Putting the purse on the passenger seat (when you are driving) or on your lap (as a passenger) invites the "smash and grab," where the thief smashes the window, grabs your purse and runs. When driving or riding in a car, keep your purse on the floor, behind your legs and knees. "If you don't want to be a prey, then look like a predator," he advises. Victims, on the other hand, tend to look down at their feet while walking. Bittenbinder points out that predators always are looking to see what's going on. The only thing better to do, he says, is to carry your wallet and other purse items in a fanny (or waist) pack.īeing a tough target also means being aware of what is going on around you. You know whose purse the goof is going to take, says Bittenbinder. "Rita" carries her purse the same way, except she wears her coat over it. "Tess" has her purse slung across her shoulder and chest, with the purse flap on the inside. Likewise, three women are walking down a street: "Barbara" has her purse over one shoulder, is carrying a newspaper with that hand and has a raincoat over her other arm. "Which one is likely to get broken into," Bittenbinder asks rhetorically. The only difference is that one tenant has purchased a very large water dish with the words "Killer" stenciled on it and placed it outside her back door. For example, two people live in identical apartments sharing a common back porch area.
#Jj bittenbinder street smarts how to#
You've got to be prepared."īittenbinder, who has appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and "Prime Time Live," has taken his message to public television with "Street Smarts: How to Avoid Being a Victim," a one-hour crash course on street survival, which includes developing a four-part plan:īe a tough target. His solution? "You've got to have a plan. "You've got to play it all alone out there," says Bittenbinder, a homicide/violent crimes detective with 20 years on the Chicago police force.
![jj bittenbinder street smarts jj bittenbinder street smarts](https://pics.me.me/the-acclaimed-national-pbs-television-special-street-smarts-with-detective-43009609.png)
And, he says, it isn't enough for people to rely on the police for protection against predation at home and in the streets. But, says veteran Chicago police officer J.J. The statistics alone are enough to get anyone's attention.
![jj bittenbinder street smarts jj bittenbinder street smarts](https://i.redd.it/jhzlnpm8cjr31.jpg)
One in five women in the nation will be raped at some point in her life. There is an aggravated assault every 30 seconds. A violent crime is committed in the United States every 17 seconds.