Eagle Eyes (Forest Hills Grid 18)

November, 2010 Veteran’s Day/Thanksgiving

November, 2010          Veteran’s Day/Thanksgiving

Our apologies for there not being a newsletter during  September  or  October.

OK --- there have been a couple of burglaries in our grid during October: one on Dartmouth and one on Highland, both between the hours of 0730 and 1700. The incident at the home on Highland involved about $2300 worth of items being heisted. The incident at the home on Dartmouth had a much happier ending – after breaking out a rear window to gain access, the suspect(s) raised the window frame to enter the residence, which set off an alarm, apparently causing the suspect(s) to flee, as there was nothing reported as disturbed (except probably the suspects!). We simply MUST keep a close eye on suspicious people as well as suspicious vehicles, and when we witness such activity we MUST report it to the police.  Any cop will tell you, they would rather check out a suspicious situation and determine that it actually is innocent activity, than to have you become a victim of a crime. If you become victimized, it is more work for them than if they intercept a crime in progress or thwart criminal activity. The criminal element will think twice about committing an offense if they think they are being watched and that someone may call the cops to investigate them. That is where Neighborhood Watch comes into play – Neighbors Watching out for each other. When they see TPD cruisers making rounds frequently, or see the cruisers show up when they walk down our streets (because they have been reported as a suspicious person), they KNOW that we are watching out for each other. They’ll stop coming around, because word gets out. Criminals have their own network for passing information, you know; it’s kind of like “The Twilight Bark”.

With cooler weather, everyone likes to leave their windows open to get some fresh air – me, included. But be careful . . . burglars like open/unlocked windows for easy access to your belongings, and they watch for a change of habit such as this. If you open your windows, double check to be sure they are locked when you close them back up.

Chief Castor’s annual Chief’s Appreciation Dinner was held Thursday evening. Guest speaker Mayor Pam Iorio emphasized what Chief Castor and TPD have been saying all along: We  -- the citizens who speak up and keep watch on the happenings in our neighborhoods -- will rid Tampa of the criminal element with the assistance of TPD. TPD needs us to make the calls when we see suspicious activity.

               THE HOLIDAYS ARE FAST APPROACHING

Veteran’s Day (also known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day) is Thursday, November 11^th, and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918. While this official date to mark the end of the war reflects the cease fire on the Western Front, hostilities continued in other regions, especially across the former Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottoman Empire. Wouldn’t it be great to see our neighborhood get together and fly Old Glory high and proud on that day? It’s also a school holiday this year, as well as a holiday for the city, county and state employees.

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 25^th. The Hillsborough County schools will be closed the entire week of Thanksgiving (Nov. 22^nd – 26^th) and will return to school on Monday, Nov. 29^th.

Which brings to mind the increased criminal activity that can take place Thanksgiving week:

Increased traffic in the neighborhood might be your out-of-town guests looking for your address. It also might be casing to see who is out of town. It might be casing to see who has a gathering of folks inside or out back, busy cooking/visiting/watching the Macy’s Parade or the football game. And while everyone is preoccupied inside or out back, the criminals may be entering your vehicle to steal it or its contents. Remind all to keep their vehicles locked and their windows up, with their belongings out of sight. And, take a walk out front periodically to see what may be happening on your street – take a broom to the front walkway, or water the plants, or read the sports section,  or smoke a cigarette out front every so often  ---  and spend 5 or so minutes there, just observing. Encourage others at your gathering to do the same – maybe take turns. There’s no telling what crime you might be able to prevent, just by your presence being known. If the criminal thinks they’ve been seen – or may be seen -- they aren’t likely to continue with the crime.

                          ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMASS IS . . . .

Christmass is my second favorite holiday (Thanksgiving is my first!). Tone of the great things about Christmass is the displays in people’s front yards. I love the red and green lights, and the clever decorations. It really brightens up a neighborhood. Once again it brings an increase of traffic --- mostly innocent folks driving around to check out our decorations. And we’re all happy that our efforts at stapling the light strings to the eaves has not been in vain: they are appreciated by many! But, again – folks may be casing, looking for that carelessly-left-unlocked vehicle, especially one that may hold your wallet/credit cards/IPad in the glove compartment. (Heck, last spring the sheriff’s office busted 4 teenagers that were making the rounds out in Fishawk ripping off the contents of vehicles that were specifically targeted because they had been left unlocked – and apparently there was no shortage of unlocked vehicles, because they got quite a haul, too.) So once again, keep your Eagle Eyes and Ears on the alert. Driving by a couple of times to look at lights is one thing. More frequent rounds might be something else. So watch. Observe. Write down that tag number – or memorize it. If their activity is innocent, they won’t care. If it isn’t innocent, they’ll know that we are watching, and hopefully they won’t be back.

And while you’re putting out your decorations, walk over to your neighbor while they also are outside, and just say hello. Tell them about Neighborhood Watch, and our web site, and who your block leader and grid coordinator is. Exchange phone numbers for in case something happens. Maybe even offer to give them a hand with their decorations --- make a little party out of it. It will lighten their load, and we all know you have more fun the more decorations you put up (they don’t all have to be yours!) You might even be able to get the name of a good electrician or A/C repairman from them – or give them one. It’s a win/win situation. (Plus . . . there are more red and green lights for me to see . . .)

See you on the sidewalk . . .  Say, are you putting out luminaries this year? Our street is, and I found a web site with good prices to order them from. Contact Aquarius9721@VERIZON.net if you would like to know about it.