The Texting While Driving Party is Over in January 2009!

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Governor Schwarzenegger signed a law in September that prohibits text messaging while driving. The law takes effect January 1, 2009.

What is this state coming to?? First he outlaws using cell phones in cars. Then he says we can’t smoke when the kids are in the car. Then he outlaws trans fats from my fast food. Now no texting while driving? What’s next? No consumption of trans fat-free chili cheese fries while driving??

Sadly we need to legislate common sense at times, but this law should make the roads a little safer.  A number of Republicans, including local Tony Strickland, voted against the bill because they felt existing laws are sufficient to prosecute distracted driving.  Point taken.

The law, SB 28, indicates that a person cannot drive while using an “electronic wireless communications device” to manually communicate using text messages, instant messages or electronic mail.

OK, Joe Loophole has thought this through. The law says “electronic,” so whoever comes up with the first solar powered wireless device will find a way to get around this law!

The law goes says you are fine to simply read, select or enter a name or phone number or name in the device for purposes of making a call. How a cop will be able to tell the difference between texting and typing a name into a cell phone is beyond me!  Heck, what if you were typing the name Schwarzenegger into your phone!  That should be illegal!

Violation of this law will cost you a base fine of $20 for a first offense and $50 per offense thereafter.

Beware of the Reverse Lottery Scam!

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VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF

MEDIA RELEASE

Bob Brooks, Sheriff

 

www.VCSD.org

 

Nature of Incident: Beware the reverse lottery scam, especially in this economy

Date: Nov. 26, 2008

Unit Responsible: East County Forgery / Fraud Unit

Narrative: Let’s face it; we would all like to win the lottery, especially in these difficult economic times. However, not all lotteries are created equal. Beware the letter or phone call explaining that you’ve won something, but have to pay taxes or a fee in order to claim the prize.

Avoid answering any letters or calls originating from outside the United States, especially Canada or Nigeria.

Advance-fee lottery scams are still a major problem. The letters and checks are arriving at your mailboxes right about now, just when you can least afford to give your money away to thieves. The targets are often people who can least afford to absorb the financial loss: the elderly.

The most common scam is the phone call from someone in Canada congratulating the unsuspecting victim that he or she has won a lottery. In order to claim the prize, the victim is told to wire $10,000.00 via Western Union to a person in Canada. The money covers the taxes, fees, and insurance the lottery officials require before shipping the winning check to the victim.

Another variation is a letter congratulating the lottery winner, along with a check made out to the victim. The letter asks the recipient to kindly deposit the $5,000.00 check into the bank, and then wire $4,000.00 back to the thief to pay taxes and fees. Then, the winner will receive the real prize.

By the time the victim realizes the check is worthless, he has already sent $4,000.00 of his own money to the suspect.

One thing people need to keep in mind is that there is no such thing as paying fees or taxes up front to claim any sweepstakes or lottery in the United States. If an offer seems too good to be true, then it is very likely a scam.

Many unsuspecting victims have drained their savings accounts and wired money to thieves in places like Canada and Nigeria. Many of the cases go unsolved because of the international scope of the transactions. The suspects often send professional looking paperwork to the victims that appear legitimate. They follow up with persuasive phone calls to lure victims into sending or wiring money.

The website for the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov) provides a wealth of information for consumers about a variety of fraud schemes, including international lotteries. According to the FTC, it is actually a violation of federal law to participate in a foreign lottery via the mail or by telephone.

Additional information can be obtained from the website of the United States Secret Service, www.secretservice.gov, which contains information regarding the advance-fee fraud scheme.

Officer Preparing Release: Detective Eric Buschow

Follow-up Contact: Detective Eric Buschow (805) 494-8226 / (805) 947-8129

Approved by: Capt. Bruce Watlington

Date of Release: Nov. 26, 2008

Thousand Oaks Crime Alert: Catalytic Converter Thefts are on the Rise Throughout Ventura County

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From a 10/21/08 Thousand Oaks Police Department Media Release:

Nature of Incident: Crime Alert: Catalytic converter thefts on the increase

Location: Throughout Thousand Oaks and Ventura County

The price of recycled metals has skyrocketed in recent years due to high demand and surging commodity prices. Although prices have eased since the recent economic downturn, thieves have capitalized on the trend by stealing manhole covers, bronze statues, irrigation pipes, and copper wiring. One item that has captured the attention of thieves is the catalytic converter. The emission control device found on all modern gas-powered cars is being removed from parked cars across the country.

Our local communities are no exception. There have been 56 thefts of catalytic converters throughout Ventura County since June 1, 2008. Forty seven of the thefts were from Toyota vehicles, and 17 occurred in Thousand Oaks. Thieves typically target sport utility vehicles, since the ground clearance allows them to easily work underneath the vehicle. They either cut the device off the vehicle with power tools, or unbolt it, depending on the configuration.

Catalytic converters contain small amounts of platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which are highly prized metals. They can be sold to metal recyclers for amounts that vary between $25.00 and $100.00 apiece, depending on market prices.

The biggest cost of these thefts ends up on the shoulders of the victims. Replacement catalytic converters cost between $1,000.00 and $1,500.00, depending on the make and model of the vehicle.

Many of the thefts have occurred in public parking lots during daylight hours. If you observe suspicious activity, such as someone working underneath a vehicle in a public area, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.

