Department at 925-888-7055 (Dispatch - 925-284-5010) with any questions or concerns.

Thank you for helping us to keep Moraga a safe place to live and visit.