Police Lt. Frank Schneider offered members of the Burholme Community Town Watch and Civic Association a few tips on how they could avoid having items stolen from their cars.
Incredibly, Schneider said, 74 percent of the thefts come from cars with unlocked doors. Many of the thefts take place in the morning, he said.
“Gee. Who is out on the street at eight, nine o’clock in the morning? It’s kids going to school,” said Schneider, commander of Police Service Area 3.
Besides recommending that drivers lock their doors, Schneider urged them to discourage thieves by not let anything be visible inside their vehicles. “If there are two quarters lying on the seat,” he said, “they’re coming in.”
He noted that criminals will be on the lookout for Christmas presents during the next six weeks.
City Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez was expected to be the guest speaker at the Nov. 8 meeting, but she was unable to attend.
In other news:
• State Rep. Mark Cohen (D-202nd dist.), first elected in 1974, predicted that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will approve maps passed by the Legislative Redistricting Commission.
If they pass, Cohen will have more of Burholme in his district.
Cohen’s closest office is at 7601 Castor Ave. in Rhawnhurst. It is open three days a week.
Most of Burholme is now in the 170th district, represented by Democrat Brendan Boyle. Nick Himebaugh, a Boyle aide, offered no predictions on the pending court decision.
“It’s anybody’s guess,” he said.
• Paul Scally brought props and read energy-saving tips from, appropriately, a green piece of paper.
Scally acknowledged that wearing a sweater inside your home during the winter will allow you to save a little on heating costs, but he recommends using sealants and caulk to keep cold air out. Similarly, sealing and caulking will keep hot air out in the summer.
A couple of items that he recommends are an EcoFlow shower head to save water and a vacancy sensor to automatically shut off lights when nobody is in a room.
• Burholme households and small businesses located in the 10th Councilmanic District are permitted to place their trash out for collection two hours earlier for the next five months.
The pilot program allows residents and merchants to be able to place their trash outside at 5 p.m., rather than 7 p.m., in the months when daylight-saving time is not in effect.
The change is being made for safety reasons, especially for senior citizens, who do not feel comfortable putting out their trash when it is dark.
The program began on Nov. 1 and will last until March 30. It is open to residents of the 6th and 10th districts based on the redistricting maps passed by City Council in September 2011. Those maps won’t officially change for other city business until the 2015 election season.
During the trial period, the streets department will determine whether the program is working well or if there are problems of any kind.
To find out if you are eligible for the program, go to seventy.org, click “Find Your Elected Officials” and type your address in the box. If the names of O’Neill or Councilman Bobby Henon appear, you are eligible.
For more information, call the streets department at 215–686–5560.
• Croce’s Pizza, 7400 Lawndale Ave., fed everybody after the meeting.
• Burholme Community Town Watch and Civic Association will next meet on Thursday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m., at United Methodist Church of the Redeemer, at Cottman and Lawndale avenues. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215–354–3034 or twaring@bsmphilly.com
