Evening star., 1953-10-18
FBI Chief Cautions Schools
And Parents on Ndndp PeriIs

youngsters dCLlVlIleS. FOR eXam-
pie, grade-school children should
not be permitted to travel the
streets at night unless accom-
panied by a reliable adult. Other
precautionary measures which
parents should employ are:
/. Make certain that outside
doors, windows and screens are
securely locked before retiring
at night.
2. Keep the door to the child's
room open so that any unusual
noises may be heard.
8. Be certain that the child'S
room is not readily accessible
from the outside.
4. Never leave young children
at home alone and unprotected
and be certain that they are left
in the care of a responsible,
trustworthy person.
S. Instruct the children to
keep the doors and windows
locked and never to let in
strangers.
6. Teach the children as early
as possible how to call the police
if strangers or prowlers hang
around the house or attempt to
get in.
Z. Keep the house we'll lighted
if it is necessary to leave the
children at home.
8. Avoid obvious indications
that you are not at home. Opened
garage doors and newspapers left
outside the house are obvious
indications that you are away
from home and that your chill
dren may be inside unprotected.
9. Instruct servants not to let
strangers in the house.
10. Do not advertise family
finances or routines. Kidnapers
frequently have their victims
under surveillance for several
days prior to the abduction, so
that they may acquaint them
selves with the family's habits.
If Child is Kidnapped.
If rules such as these are
conscientiously followed, the
criminal opportunity of kidnap-
ers, sex offenders and others who
prey upon children will be
greatly reduced.
Whenever a kidnapping occurs,
it is essential that the victims
family Immediately initiate ac-
ton to effect the safe delivery
of the victim. This can best be
accomplished when the family
of the victim carries out the fol-
lowing suggestions:
l. Telephone the Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation. The tele-
phone number of the nearest
FBI office is listed in the front
of each telephone directory; the
emergency telephone number at
FBI headquarters in Washington
is National 8-7117. The COM
plainant should be prepared to
furnish in an orderly fashion all
facts relating to the disappear
ance of the victim.
2. Maintain absolute secrecy
and do not permit any of the
facts regarding the kidnapping or
demands for ransom to be known
to anyone outside the immediate
family except the investigating
officers.
8. Do not handle letters or
communications demanding the
payment of ransom. Turn these
over to the trained investigators
as soon as possible.
4. Neither touch nor disturb
anything at the scene of the
crime. Minute particles Of evi-
dence which are invisible to the
naked eye may be destroyed.
5. Be calm and strive to main
tain a normal routine around the
home and Office if possible.
6. Place full confidence in the
law-enforcement officers who are
investigating the kidnapping. In
addition to obtaining photo
graphs and a complete descrip-
ton of the victim, it is essential
that law-enforcement officers
have all facts relating to the
personal habits, characteristics
and peculiarities of the victim.
When kidnapings occur the