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What
To Do If You're A Victim Of A Crime
Victim
of Auto Theft
Victim
of Burglary or Theft
Victim
of Identity Theft
Victim
of Assault
Victim
of Robbery
Reporting
a Homicide
Reporting
a Missing Person
Reporting
Child Abuse
Victim
of Auto Theft
If
you find that you are the victim of auto theft:
-
Report the theft as soon as
possible to the Aberdeen Police Department, 626.7911.
-
You must have your vehicle’s
license plate number and/or vehicle identification number (VIN).
If
you recover your vehicle:
-
Do not touch or move the vehicle
in order to preserve possible evidence.
-
Call the Aberdeen Police
Department, 626.7911, to report the recovery. If you do not
call, your car will continue to be listed as stolen.
Check
out our Protect Your Auto
tips.
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Victim
of Burglary or Theft
If
you find that you are the victim of Burglary or Theft:
-
Report the crime as soon as
possible to the Aberdeen Police Department, 626.7911.
-
Avoid
touching or disturbing anything until the officer has arrived and
collected evidence.
-
The investigating officer will ask
you to make an inventory to determine what was taken.
-
The
officer will ask you questions such as:
-
What
time did you leave the house?
-
When
did you return?
-
What
did you see when you returned?
-
From
where was your property stolen?
-
Have
you talked to any neighbors?
-
If
so, what did they see or hear?
-
Are
you willing to prosecute the person(s) that stole the property?
-
To
document any further property loss discovered after the officer has
left the scene, call or go to the Aberdeen Police Department, 123
South Lincoln Street, and turn in a list of additional losses to the
Detective Division.
-
To
obtain information about your case, contact
the Detective Division, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
at 626.7003.
Check
out our Protect Your Home
tips.
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Victim
of Identity Theft
If
you become the victim of identity theft, it is important to act
immediately to stop the thief’s further use of your identity.
-
Immediately
contact all your credit card issuers. Get
replacement cards with new account numbers. Ask that the old accounts be
processed as "account closed at consumer’s request." (This
is better than "card lost or stolen," because when this
statement is reported to credit bureaus, it can be interpreted as
blaming you for the loss.)
-
Call
the fraud units of the three credit reporting companies. Equifax,
Experian
and Trans Union. Report the theft of your credit cards and/or
numbers. Ask that your accounts be flagged. Also, add a victim's
statement to your report such as, "My ID has been used to apply for
credit fraudulently. Contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX (your phone number) to
verify all applications."
-
Notify
your bank(s) of the theft. Cancel
your checking and savings accounts and obtain new account numbers. Ask
the bank to issue you a secret password that must be used in every
transaction. Put stop payments on any outstanding checks that you are
unsure of.
-
If
you use an ATM card for banking services, get a new card, account
number, and password. Do
not use your old password. When creating a password, avoid such commonly
used numbers as the last four digits of your Social Security number and
your birth date.
-
If
you have had checks stolen or bank accounts set up fraudulently, report
it to Telecheck
and National
Processing Company (NPC). These check guarantee companies will flag your file so
that bogus checks will be turned down.
-
The
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the federal clearinghouse for
complaints by victims of identity theft. Although the FTC does not have
the authority to bring criminal cases, the Commission assists victims of
identity theft by providing them with information to help them resolve
the financial and other problems that can result from identity theft.
The FTC also may refer victim complaints to other appropriate government
agencies and private organizations for further action. If you have been
a victim of ID theft, you can file a complaint with the FTC by
contacting the FTC's Consumer Response Center, 1.877.FTC.HELP
(382.4357).
-
Notify
the Social
Security Administration’s office of the Inspector
General if your SSN has been used fraudulently. To order Earnings and
Benefits Statement, or to report fraudulent use of your SSN, call
800.772.1213.You may want to have your SSN changed if your number has
become associated with bad checks and credit. CAUTION: This step
should be reserved for only the most extreme situations. You must be
sure to notify ALL credit grantors and credit reporting bureaus
of your new SSN. Consider this option carefully. A new Social
Security number may not resolve your identity theft problems, and may
actually create new problems. For example, a new Social Security number
does not necessarily ensure a new credit record because credit bureaus
may combine the credit records from your old Social Security number with
those from your new Social Security number. Even when the old credit
information is not associated with your new Social Security number, the
absence of any credit history under your new Social Security number may
make it more difficult for you to get credit.
