Weekly Crime Prevention Tip from the NYPD: Be Fit, But Be Smart!

It’s right smack in the middle of summer and that means to many of us city folk that we need to get out of the metropolis and head to the beach on the weekends — if that means going to Coney Island, the Hamptons or the Jersey Shore.   

But, before we can bless fellow beach goers with our never-see-the-sun city complexions and out-of-shape-desk-jockey bodies, some of us might want to stop by the gym to get our buff on.

The NYPD’s Community Affairs Bureau Crime Prevention Section has a couple of different tips for gym rats or first-timers alike for this week’s short tip to help keep you from being a victim of a crime.

Although the 78th precinct’s weekly police blotter hasn’t had a gym-related incident in a while, during the late spring, early summer, Patch reported multiple incidents where crooks broke into lockers and stole people’s valuables:

On May 17, a thief stole a cell phone, credit cards and cash at the Ninth Street YMCA.

Here’s this week’s tip from the NYPD:

Be fit, but be smart!

A healthy lifestyle has many rewards, and for many people this means going to a gym or workout facility. But when you pack your exercise gear think about what you really need and think about safety.

Get a good lock! Center dial combination locks are not recommended due to the relatively easy way they can be opened. YouTube is full of examples of standard combination locks being opened in seconds. 

Check your valuables at the front desk. Most gyms offer secured lock boxes for your valuables.

Leave it at home! Do you really need to wear jewelry to the gym? Carry credit cards? If you don't take it with you, it can't be stolen.

Be alert! Look for suspicious persons and report them to the police and gym staff immediately.

Now enjoy that workout — you deserve it.

For more information on preventing theft, or for other crime prevention and personal safety tips visit The NYPD Community Affairs website: www.nypdcommunityaffairs.org.