FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2016 Contact: Kraig Troxell, Public Information Officer, 703-771-5278 Kraig.Troxell@loudoun.gov Alex Kowalski, Public Information Officer, 703-777-0625 Aleksandra.Kowalski@loudoun.gov October is National #CrimePreventionMonth Loudoun County, VA –The month of October is National Crime Prevention month and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is challenging the entire community to make crime prevention a priority. LCSO strongly believes that citizen involvement in crime prevention can and has played a vital role in helping many communities stay safe. The National Crime Prevention Council designated October Crime Prevention Month in 1984. The month-long commemoration reflects that vigilance and awareness prevention pays off. As part of an ongoing effort to inform the community on the latest crime trends, the agency will post on Wednesday tips on social media and through press release related to four specific categories. This first week will focus on business safety more specifically tips to local business owners to increase the security of businesses and reduce opportunities for crime in the community at large. Below are tips to deter and detect crime and increase communication and cooperation between businesses and the Sheriff’s Office. 1: Windows to places of business should be free of signage and clutter. This will allow passersby to see into the store and report any suspicious behavior or possible crime in progress. 2: Businesses should not accept any check unless the person writing the check has a valid government issued ID. The business should ensure the address and name on the check match the ID. 3: To avoid false alarms, ceiling displays should be avoided when possible. Ceiling displays can move during the overnight hours, causing the alarm to be activated. 4: Vandalism to the outside of a business can encourage additional criminal behavior. Remove, repair, or cover all graffiti or vandalism within 24 hours of its discovery. 5: Check out the LCSO’s Business Crime Handbook. As part of National Crime Prevention Month, over the course of the next three weeks the LCSO will focus on Home Security, Individual Prevention, and Child Safety. Take the proper measures to protect yourself from crime watch and use #CrimePreventionMonth to re-tweet and share our posts on social media. ###