-
If
you have a passport, notify the
Passport
Office to be on the look out for anyone ordering a new
passport fraudulently.
-
Call
your telephone, electrical, gas and water utilities. Alert
them to the possibility that someone may attempt to open new service
using your identification. Also contact your long distance company.
-
The
nearest office of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service might be able
to help you remove fraudulent claims from your credit report. Call
1.800.388.2227.
-
In
dealing with the authorities and financial institutions, keep a log of
all conversations, including dates and names. Send correspondence by
certified mail. Keep copies of all letters and documents. Provide your
police report number to expedite reporting the crime.
-
Consider
seeking legal counsel. Especially
if you have difficulty clearing up your credit history, or your case is
complex and involves a lot of money. An attorney can help you recover
from the fraud and determine whether your rights under various credit
banking, Social Security Number, and other laws have been violated.
-
Pay
attention to your own mental health. Victims of identity theft report
that they often feel they are somehow to blame. They can also feel
violated, even powerless, due in large part to the fact that few, if
any, of the authorities who have been notified of the crime step forward
to help the victim. Discuss your situation with a trusted friend or
counselor. Seek help from a victims rights organization.
Check
out our tips, Protecting Your
Identity.
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Victim
of Assault
If
you are the victim of Assault:
-
Report the crime as soon as possible
to the Aberdeen Police Department, 911.
-
The
investigating officer will ask the victims and witnesses for details of
the incident. Correct information is extremely important because it can
assist in making a speedy arrest and help determine the type of criminal
charges to be filed.
-
The
officer will take photographs of the injuries and ask that a voluntary
written statement or a recorded audible statement be made by victims and
witnesses.
-
When
the investigation is completed, if the officer has probable cause to
arrest the suspect, the officer will take the suspect into custody and
transport them to the Brown County Jail.
-
The officer will
then write a report and send it to the proper division, where an officer
from that division will review the case, contact the victim and
witnesses, file charges when possible and do everything within reason to
arrest the suspect if not already in custody.
If
you are the victim of a Domestic Violence Assault:
-
Report the crime as soon as possible
to the Aberdeen Police Department, 911.
-
State
law mandates officers to make an arrest if they believe domestic
violence has occurred.
-
The victim in the
case does not file the complaint; it is filed by the State of South
Dakota.
-
If both parties
have assaulted each other, the officer is not required to arrest both
parties. The officer will attempt to determine who the primary
physical aggressor is and then arrest that person. The primary
physical aggressor is determined by extent of injuries inflicted,
physical size of parties involved, past domestic violence history, who
has control in the relationship, and self defense injuries. The person that
started the fight is not always the person who is determined the primary
physical aggressor.
If
you are the victim of Sexual Assault:
-
Report the crime as soon as possible
to the Aberdeen Police Department, 911.
-
When
the officer arrives, they will look for evidence at the scene and
contact an investigator from the Detective Division. The investigator
will interview the victim and ask for a written statement.
-
Retain and recall
as much information as possible about the attacker.
-
Preserve
all physical evidence. Do not take a bath, douche, wash or change
clothes or linens. Do not touch anything handled by the attacker.
-
Notify
your doctor and/or go the closest hospital emergency room for a medical
examination and treatment. The examination and rape kit for collecting
evidence will be paid for by the county if a police report is filed.
-
Be sure to take
clean clothing to wear after the examination.
-
Clothing worn
during the attack will be turned over to the police for laboratory
analysis. If you do not bring clothing, Safe Harbor will give you
clothing to wear home.
If
you wish, a sexual assault advocate will be contacted to be with you
through the entire process. If you would like additional information
from Safe Harbor, contact them at 226.1212.
Check
out our Protect Yourself
tips.
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Victim
of Robbery
If
you are the victim of robbery:
-
Go
to a safe location, as close as possible to the robbery scene, and call
the Aberdeen Police Department immediately at 911.
-
Give the
dispatcher all the information you can about injuries, if any,
direction the
suspect took,
and any other
information requested.
-
Keep
all witnesses at the scene until the police can interview them. If
witnesses have to leave, get their name, address and phone number.
-
Don’t
touch or move any evidence or items the suspect may have handled.
-
Write
down a complete description of the suspect, weapon, if any, and vehicle
used.
-
List
all property, taken, along with serial numbers if possible.
On
arrival the officer will do the following:
-
Make
sure the scene is safe.
-
Attain
a brief synopsis of the incident and a description of the suspects and
vehicle (if used).
