Carly Mullady carlyamullady@gmail.com (815) 922-9153 NewsBank NewsLibrary Paper: SouthtownStar (Chicago, IL) Title: avoid being a target By Carly A. Mullady Staff writer It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It happened to five women who were shopping on a Saturday morning in February at Tinley Park's Lane Bryant store. They wound up being crime victims as they were shot to death in what investigators said was an armed robbery gone wrong. Since then, Southland residents have been extra cautious in their everyday routines. And their increased fears are what drew many residents to safety seminars last week. With a daughter who works for a major retailer, Homewood resident Elaine Egdorf wanted as many safety tips as possible to pass along. "I asked a friend to come," Egdorf said. "We're both single. When you're living alone, you really want to know what you can do. I don't want to just stay home." Develop a plan The South Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police, which represents 40 area communities, together with Prairie State College and Moraine Valley Community College, brought J.J. Bittenbinder, a former Chicago homicide detective and crime expert, to the schools last week. "I'm here to talk about how victims are selected, how not to be selected and what to do if you are selected," Bittenbinder told the crowd at PSC in Chicago Heights. Comparing himself to a lifeguard, Bittenbinder said he wants to help the public swim safely. He can't keep the sharks out of the water, but he can help keep swimmers from locking themselves in their homes. He said everyone can have a plan. "He has a plan when he steps into the arena. He knows what to do, what to say, what to take and where to run. You have to be prepared."

Bittenbinder gave three steps for a basic safety plan: deny privacy, attract attention and take action. The fewer people around, the greater the likelihood of crime. "If you're being followed, get away. If you're in your car being followed, drive to a police station or a fire station or a McDonald's, someplace with lights. Don't drive in an alley to your house with some guy following you." The less time with a criminal, the better the chances of personal safety. "Get away," he said. "Attract a lot of attention." Do not go Bittenbinder said the worst place to be is a secondary crime scene. "If they want your stuff, they can take it right there," he said. "You can't go to a private place. You can't let anybody take you anywhere. If a guy pulls a girl into a car, it isn't to rob her. It's to take her to a place with more privacy." In secluded places, the risk of rape and death increases dramatically. "Everyone asks, 'what if he has a gun?'" Bittenbinder said. "Break and run." He said the odds the criminal will shoot the gun, hit a moving target and hit the moving target in a place that will kill are rather slim. Statistics from the Department of Justice say that a person running from an armed person only will be mortally wounded 5 percent of the time. "If you get in a car, you will not be back," he said. "The secondary crime scene is the most deadly piece of ground in the world." Being taken even to another room can be dangerous. "Think about that dress store with those six women. If all of those women had run in all different directions, we'd be talking to a few of them now," he said. Police have said the killer in Tinley Park's Lane Bryant took the women to the back room, where they were bound and shot, with only one woman surviving. "You cannot do that," he said. "You have got to get out of there."

Attracting attention Predators avoid difficult targets, he said. Crimes are not random. The weak and vulnerable are targeted. He said it's best to be a hassle, put up a fight and cause a scene. Bittenbinder said people are less inclined to help in situations that do not involve them. Instead of yelling for help, he advised yelling "fire," because fires concern entire neighborhoods. "It's OK if a fire truck gets there first," he said. "There are five guys on that fire truck, and one of them is carrying an ax." Looking out for others also is key, he said. "There are not enough police officers so we can each have one," Bittenbinder said. "You have got to help one another." People need to act when they sense danger, whether it's their personal safety or that of those around them. When a criminal has selected a person as a target, that person needs to know how to get out of the situation. Unarmed people should kick and scream and maintain as much physical distance as possible. A good 6 to 8 feet can be obtained with a defense spray. Bittenbinder said pepper spray is measured on a heat scale. The same scale rates Tabasco sauce at 104, and pepper sprays start at 250,000. "Not only does this hurt a lot, it also contains a dye that marks his face. When the police find a guy with the big spot on his face, that's probable cause," he said. Harry Dohman and his wife, Brenda, have been to these seminars before. Harry said he bought pepper spray for his wife, daughters and himself. "I think he covered our concerns about personal protection, how not to become a victim and how to better respond to a situation if something were to happen," Brenda said. With 90 minutes of the detective's advice, the audience filed out reflecting newfound confidence. As Egdorf pulled her purse diagonally over her body and put her coat on over it, she said his advice made her feel more powerful. "This is really something," she said. "It gets you fired up to want to protect yourselves."