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New Thousand Oaks Smoking Ordinance - Effective 8/8/08

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The following information regarding the new City of Thousand Oaks Smoking Prohibition Ordinance is taken directly from the City of Thousand Oaks website.  The Ordinance, adopted by the City Council last month, becomes effective on August 8, 2008 and will effect smokers in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and the Ventura County side of Westlake Village.

Smoking Ordinance:

The Thousand Oaks City Council has adopted a new ordinance which
prohibits smoking in outdoor gathering places. The ordinance will take
effect on Friday, August 8, 2008 and specifically prohibits smoking in
the following places:

  • Any playground and within 25 feet thereof;
  • Any public gardens;
  • Any outdoor service area (ex: ATM or theatre ticket line);
  • The grounds of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, except in any
    designated smoking area;
  • Any outdoor dining area (with limited permitted exemptions);
  • The grounds of any public library;
  • Any common area at a shopping center.
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Thousand Oaks Safest City Once Again!

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The FBI issued preliminary crime statistics for 2007 today, and...(drum roll)...CONGRATULATIONS, Thousand Oaks!  We are back to the Number 1 spot on the list among the 257 U.S. cities with populations over 100,000.  Our total crime rate in 2007 was 1.668%, or 16.68 crimes per 1,000 people.  This very slightly edged out the city of Irvine, California which was at a crime rate of 1.684% (not bad at all, Irvine!).  Irvine could have beat us if we had just another 25 reported crimes last year, so that was quite close.  Amherst Town in New York was 3rd place at a crime rate of 1.742%.

CLARIFICATION:  My "Safest City" designation was based on the "total" crime rate.  News reports today have ranked Irvine as the Safest City for 4 years in a row based on having the lowest "violent" crime rate, not "total" crime rate (see below).  As it stands, T.O. ranks 2nd among California cities for lowest violent crime rate and 1st for lowest property and total crime rates.  Irvine ranks 14th in terms of property crime rates among California cities.

The FBI groups two main categories of crimes; violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, assualt) and property crimes (burglary, larceny/theft, auto theft).  Thousand Oaks reported 182 violent crimes (70% of which were assault) and 1,942 property crimes.  While it feels good to be #1, we still have room for improvement.  Our overall crime rate actually grew by 6% in 2007 vs 2006.  However, our violent crime rate dropped by 19% while property crimes grew by 8%.

At the bottom of the list was St. Louis, Missouri, Orlando, Florida and Little Rock, Arkansas, at rates of 11.93%, 10.45% and 10.35%, respectively.  What this means is that you are 7 times less likely to be the victim of a crime in Thousand Oaks than in St. Louis.  The dubious honor of highest violent crime rate belongs to Flint, Michigan.  In 2007, 24 out of every 1,000 Flint residents were the victim of a violent crime.

Simi Valley ranked as the 9th safest U.S. city at a total crime rate of 2.09% (4th safest in California, after T.O., Irvine and Glendale).  Oxnard's crime rate was 2.747%, which was a slight drop from 2006.  This earned Oxnard recognition as the 12th most crime-free large city in California out of 65 cities.  Ventura was lower on the list, at #45.

Keep up the great work, fellow Conejo Valley residents!  For more information, visit www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm.

Be Aware - Recent Child Predator Activities in the News

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Yesterday the news was shocking.  A convicted child predator was caught on tape at a Borders bookstore in Arcadia, stalking a 5 year old girl and attempting to touch her and inappropriately rub up against her in full view of other shoppers.  The girl's father caught on and the whole scene is caught on tape (click here for a CBS video report and crime scene video footage).

Closer to home, on Thursday it was announced that a maintenance worker at Oaks Christian School in Thousand Oaks was arrested for allegedly videotaping girls in the locker room. Click here for the Ventura County Star story.

Two weeks ago a Moorpark bus driver was arrested for suspicion of molesting a boy with autism.

Last month a former Ventura elementary school teacher was sent to jail for molesting an 8 year old boy for 2 years.

Always be aware of your surroundings and where your kids are and who are with your kids.  Here are a couple of websites that provide a database of sex offenders by area (one of these sites was used by the father seen in the Arcadia video going after the sex offender after he realized what was happening to his daughter, which led to the arrest of the pervert).

Family Watchdog

www.FamilyWatchdog.us

www.meganslaw.ca.gov/

Handheld Cell Phone Law Clarifications...Coming July 1st

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Handheld Cell Phone Ban in California on July 1stOne last reminder to dislodge that cell phone from your ear while driving starting Tuesday, July 1st.  The California Wireless Telephone Automobile Safety Act of 2006 takes effect on that date.

Dislodge Phone From Ear!

Many of us are addicted to holding the cell phone to our ear in the car.  Get it out of your system!  Conejo Joe plans to drive the entire weekend of June 28-29 while using a handheld cell phone glued to his ear.  That should do the trick. Or consider moving to our neighbors in Oregon, Nevada, Arizona or Mexico (except Mexico City), where there currently are no bans in place.

You can use a Bluetooth or other type of earpiece to talk on the phone. But you can't have both ears covered.  You can also use a built in hands-free system in your car.

The Speakerphone Loophole?

The California DMV has Q&As about the new law that provide more guidance.  The new law only prohibits using a cell phone unless it is configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and of course is used in that manner.  But you are not prohibited from using the speakerphone function of your cell phone while driving.  I called the DMV and CHP to confirm this.  The DMV first said "NO!" but when I pointed out the specific answer on the website she backed off and said you can use the speakerphon

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