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The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is committed to improving relationships and building trust in our communities. The Crime Prevention Unit is responsible for designing and promoting the agency’s goals based on the identifiable needs.

Crime Prevention is defined as the anticipation, recognition and appraisal of a crime risk and the initiation of action to remove or reduce the crime through public education. The Crime Prevention Unit offers various crime awareness/prevention programs which include, but not limited to:

  • Neighborhood Watch
  • Business Watch
  • Workplace Violence
  • Internet Safety
  • Live Safe
  • Residential Burglary Prevention
  • Residential Security Survey
  • Commercial Burglary Prevention
  • Business Security Survey
  • Identify Theft
  • Personal Safety
  • Operation Identification
  • Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

The Crime Prevention Unit consists of a Sergeant, Corporal and five Deputies that have received their practitioner’s training through the Florida Crime Prevention Training Institute, Office of Attorney General.

If you would like information of Crime Prevention or to have someone speak to your organization, call the Crime Prevention Unit at (727) 582-5661 or (727) 582-5600.  The unit is located at 11473 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL  33778.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Crime Prevention Unit is committed to “Leading the Way for a Safer Pinellas”.
Hot Topic - Crime Prevention

According to the Webster dictionary, itinerant means “traveling from place to place; covering a circuit.”

Thieve is defined as to steal, shoplift, rob, filch, pilfer, purloin or swipe.  Using these terms together we have the thief who travels around the country performing crimes.  Some other names they have been called are grafters, beggars, Gypsies, con artists, and travelers.

Mostly during the winter months, this area experiences an increase in daytime burglaries that seem to follow the same pattern.  You are working in the yard or garage, you leave the front/back door open and someone walks in, grabs what they can find and disappears.  These crimes are often executed by itinerant thieves who try to look like they are legitimately working in the neighborhood.  They might approach you while you are in the yard and start a conversation.  While keeping you busy, they send their partner in through the unlocked door.  They have various tactics in order to gain entry into your home.  Some of those tactics include, saying they are there to test the water or for gas leaks, to provide rodent abatement and pest control, mold abatement or check for termites.  The more sinister version of the itinerant thief is the worker who offers to fix a roof, seal a driveway, or fix a dent in a vehicle usually at a very cheap price.  Often the itinerant thieves target our senior citizens.

The Sheriff’s Office urges residents to lock their doors at all times even when you are working in your yard.  This simple act could prevent you from becoming a victim.

The Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit offers the following tips in order to prevent becoming a victim:

  • Keep your doors lock at all times
  • Never open the door to unexpected visitors
  • Never do business with persons you have not called to your home
  • Verify the person’s identity by asking for ID
  • Check to see if there is a vehicle associated with the visitor
  • Call the Sheriff's Office to report any suspicious activities 582-6177
These simple acts can save you from becoming a victim.  Please keep an eye out for yourself, your family and your neighbor.

For more crime prevention tips contact the Pinellas County Crime Prevention Office, (727)-582-5661.