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Current
News / Press Releases
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| November 8, 2008 |
| Internet Safety and Awareness Seminar |
*Does your child spend an inordinate amount
of time online every day?
*Are they secretive about their Internet activities?
*Do you find that the computer screen goes blank or it
is quickly changed when you walk by?
 The
Houlton Police Department invites you to attend a presentation
about Internet safety and awareness in the cafeteria at
the Southside School on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at
6:30 pm.
Please join Officers Stephen Nason and Ezekiel Collins
as we provide you knowledge, awareness and information
about the Internet to make browsing on the Web safer for
your children.
For more information, please call the Houlton Police Department
at 532-2287.
Check this link for some Internet Safety tips for both
children and parents.
http://www.houltonpolice.com/internetsafety.html |
| October 23, 2008 |
| Another credit card scam |
This one is pretty slick since they provide
YOU with all the information, except the one piece they
want. Note, the callers do not ask for your card number;
they already have it. This information is worth reading.
By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit
Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect
yourself.
For more details please click on this link: http://www.houltonpolice.com/ccscam01.html |
| October 23, 2008 |
| Put it on I.C.E. |
There's something you can do right now that
could make it easier for first responders to reach your
loved ones in the event of an emergency.
Save at least one I.C.E. contact in your cell phone. I.C.E.
stands for "In Case of Emergency."
For more information please click this link: http://www.houltonpolice.com/ice.html |
| October 15, 2008 |
| Website for more scam protection information |
Please check out the following site which
has tons of information about numerous scam threats.
How to Protect Yourself From Clever Scammers -- Online
and Offline. Internet ScamBusters, the #1
publication on Internet fraud, shows you the ins and
outs of protecting yourself from all the newest scams.
It's a public service, published 2 to 4 times a month,
and provides you with a lively, entertaining
and opinionated approach to protecting yourself
online and offline. Click here now to protect yourself
from Internet
scams -- free.
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| October 12, 2008 |
| Houlton Police on Myspace |
The Houlton Police Department now has a
presence on Myspace. This HPD Myspace page is a supplement
to the pd's official website. The website's aim is to
better inform the public about the mission and values
of the police department, as well as provide current information
about the proactive programs in place to make the Town
of Houlton a great community to live and work in. It also
aims to provide citizens with crime prevention tips, such
as identity theft and scam protection.
Check it out at http://www.myspace.com/houltonpolice.
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| October 4, 2008 |
| Information about more scams in the County |
A number of scams are currently working
their way around the State including two recent attempts
in the County, including an ad posted right in the Houlton
Pioneer Times.
Classified listing in the Pioneer Times:
Ad in the September 24, 2008 Pioneer Times edition lists
Teacup Yorkie puppies for adoption. Person leaves a hotmail.com
address for inquiries. Local resident emails the owner
of the Teacup Yorkies who resides in Nigeria. He emails
a very cute picture of one of the Yorkies and requests
$350 for help in shipping the puppies to the US. Seller
tells you that the puppies will be shipped with all of
their toys. Seller informs buyer that the puppies should
arrive in 2-3 days. First of all whenever you see something
with the word Nigeria in it, red flags should automatically
go up. Seller will inform you that they never received
the money or additional cash is needed for veterinary
bills, shots etc. Buyer never receives the dog and is
out of the cash.
Another scam going around via an automated telephone system.
The scams vary but typically an automated voice will tell
you either your debit/credit card is going to expire or
needs to be activated and asks them to enter the debit/credit
card number into the phone.
Another scam via mail that was sent to at least two people
in the County last week is the "Lottery Winnings
Scam". Mail or e-mail is received which indicates
you have won a lottery, usually from another country.
The letter states in order to receive the winnings you
need to pay for the taxes and then the winnings will be
sent to you. In the letter is a check to cover the cost
of the taxes which they claim will be deducted from your
winnings. You deposit this check and either money gram
or wire the money to the con-artist. A couple weeks later
the bank informs you that the check was counterfeit and
you are responsible for repaying the bank. In the meantime
you never received your "winnings" and if you
wired the money or used an electronic check they could
take the rest of the money out of your account as well.
For more information about scams and
ways to protect yourself check here. |
| September 24, 2008 |
| Prize Scam criminal arrested in Tennessee |
33 year old Rico Black is in custody in
Tennessee on numerous fraud and theft charges. Black is
accused of defrauding a 90 year old Houlton resident out
of $6,000. Black had made contact with the resident claiming
that she had won $50,000 in the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes.
Black requested she send a Money Gram for $2,900 to pay
for taxes and then the winnings would be sent to her.
