Things You Don't Instagram: Your Bank Robbery

(Newser) – "I decided to go to the bank. She gave me money, and I left," Dominyk Antonio Alfonseca tells WAVY from his perch in jail. “I videotaped it. If it was a robbery, I don’t think I would videotape it, post the picture of the letter and do that all to come to jail.” Where police in Virginia Beach and Alfonseca agree: The 23-year-old walked into a bank Monday afternoon and handed the teller a note that read, "I need 150,000 Bonds Right NOW!! Please Police take 3 to 4 minites to get here, I would appriceate if you Ring the alarm a minute after I am gone... Make sure the money doesn't BLOW UP ON MY WAY OUT,-)" He then walked out $150,000 richer. Alfonseca next helpfully posted two videos of the exchange to Instagram, as well as a photo of his note.

Where police and Alfonseca diverge in their characterization of events: Alfonseca tells the Virginian-Pilot that he made a simple request and was "basically asking permission for money"; "She could have said no, and I could have left," he tells WTVR, which notes that the ever-so-chatty Alfonseca "wanted to give shout-outs to Michelle Obama, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga." And while he did, in fact, say "please" and use a little winky emoticon, police who arrested him 22 minutes later seem to think a crime was involved and charged him with robbery. It's not the first time Alfonseca has contemplated the not-terribly-fine line between theft and non-theft: In another post he muses, "Should I Pay For My Items in Cash Routine Or Should I Just Take What Ever I Want?" (Want more criminal masterminds? Go here.)

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Crimes and Self-Defense Products - Important Things You Should Know

Crimes have existed far longer than the laws that are designed to control and punish them. Over the years, communities have refined ways with which to fight crime. With self-awareness came the need for self-protection and the appearance of self defense products, if only to protect oneself from the physical harm associated with certain crimes. Today, personal protection products have come a long way; from the most cleverly disguised tools to gadgets using the latest technology. But can the presence and availability of these items deter crime or at best, discourage it?

Crimes and self defense products

The statistics are sobering enough: every 10 seconds, at least 3 crimes involving property occur. Every 15 to 20 seconds, a home gets burglarized. Dozens of crimes against persons occur every hour, attacks that very often involve physical assault. The fact is that majority of these crimes are preventable, if only the victims had enough knowledge, skills and access to a protection tool.

Self-defense products not only serve to stop an attacker, they are also effective for deterring any attacks. A home with a surveillance and alarm system, for example, is least likely to be considered an easy target for burglars than a house that doesn't have any kind of protection.

Many self defense products have also figured in helping solve crimes. Hidden cameras and other surveillance systems have helped record and monitor criminal activities, identify suspects and victims and help police in stopping and arresting the criminal.

Can self-defense products promote aggression?

Self defense products are designed to empower people and protect themselves, their loved ones and their property. These products are not meant to be used to initiate an attack; only to prevent, parry or deter.

Furthermore, many of these devices are restricted by state or federal laws. The use of tasers, tear gas and pepper sprays, for example, are limited for use by some laws. The stopping power of these products is also designed to ensure that they are used in non-lethal ways.

The Bottom line

Crime can and will exist with or without anyone owning or using self-defense products. The point here is, why bother allowing yourself to be victimized if, through the use of personal protection products, you could minimize the chances that you could be attacked or hurt? A simple defensive gadget can actually even help you survive an attack.

Furthermore, people who own and use self defense products are generally more confident. As a result, they are not viewed by would-be attackers as vulnerable or weak. Knowing that you can protect and defend yourself against an attack is often an effective means to curb crime. Quite simply, self-defense products make it difficult for crime to occur.

Steve Thibeault is an expert in self defense products. His company, TBO-TECH INC, has been providing quality self defense products such as stun guns and pepper sprays since the year 2000.

Crime Prevention Specialist - 3 Things You Must Know Or Do

The war on crime is taking many avenues today. From increased police presence to community awareness programs, cities are pulling no punches when it comes to winning this war. One position that has been developed is the crime prevention specialist.

This is usually a non-sworn position for someone to work as a liaison between police and the community. Before you decide this is a career choice for you, there are some things you need to know.

Education:

It is very important that you know what the educational requirements are for the area in which you are applying. Across the nation, there are differing levels of education you must have to become a crime prevention specialist.

