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What you also need is the nosey neighbor program. They know everything including the late night ben and jerry's runs...
Hee Hee. I had one of those across from me in my former neighborhood. Yep, she always knew who was doing what w/ whom and when and where, LOL. She even had binoculars. She tried to hide them but we knew she had them. Good thing, too. She saw a suspicious car hanging around, got the license tag and called the cops when she saw one of the car's occupants sneaking around a neighbor's house . . . caught the guy red handed, crawling in through the kitchen window . . .
I need my 94 year old grandmother here..Irene still knows everything about who came in late and whose car doesn't belong in that driveway. I need her down here...
I need my 94 year old grandmother here..Irene still knows everything about who came in late and whose car doesn't belong in that driveway. I need her down here...
Oh, that is priceless!!! Sounds like we all need your g/mother Irene!!!! A veritable one-woman neighborhood watch!!!
I am the watchdog..I see everythinh on my street...I wish I didn't..haha!
We have a neighborhood program that is getting stronger. We have called 911 a few times and so have my neighbors the cops come 30-40 mins. later !
And that is a problem, MJ . . . disheartening, I know. The reason the guy was caught in my former neighborhood is that the police showed up in less than 5 minutes. I was in a very densely populated area, but we had many more police per citizen than here. And our police force didn't have a big region to cover. The guy would have never been caught (unless some of the neighbors had gone over and grabbed him) - if the police had not shown up in a few minutes.
So what would you do if you saw a crime taking place? Call 911, I am sure . . . but 30 minutes . . . what have the police said to do in the meantime til they get there??? Just watch, LOL? That is pretty discouraging.
But as I was reading about it, I started wondering . . . the program has stickers and a worksheet for listing inventory of belongings . . .and you are supposed to engrave your license # on your items (like electronics, I suppose). The idea is - this way, any recovered stolen goods can be returned to you. But I was thinking . . . if someone stole your stuff, they would have your address and then they would also have your DL # . . . so couldn't that be used for identity theft? Or not?
We may or may not have a watch program. I haven't heard from the HOA more than once in the 6 months we've lived here, except for the notice that they were getting complaints that no one was mulching their landscaping! I'm starting to wonder where the money is going!
My husband and I are our own neighborhood watch, along with the lady across the street. We know her, and our neighbors to one side of us, and the single woman across the back alley, but that's it. Of course that's more people than we met the *whole two years* we lived in the condo in NoVA!
As for our independent watch program...I'm gonna repost what I said in the other thread: (feel free to skip me if you've heard this one!)
My husband and I both work from home in an office with windows at the front of the house, so we have our own "Rear Window" type conversations about everyone on the street... LOL
Just a couple of weeks ago we saw a young man going door to door who we didn't recognize. He came to our door and my husband answered it, and as soon as he started giving his spiel about whatever he was selling, my husband said, "We're not interested." and shut the door in his face. I got suspicious when I saw him bother the lady across the street *twice* and then emerge a short time later from the back of her house. I called the police on him.
So I went and knocked on my neighbor's door, and asked her what that guy wanted. She said he was selling magazines, and then the second time he had come by, he pretended like he forgot he had already been there, and asked to use her bathroom. She's home most afternoons with just a small child, so she politely told him no. (We think he possibly used the "bathroom" behind her house.)
Needless to say she keeps the alarm system on during the day even while she's home, and she had to shut it off when I went over there. But I let her know that we're both here most days, and she said she is too. And then we had a good laugh about the fact that we watch all the cars of the people who park on our street and recognize all the same people that go back and forth every day, so we know who "belongs!"
FWIW, both the house next to her and the house next to me are for sale!
We may or may not have a watch program. I haven't heard from the HOA more than once in the 6 months we've lived here, except for the notice that they were getting complaints that no one was mulching their landscaping! I'm starting to wonder where the money is going!
My husband and I are our own neighborhood watch, along with the lady across the street. We know her, and our neighbors to one side of us, and the single woman across the back alley, but that's it. Of course that's more people than we met the *whole two years* we lived in the condo in NoVA!
As for our independent watch program...I'm gonna repost what I said in the other thread: (feel free to skip me if you've heard this one!)