Black then contacted her the next day saying he had not
received the first Money Gram and requested she send another
one, telling her once he received that he would return
the first one to her when it arrived. After sending the
second one and not hearing anything else from Mr. Black
she went back to Wal-Mart were staff advised her to contact
the police.
In a joint investigation involving the Houlton Police,
Wal-Mart security, Covington TN and Ripley TN Police,
as well as the FBI and U.S. Postal Service further evidence
was obtained and Black and two accomplices have been arrested.
It is believed he is responsible for up $200,000 worth
of thefts from victims throughout the United States. Once
Black answers to the charges he is being held on in Tennessee,
he will be extradited back to Aroostook County to answer
to a Class C felony Theft by Deception charge.
HPD warns residents about numerous other scams going around;
by mail, phone, and the internet. For
more information about scams and ways to protect yourself
check here. |
| September 24, 2008 |
| Southern Aroostook TRIAD |
| On September 24 the Houlton Police Department
held its first meeting to introduce Southern Aroostook
TRIAD. TRIAD is a program to bring together Law Enforcement,
Seniors, and other agencies in an effort to reduce the
victimization of seniors in our area. To learn more about
the Southern Aroostook TRIAD check
here. For additional information about becoming apart
of the program, please contact
Lt. Pelletier. |
| September 9, 2008 |
| Police Department's Annual Report online |
| Please click the following link to read
the Houlton Police Department's Annual Report to the Town
Council. Click here to read. |
| September 1, 2008 |
| New Law Updates |
| Effective September 1, 2008, it is illegal
to smoke in a car where a passenger under 16 years of
age is present. Warnings must be given until August 31,
2009. It is a $50.00 traffic violation beginning September
1, 2009. This would count as a non-moving violation on
your drivers license. |
| September 1, 2008 |
| Construction Zone Safety |
 With
the on going construction work on Bangor Street and other
projects around town, the Houlton Police Department reminds
motorist to use extra caution while on the road. Expect
delays and prepare for them in advance. Leave for work
a little earlier or try to use alternate routes around
the construction sites. Be patient, remember work zones
are necessary to improve roads and make them safer.
Click here for some
more Construction Zone Safety Tips. |
| September 1, 2008 |
| Back to School Safety Tips |
| With the school year back in session, the
Houlton Police Department reminds everybody to use extra
caution when commuting. Click
here for some Back to School Safety Tips for both
motorists and students. |
| June 30, 2008 |
| Site Updates |
The following items have been added to the
Houlton Police Department's website.
Under the Crime Prevention
section, an article from the Maine Attorney's General's
Office about home construction
and improvement warnings.
Added a question and answer to the F.A.Q.
page. Also added a feature to the F.A.Q. page to allow
site visitors to submit
a question to the HPD website either via e-mail or
an online form.
Also added another online form on the Anonymous
Tipline page, allowing visitors to submit a tip via
the website. |
| June 21, 2008 |
| Houlton Police Department and Maine Warden Service
ATV Detail |
| The Houlton Police Department and the Maine
Warden Service joined together for the second of
several scheduled ATV details. The details are scheduled
throughout the Summer and Fall and are in place to enforce
the ATV laws on the trails in the Houlton area. The details
will consist of both routine patrol and atv checkpoints.
The patrols will also be focusing on several areas in
town that we have been receiving atv complaints about,
such as operating on a public way and excessive speed.
To report an ATV complaint, please contact the pd at 532-2287
or leave a message on the anonymous tipline at 694-3545
or e-mail - tipline@houltonpolice.com. |
| June 3, 2008 |
| Investigation of metal thefts in the Houlton area |
The Houlton Police Department continue to investigate
the theft of metal. The theft was reported on May 30th
but could have been missing for about a week. The items
were stolen from Ward Cedar Log Homes and valued at approximately
$5000. Some of the items stolen were two loader rims,
a 42-inch saw blade, an 18-inch spiral roller, a wood
shaving blower and the transmission from a truck. Due
to the increased value to metal similar thefts have been
occurring statewide.
Anyone with information is asked to please call the Houlton
Police Department at 532-2287,
or can leave information at our Anonymous TipLine: 694-3545.
Or e-mail to tipline@houltonpolice.com
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| May 2008 |
| Officer Graduates from Police Academy |
| The Houlton Police Department is pleased
to welcome back Patrol Officer Erica Pelletier who just
completed 18-weeks of training at the Maine Criminal Justice
Academy in Vassalboro. She participated in over 720 hours
of training, including criminal law, traffic law, firearms,
defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operation and many
other courses to earn her Maine Law Enforcement Certificate.
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