Spy and Surveillance Equipment, Hidden Cameras, Nanny Cams

Well thank God the holidays including MLK will be over after Monday. Guess that means I can get busy and do something other than eating, going to parties, eating, going to relatives, eating, going to casinos and eating and drinking along with a little poker. Ole Poppajohn actually came in second in a poker tournament at Harrah’s Rincon here in the People’s Republic of Arnold’s California. We were also at Pechanga (my pocket Aces lost to two pair) in California plus Reno (just plain card poor) and Vegas. Conveniently for me the ATMs in those places are all located inside, prominent and usually with an armed guard close by so there was no need to worry so much about someone attempting to relieve me of my cash. All ATMs however are not so well placed and if you must use one after hours it should be cause for concern. Poppajohn will attempt to help out with that worry with the following treatise on ATM Security. I will follow up with a real neat new special.

ATM SECURITY
ATM cash machines have been incorporated in our way of life. They offer a real convenience to those on the run but at the same time offer an element of risk. Using an ATM machine safely requires awareness and a little planning. Just because an ATM machine is open and available 24-hours a day doesn’t mean it is safe to use it. Most ATM robberies occur at night between 8:00 PM and midnight. ATM robbers are usually males under 25 years of age and most work alone. ATM robbers usually position themselves nearby waiting for a victim to approach and withdraw cash. Most ATM robbery victims are women and were alone when robbed. Most claim that they never saw the robber coming. Most ATM robbers used a gun or claimed to have a concealed weapon when confronting the victim and demanding their cash.
If you or your family members use ATM cash machines on a regular basis, here are some tips that can make the process a little safer:
• Use only ATM machines in well-lighted, high-traffic areas. Don’t use ATM machines
that are remote or hidden such as being located behind buildings, behind pillars, walls,
or away from public view. Beware of obvious hiding places like shrubbery or
overgrown trees. ATM robbers like to have the element of surprise and no witnesses.
Robbers like good escape routes like nearby freeway on-ramps or high speed
thoroughfares.
• Choose an ATM that looks and ‘feels’ safer, even if it is a couple of miles out of the
way. Try and limit your use to daylight hours. Take someone with you after hours, if
you can. When you drive up to an ATM location, scan the area for any suspicious
persons. If you see anyone suspicious standing nearby or sitting in a car, drive away.
When you approach an ATM on foot be prepared and have your access card ready.
Memorize your personal PIN number (never write it down) to prevent loss and speed the transaction. After inserting your card and your PIN number keep an eye out behind you. Never accept an offer to help or request for help from a suspicious male ahead of you at the machine. If anyone suspicious or seemingly dangerous approaches terminate your transaction and leave immediately, even if it means running away and leaving your ATM card in the machine. First, tell the suspicious male in a loud, firm voice to “back-off” and leave you alone. This is designed to startle the person and give you time to flee, if appropriate. When you receive cash from the machine put it away immediately, extract your card, and walk away.
• If you use your car at a drive-thru ATM machine the same rules apply plus the following. Keep the car in gear, with your foot firmly on the brake, while using the ATM machine. Keep a close eye on your rear and side view mirrors during the transaction. Robbers almost always approach from the rear on the drivers side. If you see anyone approaching, drive off even if it means leaving your ATM card behind. If you are confronted by an armed robber, just give up your money without argument. The cash is not worth serious injury or death. Get to a safe place and call the police immediately.
• If lights around the ATM are not working, don’t use that machine
• Avoid ATM machines adjacent to obvious hiding places
• Have your card ready and leave quickly, not counting your cash in public
• Beware of offers for help from strangers during an ATM transaction
• Don’t fight with or attempt to follow the robber
• Drive or walk to a safe place and immediately call the police

Okay, end of sermon. Now let’s eat, oh no let’s get to the special!!
Poppajohn was offered an outrageous price on a quality telescoping stun baton from the manufacturer Street Wise because of some slight damage that occurred during shipping let’s check em out
Our loss is your gain! On our last shipment we had some expandable batons damaged in shipping. The collars are cracked, but the stun guns have been tested and work fine. These batons are sold AS-IS with no warranty but we are selling them at over 70% off our normal price.