-
Relay
information to the dispatcher so police units in the area can be
informed.
-
Secure
the scene and check for physical evidence.
-
Take
a detailed report from the victim(s).
-
Question
all witnesses.
-
Give
the victim(s) an offense report number of the incident.
Check
out our Robbery
Prevention tips.
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Reporting
a Homicide
To
report a murder:
-
Call
911. The dispatcher will send a police officer to the scene.
-
Don’t
move or touch anything.
-
While
waiting for the police, you should write down the license plate numbers
of any vehicles you saw leaving the crime scene.
-
Make note of any
suspicious persons seen leaving the area.
-
When
a police officer arrives, there will be a search for evidence and you
will be asked to provide any information you may have.
If
you have additional information on a homicide, call the Aberdeen Police
Department’s Detective Division at 626.7003.
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Reporting
a Missing Person
To
report a missing child or juvenile:
-
If
a young child is believed to be missing, parents should first make sure
the youngster is not inside the house, or anywhere in the immediate
area. Check under beds, in closets and other places the youngster
may snuggle up and fall asleep.
-
Contact
the Aberdeen Police Department, 911, if the youngster still can’t be
found.
-
There
is no waiting period for a missing child report to be accepted.
-
The
officer receiving the call will request the following information:
-
Full name,
including nicknames and aliases,
-
Race,
-
Sex,
-
Age and date of
birth,
-
Hair and eye
color,
-
Clothing worn when
last seen,
-
Physical
characteristics
-
Home or apartment
address and number,
-
Telephone number,
-
Last school
attended and grade level,
-
Parents names,
addresses and telephone numbers (home and work),
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Last person known
to have seen the youngster,
-
Circumstances of
the disappearance, and
-
Current photo of
the missing child, if available.
All
available officers will be dispatched to the area to begin an immediate
search for the missing child.
To
report a missing adult:
-
Contact
the Aberdeen Police Department, 626-7911.
-
The
officer receiving the call will request the following information:
-
Full name,
including nicknames and aliases,
-
Race, sex, age and
date of birth,
-
Hair and eye
color,
-
Clothing worn when
last seen,
-
Physical
characteristics,
-
Home or apartment
address and number, telephone number,
-
Last person known
to have seen the missing adult,
-
Circumstances of
the disappearance, and
-
Current photo of
the missing person, if available.
If
the missing adult is out of our jurisdiction, the missing adult report
will have to originate from the city in which the person is missing
from. The Aberdeen Police Department will send a teletype to that
jurisdiction and give them all the information concerning the missing
person.
Finding
a missing child or adult:
When
a missing child or adult is located or returns home, the Aberdeen Police
Department should be contacted immediately, at 626.7911, so the case can
be closed.
Top
Reporting
Child Abuse
To
report Child Abuse:
-
Immediately call the Aberdeen Police
Department, 911.
-
If
a parent finds out a child has been a victim, the most important thing
is to ensure the child’s safety and well-being. This means the parent
must remain calm and under control. This is especially important in
sexual abuse cases where parental help is needed to calm the child.
-
Aiding
a physically abused child:
Medical examinations
are necessary in physical abuse cases to determine the extent of
injuries and to provide expert medical verification that injuries did
occur.
-
Aiding
a sexually abused child: If
the sexual assault happened within the past 72 hours, hospital
attention should be sought quickly.
-
Before the
examination, do not bath or otherwise clean the victim.
-
Be sure to bring
clean clothing for the victim. Clothing worn during the assault will be
kept by the police.
-
In
sexual
assault cases, medical attention is needed not only to gather evidence
from the victim’s body and clothing, but also to determine whether or
not any of the following are true:
The
person
reporting actual or suspected child abuse incidents is protected by law
from civil liabilities and retaliatory lawsuits, provided the reports
are made in good faith and without malicious intent. The identities of
the persons making the reports are kept confidential and in some cases,
reports will be accepted anonymously, if necessary.
When
the police or the Department of Social Services receives a report of
suspected child abuse or neglect, a full investigation is launched. Both
agencies are concerned with the safety of the child and share
information, although they have different responsibilities during the
investigation. The police department for example, concentrates on
determining whether or nor a criminal offense has been committed. The
department of Social Services, on the other hand, determines the state
of the victim’s well being and the need for civil intervention. This
joint effort is believed to be best for the victim.
Check
out our Protect Your Children
tips.
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