Beware: Christmas presents can be a gift for burglars.

Be careful when taking out the trash this holiday season, as burglars and thieves may be choosing their targets based on what’s getting thrown out.

Boxes and packing materials from electronics and other easily-stolen goods left out for the trash could give criminals an idea of what’s inside the residence.
Rip them up well or cover them up.

Christmas is the busiest time in the burglar's calendar. Homes are more frequently left empty in the whirlwind of shopping trips, social events and visits.

Add to that the fact that the prospective booty is beautifully easy to target - conveniently left either in the hall or sitting room - and for burglars the situation is like ... well ... Christmas !

Top 10 items taken by thieves last year

 Laptops

 Nintendo Wii consoles

Digital cameras

 Sony playsation 3s

 Sony PSPs

 iPod Nanos

 Desk-top PCs

XBox 360s

Mobile phones

Apple Macbooks

Source: Aviva

Operation ID

Operation Identification is a citizen's burglary prevention program for use in homes and business. The Operation ID program involves the marking of property with an identifying number as a means of discouraging burglary and theft.

In communities where it has been properly implemented, Operation Identification has shown dramatic results in its ability to reduce burglaries.

Marked property is difficult for a burglar to dispose of or re-sell. It can be traced to the rightful owner with relative ease. If the burglar is caught with marked property, It is solid evidence of possession of stolen goods.

When marking your valuables, always use your Drivers License Number, never your Social Security Number, unless they are the same number (and if they are get it changed ASAP).

Also, always use the two letter state identifier along with your license number. 

After marking your property, make a list of your valuables and keep a copy of the list in a safe place.

If you should subsequently become a burglary victim, you will be able to quickly describe the stolen property from the list. 

Of course some items can not be marked and we suggest a photograph or video of these items. This will be of great help to the police department in our attempts to recover the stolen property.

Make a list of all serial numbers on

 valuables electronics.

In January and February The Wilkes- Barre Crime Watch Coalition will be

helping residents to participate in Operation ID. Engravers will be available

for members at each meeting to take

home and mark their valuables.

Yesterday…

JACKSON TOWNSHIP
$20,000 in heroin found in truck during traffic stop
A traffic stop Saturday on Interstate 80 in Monroe County turned into a drug bust when police said they found heroin in the trunk of the car.
State police at Swiftwater pulled over Lashawna Harris, 29, of Wilkes-Barre about 10:30 p.m. in Jackson Township for several moving violations, according to a news release.
Police said Harris "displayed numerous criminal indicators," which triggered a search of the vehicle. Police said they found 11 bricks of heroin - about 1,100 packets - in a purse under a bag of garbage in the trunk.
The heroin, valued at $20,000, was to be distributed in the Wilkes-Barre region, police said. Harris was taken to Monroe County jail on felony drug charges, police said.

Reports from Clipboard at Police Station

                                               12/06- 12/19

192 S. Franklin St.- TFMV- Purse

Stanton St.- Robbery- 2 younger males pushed a 57 year old man to the ground and took his wallet.

463 S. Franklin- Burglary- X box , Computer. Valued at 1,400 dollars.

87 Wood  St.- TFMV- Purse

46 Mccarragher St.- Burglary- kicked in side door.  2,000 dollars worth of tools stolen.

568 N. Penn Ave. – theft- Aluminum

88 Popular St.- license plate stolen

187 Reese ST.- theft- Jewelry

23 S. Meade St.- Burglary – Jewelry, cash, laptop

Boscovs 15 S. Main St- Robbery- One female and one male forcibly removed wallet from man.

323 S. Sherman St- TFMV- Purse

57 Hillard St- Burglary- Jewelry, two computers and camcorders.

99 George Ave. – Hunn’s Parking lot- TFMV- GPS

439 S. River- TFMV- 100 Cd’s

135 N. Main St.- Burglary-  Safe with two guns in it.

Area of 303 Andover St.- Robbery- Cell phone

2 Oakwood Lane- Rock through car window

19 Murry St- Slashed tires

310 S. River- Burglary-  3,000 dollars worth of stuff.

45 Corlear St.- Burglary- forced door open- Camera, Jewelry, Computer

53 S. Empire St.- Burglary- Gun

18 Forrest St.-Theft- cell phone

60 Monroe- Stolen Car

225 Horton ST.- Pried open car door- TFMV- Sony CD player

Mallery Place- license plate stolen

68 Ross St- smashed window on car

8 W. Ross St.- Burglary- Photographic equipment 

150 Scott St.- theft- Honda Accord

E. Northampton and Welles St- at 7:48 in morning- Theft- man grabbed woman’s pure.

63 Conwell St- theft- Jewelry.