TFPD advises residents to check, keep receipts

Jennifer McPherson, the county prevention specialist with Western Montana Mental Health Center returned this week to meet with the crime watch group to update them on sign options. She spoke of the progress she had made and that funding is still available, though delayed. McPherson displayed both several neighborhood signs, and an example community sign. The neighborhood signs designate when entering a watch neighborhood and community signs are placed at either end of the town, naming the city as a watch community. The five attendees tentatively decided on a design, however, the watch group wishes to reach out to the community for more feedback before settling on any design.

Officer Jason Thornton with the Thompson Falls Police Department then gave a presentation on receipts and theft. Thornton referenced a case from last year where an employee of a Thompson Falls business was altering receipts to give themselves a higher tip. This went on for over a year and the person allegedly stole nearly $500 in total, sometimes marking a tip up as much as $20. Thornton said the case is still pending in city court. Thornton gave advice for keeping oneself safe and secure when filling out receipts, including to always fill out the receipt in its entirety, and to make sure the numbers are clearly written. The accused person was renumbering the tip totals by adding lines to characters to increase their value, such as turning a three into an eight by adding a vertical line. Thornton also recommended filling out the same amount on the customer copy, and for patrons to keep that copy until they receive their bank statement. This way, they can compare the two and make sure the correct amount is taken from their account. He also advised, "If you see something, say something," and even though the amount the person was stealing was a small amount, "it all ends up adding up and it affects everybody."

Thompson Falls Police Chief Chris Nichols talked about fraud resulting from random text messages. He advised if anyone receives an unknown text with a link to not press on that link. He said it could install malware onto the phone, giving the criminal access to accounts and other personal information from the phone. He also advised that springtime is traditionally the time of year police get a rash of calls regarding crimes of opportunity. As the weather warms, Nichols explained that criminals will become more active and check car and house doors and windows. He reminded everyone to make sure their doors are locked. "If it has a lock feature, you probably paid extra for it and you should use it," Nichols said.

The next meeting has been set for June 7 at 7 p.m. at the Thompson Falls Community Center. The police department may have the county drug dog and its handler, Lynn Lanzoni, provide a demonstration and may give a drug identification presentation. More information about the group and their meetings can be found on their Facebook page, Thompson Falls Community Watch. There will be a post soon asking the community for their opinions on different sign options.