Milton PD launches 'Lock, Take, Hide' campaign.

Milton police officer Larry Ooton shows off one of the new cards in front of the SuperTarget on Ga.9 in Milton. Shopping areas are often targets for criminals, so officers check them regularly while on patrol.

Effort a proactive approach to preventing crime.

MILTON, GA., Sept. 1, 2010 - Officers with the Milton Police Department recently began a campaign to combat the ever-present scourge of small property crime.

Their newest weapon? A business card emblazoned with the words "LOCK your doors," "TAKE your keys," and "HIDE your things." Officers carry the cards on routine patrol and place them on the windows of vehicles they notice have unlocked doors, keys in the ignition or valuables in plain sight.

An officer signs the card and leaves a badge number, and the card has contact information for the City of Milton Police Department should the citizen have any questions.

Community Outreach Officer Andrew Phillips said the little cards are extremely valuable when it comes to crime prevention.

"For us, education about what criminals are looking for is key to stopping them," he said.

Milton Police Chief Deborah Harrell said the most frustrating thing about car break-ins is they are often preventable.

"It's what we call a crime of opportunity, meaning it's prevalent because it's easy," she said. "The harder we make it on criminals, the less we'll see it in our town."

Plus, said Phillips, the card lets residents know their police department is actively seeking out situations where crime might occur.

"We spend a lot of time doing patrols our citizens know nothing about," he said. "This effort is intended to demonstrate to our citizens that we are looking out for their interest in ways beyond responding to 911 calls and enhancing traffic safety through enforcement."