My husband and I both work from home in an office with windows at the front of the house, so we have our own "Rear Window" type conversations about everyone on the street... LOL
Just a couple of weeks ago we saw a young man going door to door who we didn't recognize. He came to our door and my husband answered it, and as soon as he started giving his spiel about whatever he was selling, my husband said, "We're not interested." and shut the door in his face. I got suspicious when I saw him bother the lady across the street *twice* and then emerge a short time later from the back of her house. I called the police on him.
So I went and knocked on my neighbor's door, and asked her what that guy wanted. She said he was selling magazines, and then the second time he had come by, he pretended like he forgot he had already been there, and asked to use her bathroom. She's home most afternoons with just a small child, so she politely told him no. (We think he possibly used the "bathroom" behind her house.)
Needless to say she keeps the alarm system on during the day even while she's home, and she had to shut it off when I went over there. But I let her know that we're both here most days, and she said she is too. And then we had a good laugh about the fact that we watch all the cars of the people who park on our street and recognize all the same people that go back and forth every day, so we know who "belongs!"
FWIW, both the house next to her and the house next to me are for sale!
I think you have a very good set up!!!
I leave my alarm on when I am home by myself, too. And I decided the other day - if someone shows up at the door and I don't feel good about them, instead of ignoring them (cause you know - CMPD is saying NOT to ignore people at the door!) - I would just open the door and let the alarm go off. LOL. Now that should take someone back, shouldn't it??? Then I guess I could tell them to away and slam the door again. I have a "fob" that activates the alarm so I can re-activate it remotely.
Wonder if that is a really dumb idea or a really smart one??? Honestly, I have no clue! I am rather confused about all these home break-ins and what to do . . . we are told - don't ignore the door! But then - I open it and just invite people to rush over me? I am very confused about it all.
OH! I wanted to let you all know about the keyfob thingie . . . now the other day, when the lady came home and found the lexus in her driveway . . . if she would have had one of these keyfob remote things . . . she could have hit it immediately and altho the brazen thugs probably would not have cared . . . it would have at least activated the alarm and made a lot of noise. I noted those creeps had tried to dislodge the electric meter, but security systems have batteries (if I understand correctly) that will let them still be activated, even w/o electricity. So at least she could have made some noise. (Not that this would have gotten the police there any faster).
You just wonder - what the heck are you supposed to do (other than try to protect yourself and your children). I guess that is all you can do.
Now that is excellent info!!! I have read reports from different police depts and national organizations and supposedly, a good watch w/ involved neighbors can be extremely valuable in keeping the thugs out!
Commendations to you for taking on the role of keeping this organization moving forward. The volunteer time you put into this effort is bound to make a difference for everyone.
In your opinion, do you think the signs do give the thugs something to think about - and encourage them to move along?
Thanks for the encouraging words. Our NW is new so we haven't posted the signs yet. They're currently in our officer's car trunk. = )
So I can say that community involvment is much more affective than signs. We basically have point people that are assigned areas and when someone sees something suspicious (not a crime or emergancy) they are supposed to contact their point person. We also have a google group to keep everyone informed on the latest activity. I think an official NW is just a more formalized way of organizing and watching each other's back. Also, a big part of a NW is educating residents. NW's are definitely worth having. = )
Thanks for the encouraging words. Our NW is new so we haven't posted the signs yet. They're currently in our officer's car trunk. = )
So I can say that community involvment is much more affective than signs. We basically have point people that are assigned areas and when someone sees something suspicious (not a crime or emergancy) they are supposed to contact their point person. We also have a google group to keep everyone informed on the latest activity. I think an official NW is just a more formalized way of organizing and watching each other's back. Also, a big part of a NW is educating residents. NW's are definitely worth having. = )
You make a good point - it is a great way of "watching each other's back." I guess every neighborhood has its own "personality" - depending who is living there! Some seem to just have people who naturally notice things. And like in my neighborhood - so many of us are here at home during the day . . . that in itself helps, if people are noticing what is going on outside.
I keep seeing pictures of the neighborhoods that have had the break-ins- and it seems the houses are very visible to each other! So I keep thinking - why? I mean - why would a criminal choose a house that is visible to the neighbors . . . how do they know no one will notice them? How do they know people are not at home? There has to be something that gives these thieves the idea that it is "ok" to hit a particular house - wonder what that factor is?
So that is why I thought - well maybe NW signs. But maybe there is no correlation . . .
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A veritable one-woman neighborhood watch!!!
yep
