Our Community in Fairfax County, Virginia

The Mason District Station is asking for your help in reducing criminal activity.  There are many things that you can do to help reduce thefts, deter burglary and prevent or reduce auto theft, just to name a few!

• Lock vehicle doors at all times
• Park vehicles in well lit areas
• Do not leave valuables in vehicles
• Do not leave keys in vehicles
• Items that must be left in vehicles should be kept hidden from view
• Lock all of your doors at home
• Keep garage doors closed
• Participate in Neighborhood Watch
• Report any and all suspicious activity

Spring has finally arrived, and we hope everyone is enjoying the end of our long winter.  But this is no time to take a vacation from safety.

There are a lot of windows that are opened to capture the warm breezes before summer causes the air conditioner to be turned on.  Enjoy the springtime but be aware that every open window is an invitation to a burglar.  Remember our tip to install a pin or dowel rod to position the window at a height where a person cannot use it for entry.

Spring traditionally brings reports of people being victimized by scheming persons offering to do repair work on roofs, gutters, driveways, and yards.  Please deal with reputable sources-go on alert if anyone approaches you with a "deal."  For example, earlier this spring there was a person frequenting the Annandale/Falls Church areas offering to clean gutters.  Preying upon elderly persons, he would demand high prices and try to gain entry to their homes and steal things.

If approached by a stranger to do repair work to your home or yard, feel free to tell him to go away.  If he persists, call the police non-emergency number at 703-691-2131.  But most of all: DON'T LET HIM IN.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED, pronounced SEP-TED) is based on the relationship of how we design buildings and open spaces to reduce the opportunity for crime and the fear of crime happening in a given area.  CPTED has been in practice for about forty years, but its influence can be seen in much earlier building designs and city planning.

Unfortunately, the lack of understanding and practice of CPTED led to some serious and costly mistakes.  Most notably in New York City and Chicago, the design and layout of very large Public Housing facilities led to high crime rates, low occupancy rates, and the eventual dismantling of the projects.  The principles of CPTED can be applied to existing homes and buildings to improve the quality of life, lower crime, and increase the utilization of the building.

The following examples are intended to demonstrate how CPTED principles can be used as a low-cost/no-cost means to improve safety and reduce crime in residential situations.

• Natural surveillance can be improved by trimming shrubs around doors and windows.  This reduces hiding places and improves visibility.


• The lower branches of trees can be trimmed from the ground up to a height of at least four feet.  This leaves the body of the tree to provide a beneficial screen and shade while depriving a wrongdoer of a hiding place.


• Territoriality-assuring that ownership of the property is clearly delineated-can be established by clearly identifying borders and boundaries.  This can be done with fences, or where a fence may not be allowed or desired, by plants, marker stones, or usage.


• Lighting should be sufficient to support natural surveillance but not so bright as to annoy neighbors or to produce blinding glare.


• Outside lights should be left on all night and turned off during daylight hours.  Timers and photocells can assist with this.