For those who want to defend themselves from a safe distance away and do not want to carry along bulky stun baton, the Streetwise 700k Expandable Stun Baton is the perfect answer. It extends from 12 1/2 inches to 21 in. with the touch of a button to allow you to defend yourself while keeping a safe distance away from your attacker. In addition to the powerful 700,000 volt stun gun it also features an ear piercing 130 decibel alarm. The two levels of protection allows you to defend yourself by sounding the powerful alarm or stunning the attacker with 700,000 volts! As a bright electric current pulsates up and down the top 12 inches, it creates an intimidating electrical sound that can often stop a would-be attacker in his tracks. If the sight and sound of the electric current and the personal alarm are not enough to stop him a jolt of 700,000 volts certainly will! Unit Requires four (4) CR123A three volt lithium batteries (not included).

Features Include:

* Two levels of protection: alarm and stun gun. The alarm can be activated to scare off a would-be attacker and summon help. If the alarm is not a strong enough deterrent, the stun feature may be used
* Conveniently Located Slide Switch: easily activate the stun baton and alarm with your thumb
* Safety Switch: prevents accidental discharge
* Holster: a holster with belt loop is included for easy carrying

These batons are sold AS-IS with no warranty.
Check them out here http://www.kbspersonalsecurity.com/swexpandablespecial.htm

Hey folks, I’ve been out of town for what seems like a month. My wife and I had to go celebrate our anniversary (twenty fifth). We were at four indian casinos in California plus Tahoe Reno and Las Vegas. We had one great time and we really needed to get away, we had both been working sixty or so hours a week. So what did I learn while I was away besides my wife’s first name again? How about that Mooks are the same all over, even in Tahoe. The very best thing that I could recommend anyone do prior to leaving on a trip such as that is to load up on mook tools. Start with a new C-2 taser and add a Mace Pepper-Gun for a better distance. Don’t forget something for close in work such as a steel telescopic baton and a 4 Oz pepper spray like Wildfire or Mace Pepper-Gel. At that point you should feel prepared to deal with most anything you are likely to run into on that road trip. Remember if you use your taser to stop an attacker, you can leave it attached to the mook and leave while the taser is keeping him immobilized and Taser will replace it for you with just a copy of the police report.
http://www.personalsecurity4u.net/c2taser.htm
Gotta go for now, got a lot to ketch up on, stay safe;
Always carry personal protection, be aware and have a plan!
Poppajohn

Hi, everyone;
Poppajohn is back cuz he told ya last week he would have some tips on keeping your apartment secure when you’re gone. No one wants to worry all the time they are gone about what they left behind. So here’s just a few things to set your mind at rest.

One of the times your home is most vulnerable is of course when it is left empty for an extended period of time.
Darkened windows, mail or newspapers collecting and closed windows in hotter weather all advertise your absence to a potential burglar.
The A #1 best protection for your apartment during your absence is to have a house sitter.
A friend you trust staying at your house can take care of your pets and/or plants in addition to making sure the house is inhabited. If you don’t want or can’t get a house sitter then, try to Have a neighbor check on your apartment while you’re away — turning on lights, radios or TVs and opening and closing curtains will give your apartment the appearance of someone home.
If you don’t have a friend or neighbor to housesit or check your apartment while you’re away — perhaps even if you do — you should keep not only lights but a TV or radio on a timer. If you’re like some folks and have your TV on almost all the time you’re home [NOTE: even if you don’t watch it and just use it to provide background noise.], the absence of the sound and that glowing light in the windows announces that you’re not there.
If you have an alarm system make sure whoever is checking your apartment while you’re away knows how to work your alarm system and who to call in case of a problem. Probably best to have them over for a training session and also leave detailed instructions on using the alarm.
Unless you have a house sitter, stop your mail and any newspaper or other regular deliveries. Nothing announces an empty apartment better than a stack of newspapers or an overflowing mailbox. Ask a nearby neighbor to pick up any packages delivered while you’re gone.
If you have a garden or plants on your balcony, make sure your sitter or someone is watering the plants regularly or put the plants where they can’t be seen. Plants slowly dying due to lack of water will announce your absence.
Check your lease. Many landlords require that you notify them if your apartment is going to be left empty for any period of time (this is so they can enter in case of emergency even if they can’t reach you). If you’ve got a house sitter this isn’t necessary.
Finally if you do not have an alarm think about getting one. It need not be elaborate or expensive. Mooks like things to be easy (that’s why they’re mooks) almost any alarm going off will cause them to re-think their plans about stealing from you. I once had a neighbor who asked me why I kept my gate locked all the time and felt that it was silly because a thief could get over it without opening it. I replied, that may be true but that’s what they will have to do cuz I ain’t gonna make it any easier for em.
Last, first and foremost IF YOU HAVE A LOCK USE IT.
Check out some of these easily affordable alarms
http://www.personalsecurity4u.net/autodialer.htm
http://www.personalsecurity4u.net/keepi.htm
http://www.personalsecurity4u.net/telespy.htm
http://www.personalsecurity4u.net/voicealert.htm
http://www.personalsecurity4u.net/homeprotection.htm

