Leslie/Sheppard E Construction Work ( Public Notice)

A Public Notice has been delivered this month to all residences in our area describing construction work on Leslie from Sheppard to the 401 starting around mid Mar or April and ending about 9 months later.

Our website had announced this under Community Messages in December.

The work includes intersection bridge rehabilitation, NYGH bridge replacement, widening of Leslie.

What say (think) you?

Turn on Your House Lights for Neighbourhood Safety

One of our neighbours on Clovercrest has reported that car thieves have "stripped" stolen vehicles of their valuables in the darkness of the street.

She suggests turning on our house lights for neighbourhood safety to help deter such criminal activity and make our neighbourhood safer.

Comments?

Boulevard Trees

The boulevard (grass area between the sidewalk and road curb) is public property. Only the city can plant trees although you have grass cutting and weed control responsibilities for the boulevard abutting your property.

Along many stretches of our inner roads mature trees line the roads and sidewalks. They provide shade to the pedestrian and parked vehicle. Their leaves provide fall exercise before our winter hibernation. They break strong winds.

These public trees enhance our neighbourhood attractiveness and its natural environment.

Many of the plantings resulted from resident requests.

However, there are many stretches where there are few such trees. Filling in the gaps will be a neighbourhood improvement with benefit to all.

What do you think of a homeowners association campaign to fill in these public spaces with trees?

Shaughnessy Beautification North of Sheppard

During the community benefit discussions for the Bloorview redevelopment your community members identified the "beautification" of the north entrance to Shaughnessy from Sheppard as a significant and desirable neighbourhood improvement. While this community project did not make it into the final staff report on 25 Buchan Court, many in our neighbourhood feel that the city must do something.

On the south side , entrance to Henry Farm area, the city has invested in upgrading and improving this community entrance

On the north side entrance lining structures that have been forgotten and unmaintained. The median "islands" show similar neglect.

Concerns on traffic and pedestrian safety have also been raised.

What say you? Please submit your thoughts or suggestions (comments).

Break & Enters - Theft Prevention Tips

They come to your home when you’re not there. And that’s when they go in.

Some also enter when you’re sound asleep. And they go in then, too.

Toronto Police are warning homeowners about an increase in break and enters across the city that's leaving many families feeling insecure – and without some of their most prized possessions.

Break-ins more than doubled in the city’s Riverdale neighbourhood over the last year from 22 in 2005 to 47 in 2006. And it’s only the start of February.

Cops have made 26 arrests in the robberies, including the man they believe is behind most of the thefts.

A suspect is behind bars charged with 20 counts of break and enter after a rash of robberies in 55 Division.

"He is your quintessential cat burglar,” suggests Det. Sgt. Roger Keys. “On one occasion the lady heard a noise and went back to sleep. She woke up the next morning and realized that somebody had been [inside].”

But police suspect there are far more thieves out there and they’re warning you to take precautions.

Among them – if you have big ticket items, like a big screen TV, don’t leave your curtains open so everyone can see it. You might as well be blinking a neon sign for the thieves.

“If I'm a criminal, I want to know what is in that house,” explains Elizabeth Hawley of the Crime Prevention Society of Toronto. “I will look through the window and see if I can get a good haul.”

Another warning? Don’t leave errant opportunities like ladders lying around the side of your house. “This ladder can be used to gain entrance to your second storey windows,” she notes.

Homeowners should also make sure their doors and windows are in good condition. Bandits don’t want to break glass and make noise and if that’s the only option, it might deter them from trying to get in.

Trim your trees and hedges - they can provide a good hiding place for a thief to wait out of sight.

And don’t be shy about calling 9-1-1 if you think someone’s trying to get in.

Cops are also fighting back by putting you in the picture. Literally.

55 Division cops are offering to let homeowners borrow a digital camera so they can photograph their belongings, complete with serial numbers.

That way, if they do get taken, you’ll have a much better chance of getting them all back.

"We want to convince the public at large the time to identify your property is now,” affirms Supt. Wayne Peden. “Not after you've had your house broken into.”

It’s something tha t could have assisted Sutherland Snow, who was victimized four years ago.

"The doors (were) locked (but) they came through the windows," he recalls, adding that he’d catalogued his things, but "didn’t have insurance."

Peden points out keeping track of possessions is important.

