TRUE CRIME STORIES
Women’s Safety Lessons Learned

True crime stories: It’s better to know these safety lessons learned and not need them, than to need them and not know. Learn how criminals trick you... and how to stop them.

About 1:45 a.m., her boyfriend spoke to Angela Samota on the phone at her home and heard a man's voice in the background. Miss Samota said there was a man asking to use her bathroom and phone. Minutes later, the boyfriend tried calling Miss Samota. No answer, so he drove to her place. About 2 a.m., he pounded on her door. No answer. Finally, he called the police and they found Miss Samota stabbed to death on her bed at 2:17 a.m.

True Crime Stories Tip: Always use peepholes and doorbell intercoms (at Home Intercom System) before answering doorbells or knocking. See Home Security - Scam-In for more true crime stories showing to never open the door for anyone you don’t know – and trust. KNOW BEFORE YOU OPEN. Gamble in Vegas - not in your life.

True Crime Stories:
WOMEN IGNORE WARNING SIGNS
of Relationship Violence

17-year-old Catherine Woods was stabbed to death by her boyfriend, Paul Cortez, 24 – who was jealous over an ex-boyfriend. Many young women find themselves in dangerous relationships because they lack the experience to understand relationship violence. Catherine Woods was never afraid of Cortez. Young women don’t know that evil can come in the form of a good-looking boy.

True Crime Stories Tip: See Teen Abuse and Women’s Safety - Domestic Violence for more true crime stories teaching lessons.

True Crime Stories:
CRAIGSLIST TRAPS
(or any want-ad)

A man saw an ad on Craigslist for a big-screen TV selling for half its value. But when he got to the seller’s house, he got a gun in his face. A couple went to see a car posted on Craigslist. They didn't bring any money, so the woman was held hostage as the man was taken to an ATM. Want-ad robberies happen every day. The victims arrive at empty homes in normal surroundings or parking lots and walk into a trap.

Typical Police Tips For Buying Off Craigslist
1. Meet in public places, like a bank or store with security cameras and a lot of people.
2. Never take cash when meeting a stranger.
3. Have a friend wait nearby with a cellphone so they can contact police, if needed.
4. Never go into a house if someone yells for you to come inside.
5. Watch your surroundings and leave if something seems suspicious.

True Crime Stories Critique: The first three tips are not very practical:
1 a. Will a legitimate seller bring a big-screen TV or any big and bulky item to a public place for you? Not likely.
1 b. If a seller is willing to do so, you’ll be meeting a total stranger in a parking lot outback (where it’s less congested – with few, if any, witnesses or security cameras nearby). Is he really a seller? Why risk it?
1 c. How can you test an electrical appliance in a parking lot? You can’t.
2. A stranger will likely insist on cash (checks and even "certified Money Orders" can be bogus). Only Pollyanna Dunderhead would take a wad of cash to meet a total stranger in a prime robbery zone (a parking lot).
3. Having a friend nearby with a cell phone is too little, too late – as in, “When seconds count, cops are minutes away".
4. Good advice.
5. Good advice.

The usual police advice for want-ad buyers/sellers is to meet in well-lighted, well-populated areas, such as inside shopping malls with surveillance cameras. Big deal! Many true crime stories show that, sure, you can sell a small item while meeting a buyer in a mall hallway, but the buyer might have a criminal partner nearby to rob you when you return to the parking lot. They’ll get both the item you sold and all your money.

Or, if you’re the buyer, a criminal can simply not show up, have a partner watch as you get frustrated until you finally give up and return to the parking lot and then they’ll rob you.

CRAIGSLIST LURE
A woman was suspicious of an offer of a free iPod on Craigslist. But still the woman and her husband followed e-mail instructions to get the i-Pod which took them to a porta-potty by a park. They called police who found Stephen Newman with a knife and wearing a black ski mask.

True Crime Stories
BEST ADVICE–
(and you learned it FIRST
at Crime-Safety-Security.com)

For large items that you are selling from your home (and for Garage or Yard Sales): having witnesses nearby visibly watching over you might deter a criminal from robbing you at that time. Perhaps have some of your neighbors nearby – but not so close that they can be taken hostage in an armed robbery (see Survival Options - Hostage Taking).

But do you really want strangers at your home? Criminals often respond to ads so they can check you out and return later when you least expect it. See a variety of examples at Home Security - Cracks. You'll see that you're really rolling the dice. Do you feel lucky?

For large items (that you are buying at a stranger’s “home”), Caveat Emptor!!! You’re on your own, baby! Carrying cash into a stranger’s turf is very risky. Gamble in Vegas – not in your life.

Craigslist is just the most famous example of where predators lurk. Know that any website or newspaper want-ad poses the exact same dangers – and predators search for all such opportunities – it’s their job.

See more true crime stories teaching lessons at Criminal Minds - Wolf in Sheep's Clothing and Outdoor Safety - Friendly Predators.

Scare off a predator by holding Personal Security Alarm (a.k.a. screamer or noisemaker) & Pepper Spray in plain sight.

Pages related to True Crime Stories:
Peepholes | Home Intercom System | Home Security - Scam-In | Wolf in Sheep's Clothing | Friendly Predators | Spotting Danger | Best Pepper Spray | Personal Security Alarm | Teen Abuse | True Crime Library | Domestic Violence

Go from True Crime Stories to Womens Safety - Overview
Go from True Crime Stories to Crime-Safety-Security.com HOME PAGE