Author: I-70 Scout

LITTLETON —  A fund has been established through the Arapahoe County Foundation to assist victims of the Southview Place Towers Apartments fire that occurred on April 6 in the 5800 block of S. Windermere St. More than 130 senior citizens have been displaced by the fire and although all are now in housing, the crisis is far from over and many of the current housing solutions are temporary.

Photo of Southview Place Towers (credit: CBS)

BROOMFIELD — With Colorado residents facing another major spring snowstorm this weekend, there is a significant possibility for snow damage to trees – especially those that have begun to leaf out. Because homeowners could be faced with having to take actions to protect and repair their trees, Keith Wood, community forestry program manager for the Colorado State Forest Service, wants to convey that although their first impulse may be to start sawing, they should first assess the situation to avoid hurting themselves or further damaging the tree.

Wood and the CSFS offer the following tips for dealing with snow-damaged trees; the tips were adapted from International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) recommendations:

 Check for hazards. Before approaching a tree, examine your surroundings to avoid making contact with downed utility lines or standing under broken, hanging branches.

 Contact city officials if necessary. Trees between the street and a city sidewalk may be the responsibility of city crews.

 Assess the damage. If a tree is healthy overall and still possesses its leader (the main upward branch), most of its major limbs and 50 percent or more of its crown, the chance is good for a complete recovery.

 Be careful knocking snow off branches. This may cause the branches to break. If you must remove snow, gently push up on branches from below to prevent adding additional stress.

 Remove broken branches. This minimizes the risk of decay and insects or diseases entering the wound. Prune at the branch collar – the point where a branch joins a larger one – and be mindful of potential pent-up energy if the branch is twisted or bent.

 Don’t over-prune. With the loss of some branches, a tree may look unbalanced, but most trees quickly grow new foliage that hides bare areas.

 Don’t try to do it all yourself. If the job requires running a chainsaw overhead, sawing from a ladder or removing large branches or entire trees, contact an insured, certified arborist. Professionals often are listed in the phone book under “tree services.”

The CSFS offers a guide to dealing with storm-damaged trees at http://static.colostate.edu/client-files/csfs/pdfs/FINAL_Storm_Damage_Quick_Guide.pdf. To find an ISA-certified arborist, visit www.isa-arbor.com.

ADAMS COUNTY — It has been brought to the attention of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, that several citizens have received phone calls from a party identifying himself as a sergeant with this office. During the call, this individual has ordered the citizen to appear at appear at our headquarters, substation, or jail to take care of a warrant or subpoena.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office does not call people and order them in to take care of a warrant or subpoena. If a call like this is received, please call our detective division at 720-322-1203.

 ‘Virtual Kidnapping’ Scam Targets Mexican Residents 

The Aurora Police Department has recently received a rash of kidnapping extortion scams targeting Mexican nationals who currently live in Aurora. In what has been described as a terrifying phone call, a caller with an unidentified Mexican phone number warns a family member that a son, daughter, or other loved one has been kidnapped and will likely be killed unless a ransom is paid. The caller almost always talks fast and deliberately keeps the family member on the phone for as long as possible so as to prevent him/her from calling the alleged victim. The family member is then instructed to wire money to a destination somewhere in Mexico and the perpetrator may call back several times with escalating threats and more demands for money. After following the caller’s threats as instructed, the family member eventually discovers that the victim purportedly being held ransom is safe and unaware that he/she has been used as “bait” in the hoax.

Similar pay-up or else phone threats are in wide circulation and are effective in scaring innocent victims into sending money. The ‘virtual kidnapping’ scam targeting Mexican nationals is particularly alarming, given its relatedness to real-life situations associated with drug and other crime rings in Mexico, and why victims are more likely to be taken in this scam. According to the Aurora Police Department and FBI, blackmailers often use social networking sites such as Facebook to identify families and the relationships of family members to one another; and to manipulate the information families post on these sites, such as full names, birthdates, hobbies, etc., to enhance the threat’s credibility.

Protect Yourself: 

 Place all family members on speed dial so that if such a call comes through, a call or text message to the targeted victim can be immediately sent. Consider establishing a code within the family, such as a text, emoticon, word or phrase that would notify family members of the extortion attempt, or in turn, that the alleged victim is safe.

 The FBI recommends finding ways of stalling the caller in order to speed dial the intended victim by slowing the conversation down and asking questions. One strategy is to ask the caller to repeat the demand so you can write the information down. Ask to speak to the victim.

 Finally, consider limiting the personal information you post about family members on social networking sites, and instruct families to do so as well.

If you receive this call, contact Sgt. Courtenay, Aurora Police Department at 303-739-6094.

18th Judicial Consumer Fraud Protection Line: 720-874-8547