"The amount of property that is stolen compared to the property that is returned to the homeowner not just in this recent project but historically across the city - it is staggering," he explains.

Theft prevention tips, courtesy Toronto Police:
• Maintain an inventory of all household possessions.

• Install dead bolt locks on all exterior doors and self-tapping screws in the upper track of patio doors and windows.

• Ensure that entry locks are changed or re-keyed, if you are a new tenant or owner.

• Secure all basement and ground level windows and patio doors. Use lexon glass or charley bars where appropriate.

• Make your home fire-safe, eliminate all fire hazards. Install and test smoke alarms and plan and escape route.

• Insure your home and contents, and store valuables in a safe and secure place.

• Give your home the lived-in look, with automatic timers.

• Have mail, newspapers etc., picked up, lawns cut or snow removed when you are away from home.

• Trim all shrubs, trees, etc., so that doors and windows are in clear view.

• Check references of all individuals you employ to work in your home.

Courtesy Toronto Police. January 31, 2006

Personal ID Safety Precautions

A friend recently forwarded two emails related to personal id security and safety precautions. We pass them on as "a word to the wise".

Credit Card Scams - 3 Scenarios

3 scenarios to read if you have a credit card. What they won't think of next! Be sure to read 'Scenario 3'

SCENARIO 1: this is a new one.
People sure stay busy trying to cheat us, don't they?? A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker. After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open and thought to himself, "Funny, I thought I locked the locker. Hmmmmmm." He
dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order. Everything looked okay - all cards were in place.

A few weeks later his credit card bill came to a whopping bill of $14,000! He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions. Customer care personnel verified that there was no mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen. "No," he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, &!#%$^#, and yep, you guessed it - a switch had been made.

An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet. The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards. Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them. How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy? $9,000!

Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped? Small amounts rarely trigger a "warning bell" with some credit card companies. It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to one BIG one!

SCENARIO 2:
A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card. The bill for the meal came, he signed it, and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along. Usually,
he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket. Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person. He called the waitress and she looked perplexed. She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man. All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card. No exchange of words - nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology.

Verdict: Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours. Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time. Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, "assuming" that it has to be theirs.

FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!

SCENARIO 3:
Yesterday (originator of this e-mail) I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order
that I had called in. I paid by using my Visa Check Card, which, of course, is linked directly to my checking account. The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, and then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure.

While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he was taking a picture of; oblivious to what was really going on.

It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I'm paying close attention to what he is doing. He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open. About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved. Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card. Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened.

Needless to say, I immediately canceled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor.

Alll I am saying is be aware of your surroundings at all times. Whenever you are using your credit cards, take caution and don't be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card. Be aware of phones because many have a camera phone these days. When you are in a restaurant and the waiter/waitress brings your card and receipt for you to sign, make sure you scratch the number off. Some restaurants are using only the last four digits but a lot of them are still putting the whole thing on there.

I have already been a victim of credit card fraud and it is not fun, believe me. The truth is that they can get you even when you are careful, but don't make it easy for them.

Hotel - Credit Card Type Room Keys

DON'T HAND THEM BACK when you check out - DESTROY THEM

Here's why from the California Bureau of Investigation:

"Southern California law enforcement professionals assigned to detect new threats to personal security issues, recently discovered what type of information is embedded in the credit card type hotel room keys used throughout the industry.

Although room keys differ from hotel to hotel, a key obtained from a well known hotel chain that was being used for a regional Identity Theft Presentation was found to contain the following the information:

a.. Customers (your) name
b.. Customers partial home address
c.. Hotel room number
d.. Check in date and check out date
e.. Customer's (your) credit card number and expiration date!

When you turn them in to the front desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner

An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.

Simply put, hotels do not erase the information on these cards until an employee re-issues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new guest's information is electronically "overwritten" on the card and the previous guest's information is erased in the overwriting process. But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with YOUR INFORMATION ON IT!!!!

The bottom line is:
Keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy them.
NEVER leave them behind in the room or room wastebasket, and NEVER turn them in to the front desk when you check out of a room.
They will not charge you for the card (it's illegal) and you'll be sure you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it that could be easily lifted off with any simple scanning device card reader.

For the same reason, if you arrive at the airport and discover you still have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up, especially through the electronic information strip!

Information courtesy of: Pasadena Police Department