Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Parolees Offer Tips on Deterring Crime : Prevention: Convicted felons tell a church audience that good lighting can help protect people and property.

A gang leader, a car thief, a robber, a drug dealer and a burglar were among the crowd gathered at Santa Clarita United Methodist Church Monday night.

They were not there for religious training. They were there to teach.

“I’m here to give you advice on how to protect yourself and your property because I’ve taken a lot from this community when I was a youngster,” said Ronald Dene, 27, a convicted burglar, at the meeting sponsored by the local chapter of Mad About Rising Crime, which promotes community involvement in the battle against crime.

Dene and the other speakers on the program were all recently paroled from state prison. They are now enrolled in volunteer recovery programs at Ryan’s Center in North Hollywood, a live-in center that provides counseling and job placement services for parolees.

Most were nervous before the crowd and obviously not accustomed to public speaking. But the audience was receptive.

Residents laughed when one speaker described getting stuck in the bars of a ventilation duct of a business he was trying to break into. They listened intently when another told them that car protection devices such as alarms and metal bars across steering wheels aren’t very effective, but electronic tracking systems are.

They took advantage of a chance to learn from the experts.

“Is there three good things a business-oriented person can do?” asked James Popejoy, 53, a Valencia jewelry store owner who was shot in the head and chest when four armed men robbed his store two years ago.

“Lighting is real important,” replied Mark McCray, 38, paroled three months ago after serving an eight-year sentence for manslaughter. “Keep it well-lit and maybe leave a radio on inside. If a burglar thinks there’s someone inside a lot of times they’ll back off.”

Alarms inside a home or business and a warning sticker outside will often deter a burglar, the parolees said. Large dogs are also a useful deterrent, but not foolproof.

“I can get a piece of meat, throw a Valium in it and come back an hour later and get into your house,” said Thomas Cruz, 38, a burglar paroled in July after serving time for drunk driving.

Gangs play a large role in many serious crimes, said McCray, who once led a 125-member Van Nuys gang. He advised residents not to appear intimidated by gang members, but also not to confront them.