OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The Oshkosh Police Department is taking a proactive and creative approach to deal with crimes like burglary and break-ins in the city.
Public Affairs and Crime Prevention Officer Kate Mann puts out reminders for what she calls the "9 PM Routine" on the department's Facebook every night, encouraging people to secure their cars and home, before going to bed.
She says that taking the small steps of locking houses, removing valuables from cars, and making sure car doors are locked, go a long way toward preventing criminals from stealing personal belongings.
“We call them crimes of opportunity because they’re crimes you can do pretty quickly and not draw attention to yourself…" Mann said, "...if we can take that first step, and people can secure their vehicle, that might just prevent the crime from occurring.”
Tamara and Joe Garihan are among the many Oshkosh residents who follow along with the routine. They say they wish they'd known about the routine sooner, as it might have saved them some headaches.
“We did have someone go through our car at one point," Joe said, "they didn’t steal anything but they went through it, so we’ve been pretty diligent ever since then to keep our cars locked up at night.”
They said their car was unlocked that night, and they believe following the routine and locking it might have prevented the break-in.
Mann said she's seen the 9 PM routine save people from potential problems like leaving the stove on at night and says in her eyes, the program is a success.
“Anytime we can encourage citizens to be proactive with crime prevention, that’s a win," she said.