Thanks a bunch, have fun on vacation!!
Poppajohn

Always carry personal protection, be aware and have a plan

Hi, Again Poppajohn here. I am finally getting around to addressing the vacation season for the newsletter subscribers and bloggers. Right now we will just worry about those of us who have a single family home to worry about while they are gone, later we’ll address keeping apartments safe while empty and how to stay relatively safe while on vacation.

Okay we all realize that our homes are most vulnerable when we are away so here’s a few things you can do to keep them safe while you are gone.

1. • Try to make sure your home looks like someone is living in it. Don’t close your curtains cuz closed curtains during the day makes the house look empty. Think about getting automatic time or photo control switches to turn your lights on when it gets dark and off in the daytime.

2. • Have good dead bolts installed on all outside doors, and place locks or alarm locks on all downstairs or easily accessible windows.

3. • Try to make it appear as if the house is occupied, start by cancelling any milk or newspaper deliveries. Cut the lawn before you go and trim back any plants that burglars could hide behind. Get a friend or neighbor to look after your home. They can collect your mail, mow your lawn and so on. This gives the impression that someone is living in your home. If you leave keys with a neighbor, don’t label them with your address.

4. • Don’t leave valuables, like your TV, DVD or Video Game Box, where people can see them through windows. Hey if nothing else cover them with a towel or other cloth.

5. • Mark any valuable items with your zip code and house number using an ‘invisible’ pen that you can get from DIY shops or e-mail me poppajohn@personalsecurity4u.net and I can get one to place on the web site for ordering. If your property is stolen, this will help the police to identify it if it is found, which might not only allow them to return it to you but could also provide them with better evidence to convict the people responsible.

6. • Make sure that you have up-to-date contents insurance.

7. • Do not put your home address on your luggage when you are traveling to your holiday destination. Mooks have actually been known to pay airport workers for this information.

8. • Lock the garage and shed if you have one with proper heavy duty security locks, after putting all your tools safely away so they cannot be used to break into your house. If you need to leave a ladder out, put it on its side and lock it to a secure fixture with a ‘close shackle’ padlock or heavy-duty chain.

9. • Finally, lock all outside doors and windows. If you have a burglar alarm, make sure it is set and that you have told the police who has the key.

10. • And just before you leave, it’s worth spending a couple of minutes checking through the list to be sure that you’ve done all you had to do and taken everything that you need with you.

11. • Also if you have a neighborhood watch for your street be sure the designated one in charge knows you will be gone, and the dates.

Well that oughta help some, if you can accomplish those things or come close it will go a long way towards insuring you house and property are still there waiting for you when you get home.
And while you are traveling:

Always carry personal protection, be aware and have a plan.*

Poppajohn

http://www.personalsecurity4all.net

*since we cannot carry our personal protection items with us when we fly, De Old Effo recommends placing your tools in your checked baggage and recovering them before you leave the baggage claim area.