A disturbing new crime has been reported in north Palm Beach County and feared to be headed for Boca Raton. Unsuspecting drivers involved in a minor accident, often a rear end collision, are robbed when getting out of their car to inspect the damage or kidnapped and driven to an ATM and forced to withdraw money.  These bump and rob crimes occur often at night and in remote locations with few witnesses present.  If you are hit by a vehicle with possibly two or more passengers and you believe the accident suspicious call 911. Leave your vehicle in drive, lock your doors and do not exit your car.

Thanks to community support helping to drive out crime, Broward and Dade County has experienced a decrease in criminal activity. However these displaced criminals are now targeting Palm Beach County.  Help support your own community by staying alert to strangers or unfamiliar vehicles in your neighborhood and when you observe suspicious activity call the police immediately.  The likelihood a patrol car will happen upon a crime in progress is far more remote than that of an alert citizen witnessing a crime. And when that witness dials 911 it can make a huge contribution toward driving criminals out of Palm Beach County.

The Palm Beach County Sherriff dispatchers receive 2,200 calls weekly or approximately 10,000 calls a month so if you dial 911 please be as detailed as possible with your crime or accident report.  Dispatchers are trained to assign the officer’s order of response in accordance with information provided.  If a call comes in stating a vehicular accident has occurred at 441 and Glades and a driver is bleeding severely and smoke is  pouring from the rear of the vehicle that accident, due to the comprehensive information communicated, will be assigned the necessary priority status.

For additional crime prevention tips and information please visit the official Palm Beach County Sheriff’s website at www.PBSO.org