It's Not Da Police - It's Common Sense - And An Anniversary To Remember

Our TruthTeller friends in a number of Monmouth and surrounding county towns are all saying the same thing - there have been a number of home break-ins and car break-ins lately. Maybe it's because of the holidays? Maybe it's also because we're not being vigilant enough? However crime is everywhere, and even Manalapan is joining the list of town dealing with break-ins.

Recently, three people were allegedly robbed at knifepoint in the parking lot of Wendy's in Manalapan, with the bad guy getting away with $1,700 dollars in cash. Let's face reality - anyone carrying $1,700 in cash can afford to eat at more upscale eateries and can afford more than da 99 cent value meal.

There were a number of car break-ins recently. However, leaving things in your car at night may be a reason for that. Let's face reality - if you leave your computer or GPS in your car at night, you might as well leave a neon sign above your car that says "Rob Me."

There have also been a number of home break-ins too. In one case, a teenage girl came home to hear male voices inside her house. She ran to a neighbor to call police.

If all of this doesn't have you worried, it should. Any lawyer will tell you that while you can sometimes win a case without evidence (unless you're da Manalapan Legal Dream Team), it's a lot easier to win it if you have da facts on your side (and there not made up facts). In many of da car break-ins, cars may have been locked but valuables were easily in view, and to a bad guy, leaving valuables in view is like leaving millions of dollars in tax money available for someone who wants to buy land. Our TruthTellers also have heard that most if not all of da houses broken into did not have alarm systems - or they weren't armed or active. Again, you can place a big neon billboard that says "Rob Me" with an arrow pointing to your house for that.

Now, it has come to our attention that on a different website, someone posted a comment blaming police for not doing enough to stop these robberies. To be fair, da last time we were in a court of law, we don't recall any crook saying they rather rob a home with a security system, or break into a car knowing there's nothing inside of it. To blame da police is both childish and expected by some on some websites, but we know our readers know better.

DaTruth is, if you leave out food on your porch at night, odds are you'll become da favorite stop for squirrels, raccoons and other furry friends. Da other day, we were driving home off Route 33 and we see outside of someone's house da box for a big screen TV. It told me that whoever owns that house is now in possession of a TV any bad guy would love to have. Let's face reality - da police cannot be everywhere, and they can't hand out common sense either.

Many of our police TruthTellers say da same thing - use common sense. Don't leave valuables of any kind in your car - day or night. Always lock your doors, and if you have a home alarm, keep it armed day and night. Don't put things out in da trash that some bad guy could see, like da box for a 60 inch TV. And, remember to keep an active eye out for yourself and your neighbors. If you see something suspicious, call da police. Da robbery you potentially stop could have been your own, or your neighbors.

And, don't blame da police. I'm sure they didn't tell you to leave your house unlocked if you have little kids and you're not at home, or to take your entire bank account to a fast food restaurant, or buy a 60 inch TV and take out an add in da newspaper to tell everyone. It's no their fault if you tell da bad guy through your actions that you're a safe mark to rob.

DaTruth is, it's very easy to turn da odds down of you getting robbed. Don't carry much cash. Lock your doors day and night. If you don't have an alarm, get one. If you have one, use it. Don't leave anything in your car either in your driveway or in a parking lot. And if you see something, say something.

We at daTruthDquad with everyone a happy holiday. And wait, very soon we'll have not only our year end BaconHead Award winner, but we're also taking our famous crystal ball to look ahead at what 2011 will be like in Manalapan for da Queen, da Land Baron, his henchmen and others.

Finally, this week is a very memorable one for us at daTruthSquad. It was 3 years ago this week that a landmark legal case was won for us when da Manalapan Township Committee went forward with a lawsuit challenging da First Amendment of da United States (at taxpayer expense). That one case would also have severe ramifications in da case these same alleged barristers had going against da Mosked man. They lost their First Amendment case, thanks to both their own case which had no place in any court of law, and da Electronic Frontier Foundation who proved we all have a right to write, have an opinion, and make that opinion known, even if some politicians don't like daTruth to be told.

Over da holidays, take da time to read about da case from da Electronic Frontier Foundation website. It is an eye-opening account of how you da taxpayer paid for a case that could have had a major impact on First Amendment rights of every person, and as you read both da actual legal briefs and actual letters between all da lawyers involved, da actual court transcript of da case - who said what and how some couldn't believe what was being said - and da judge's complete decision - all things that normally you never ever get to see - and you will see for yourself that 3 years ago indeed a band of politicians and their taxpayer-funded lawyers set out to tear apart da Constitution of da United States and da Bill of Rights, again - AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE!

It's a walk down memory lane and then some from a case that could not beat da rights of our First Amendment, and also sunk any credibility da politicians legal eagles had in da Mosked Man's case, ultimately losing that case even before it could see a court room!

And that's daTruth.