In one state, a two-year degree is required along with one year of relative work experience with no exceptions or substitutions. In other areas of the country for specialized fields such as youth, five years of experience in law enforcement is required. For different states, you may find any combination of the above is required.

Be sure your education and experience line up with the unit you are applying for. Also be prepared for intense background checks, drug tests or even a voice stress test that is similar to a polygraph.

Information you must know about qualifications:

Again, these qualifications may vary from place to place, here is a broad look at the programs that you will need at least some knowledge in:

1) Community crime prevention programs on both the state and federal level; DARE, Neighborhood Watch, Operation ID ( fingerprinting children), and safety and security issues as they pertain to special groups like children and the elderly.

2) General theories and practice of public relations.

3) Reading and comprehension of written reports on a level that allows you to implement actions aimed at meeting team goals.

4) Produce graphic design brochures for training programs and community awareness.

5) Great interpersonal skills that allow for good working environment as well as good community relations.

These are just a few of the skill sets you may need to develop to work as a crime prevention specialist in your area.

Job Duties:

Many job duties come along with this line of work. Below you will find sample job duties that you may encounter as a crime prevention specialist:

1) Meet with community members and or leaders to help resolve issues including neighborhood disputes and grievances. Then identify the conditions that may have caused the problems and a program to fix them.

2) Prepare and deliver training on prevention of common criminal activities such as burglary, robbery, internal theft, shoplifting, fraud, identity theft, sexual abuse and or rape as well as personal protection issues.

3) Work with business and community leaders on methods of preventing crimes including the use of security systems and alarms.

Each city may add to or take away from this job description as the needs of the community dictate. I urge you to do more research on the crime prevention specialist career. You can do this by visiting websites that cover the career in more detail.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are clickable.

Copyright Kenneth Echie. Kenneth writes for Criminal Justice Degrees. Get free scholarship report and learn to become a Crime Prevention Specialist by visiting.

The 3 Things You Must Do or Know Before Becoming a Crime Scene Investigator

There are many people who dream of becoming crime scene investigators (CSI). Who can blame them? This job can be fun. If you don't believe me, just watch the television show, CSI: Miami.

But reality can be different. The role played by crime scene investigators on TV can be different from real life. This is why some things need to be set straight about the CSI career. This article will address the 3 things all aspiring crime scene investigators must know before they become one.

1. Those aspiring to be crime scene investigators must know that not all law enforcement agencies will hire a civilian CSI. There are various reasons for this.

One of the reasons is that the agency may not be big enough to dedicate a person to doing this job. So what these types of agencies do is have a police officer to play the role of CSI. This way, the officer can be doing other things when he or she is not collecting crime scene evidence.

Another reason is that the budget is just not there to support the position of a CSI. Like everything else in life, money is also an issue for law enforcement agencies. They have budgets and limited resources they have to live under. What these law enforcement agencies do when there is a crime is request for the help of a CSI from other friendly law enforcement agencies. This way, they save the cost of having a CSI on staff.

2. A CSI must be available to work 24/7. Crime has no appointed time. It can happen any minute or hour of the day. It does not know the weekend.

So, somebody who wants to work as a CSI must avail themselves at all times. You may be called in the middle of dinner or in the middle of your kid's birthday party. You have to be ready and willing to pick up and go to the crime scene.

3. In the past, most crime scene investigators were trained in-house by law enforcement agencies. Thanks to television, this is changing. You now have colleges offering CSI education. You can get anywhere from certificate to masters degree in crime scene investigation.

But keep in mind that all the education will not replace the additional training you will receive by the law enforcement agency that employs you. There is nothing like real life training and guidance from real life CSIs. But the education you get from college will definitely give you an advantage, both in getting the job and performance after you get the job.

I have covered the 3 things I believe you should know before becoming a crime scene investigator. There are of course other things you have to know. Covering every little thing is beyond what I can cover in a short article like this. I encourage you to continue to expand your knowledge if you aspire to become a CSI.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are live links.

Copywrite Kenneth Echie. Kenneth is a writer for Criminal Justice Degrees. Get free scholarship and grant report and learn all the things you need to become a Crime Scene Investigator by visiting.

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