Glen Meadow HOA

Crime Watch Corner (Oct to Nov 2007)

Jan 22, 2008

I'm baaack! Our neighborhood had several incidents reported in Oct.

A family left for the weekend, and their daughter left her brand-new BMW in the garage and her car keys on the kitchen table. Thieves broke in on a Sat. night, took a dresser drawer full of jewelry, and drove off in the BMW.

With the delightful fall weather, many of us have had our windows open --including a woman who left her side windows open at night. She woke at 2:30
AM to find a Hispanic male in bed with her. She was able to fend him off, and he left with a suitcase of some of her possessions. He had already placed his ?“overnight case?” outside the window he had entered.

A woman napping in the afternoon woke up to find her house broken into by prying open her patio door. Numerous possessions were taken--including their complete computer system.

On Mon., Nov. 12, at about 2:30 PM, a High Meadow resident heard his doorbell and answered as quickly as he could. But no one was there. Then he heard a terrible racket and ran out to find a juvenile Hispanic male inside, ready to unlock the back door to let in three other Hispanic males. (The youngest come through a doggy door.) The resident yelled, and the intruders fled in a Ford Explorer, leaving so quickly that a computer, printer, microwave, and other stuff fell out of back onto the driveway. The resident phoned 911, and police were there by 3PM to take a report. It turned out that the stuff in the driveway had just been taken from an Antigua home.

Here's the good news: That same night this Ford Explorer was stopped for a traffic violation. Police linked the stolen property (collected from the driveway) to another break-in that day and arrested the 3 gang members who were legal adults and had a previous criminal record ("priors"). Consequently, these men were held in jail.

So many reports of incidents in our neighborhood had been reported to 911 that police were able to get confessions from these perps that they had targeted and were "hitting" our neighborhood about once a week, violating 20 to 30 homes. Their mode of operation was to ring the doorbell or knock to see if anyone was home. If not, they would drive around to the back of the house and break in to steal whatever they could find of value--and always just during the week days when most people are at work or away from their homes for various errands.

It is apparent that criminals are targeting our neighborhood at all hours of the day and night. The increase in criminal activity requires that we be extra vigilant and aware of what is happening around our homes, streets, and alleys. Are these crimes totally preventable? No, but they certainly can be deterred. Never leave your car and house keys, purses, wallets, jewelry, etc. where they can easily be seen by someone who enters your home when you are not there--or appear not to be at home. Remove all packages and valuables from your vehicle and lock it. Keep your windows closed and locked--as well as your back gates. Get your mail from your mailboxes ASAP, and pick up all newspapers and ads left on your lawns and doors daily. If you do not, it's a sure sign no one is at home or no longer lives there.

Let us all become ACTIVISTS in crime prevention by watching out for our neighbors and neighborhood. If you see a strange vehicle in your neighbor's driveway, call and ask them about it. If no answer, call 911 and report it. All of you who are dog walkers, joggers, pushing strollers, and bike riders--when you see something suspicious while out,pick up your cellphone and call 911.

Join the VIP and go out for 2 hours a month on patrol. The more patrols we have, the less desirable our neighborhood becomes as a target for crimes. Let us all be the "EYES & EARS for crime prevention!

Finally, we need to revive the Block Captain program for each street in our neighborhood. This way, if Bill or I get wind of an incident on a particular street, we can contact Block Captains to get the word out to their neighbors--and vice versa--Block Captains can get a report to us. For this to take place, we need YOU to volunteer to do this.

Also, we need updates on names, current phone numbers and E-mail addresses in order for this to be an active and effective crime-prevention tool.
Think about it! Had we all known a few months ago that there were four young Hispanics driving a Ford Explorer, knocking on doors to see if anyone was home, then going around back to break in and steal computers, T.V.s, cars, jewelry and other valuables, we might have been able to keep it to 3 or 4 homes instead of 30!!

Please E-mail me at tredick38@sbcglobal.net if you are able to help out by volunteering as a Block Captain or VIP or being the "eyes & ears" as "a walker, jogger, roller or stroller"

We need every one of YOU to help prevent crimes. Thank you!!

Submitted by
Sandy Redick,
CrimeWatch Chair