Common-Sense Tips Add to Your Safety

Although Sugar Land is overall one of the area's safest cities, vehicle break-ins often occur. An adept thief can break in and steal valuable property in less than 10 seconds. Crooks look for attractive targets at places such as fitness clubs, stores and shopping areas. Help the Sugar Land Police Department by following these common sense procedures:

• Secure your vehicle by rolling up windows and locking doors
• Keep valuable items out of sight and in a trunk or glove box
• Secure your belongings in the trunk or glove box before you arrive in the parking lot. If thieves see you securing items, you may be their target
• While shopping, ask the store to hold high value items such as electronics and computers until you are ready to load them in your car and drive home

Thieves also target city parks. These tips can help your family have a safe and enjoyable park visit in all city parks:

• Only use the parks during posted hours
• Obey all posted warnings and signs
• Do not allow children to play unsupervised
• Do not carry a purse or valuable items. Follow the advice above and secure items out of sight before you arrive at the park
• Avoid walking alone
• Carry a cell phone
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times

Five emergency call boxes are located along the 2.25-mile Oyster Creek Park trail (two boxes are close to Lost Creek Park). Residents who push a button on one of the boxes during an emergency will reach a Sugar Land Police telecommunications operator, who instantly knows where the caller is and can dispatch a police officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician to help.