You remember the type. When you were a kid, there was one on every block saying....." Get out of here you hoodlums ". They were always looking out their windows waiting for you to do something wrong. Believe it or not they were doing your parents a favor. They knew who belonged in the neighborhood and did not. This person was not afraid to tell you, or your parents on what everyone was doing in the neighborhood either.
Do you know who belongs in your block and who does not? If you saw someone just walking around looking at your neighbors houses, what would you do? How would you know if a vehicle was driving around your block more than two times very slowly? These are questions you should ask yourself. Am I aware of what is going on in my neighborhood?
The days of the old nosey neighbor are long gone. It's up to you to take control of your block. If you don't do it, who will? I know what your saying....." Why should I care about someone else in the block, if they don't care about me?"......which is why you are where you are right now. If nobody steps forward and takes control, this could turn into a burglars paradise. Be aware of what goes on in the block and report anything suspicious, the thief will get the message and try some other place. By securing your block and keeping the "hoodlums" out, this will give you a better sense of security. Be suspicious of everything.
Look out your window in between surfing the net and raiding the fridge. If you see someone just wondering around, take note on what he/she is doing. If they look suspicious to you, call the police. Don't hesitate in doing this, for it could end up being too late. Tell the dispatcher that you have someone walking around looking at houses and cars in the block. Get a description of the person. Race, color of hair, color of clothing, how tall, weight, age, etc. Try to give a full description of the person. This will give the police information they need for when the officer arrives.....he'll know who to look for. This does not mean the officer will arrest him.....it simply is putting a warning out to those characters who think the neighborhood is easy picking, and your not going to stand for it.
If you spot a vehicle driving past your house more than two times, call it in. Give a description of the car. Color, make, year ( late model, early model ) licence number ( if possible ), how many passengers, race of driver and passengers, age, and any distinctive features of the vehicle. The police will come out and stop him. The first thing they do is check the drivers registration, no matter if he belongs in the neighborhood or not. If there is any violations, they will be sited and/ or arrested. Be aware of suspicious vehicles more than people walking around. Burglars are noted to SPOT neighborhoods. They will drive around on different nights and check the houses that are dark. If the house is unoccupied on the same day at the same time, they will make their score at that time. This could go on for weeks before they decide it's time. They will park their car about a block away.....that way, if they are spotted leaving, the description is given out as so many people and no make of car....for a quick getaway. Believe me when I tell you this. I do have experience in seeing this happen. It happened in our neighborhood three times. I was out on patrol for two of them, and all three times there were arrests made because we gave descriptions of the car.
Take back your block by doing these simple tips. Even if you can't get any help, it will make you feel saver. Talk to your neighbors. Tell them what to look for. Share these tips with them. Don't be afraid of retaliation, because when you make the call, you are not obligated to give your name to the dispatcher. They will ask you for your phone number and who you are, but you do not have to give that info out unless you want to. The only time I give mine out is if I do witness something taking place. That way if the police have any questions, they can call you back to get more info. Don't let these crooks intimidate you. The police will respond to all calls they receive. Make sure you get the dispatchers ID number when you call. Normally they will give it when answering your call. By getting the dispatchers ID, you will know who took the call and can identify the person who took your call. If you ever have to stage a complaint with the police department about their efficiency, you'll have the ID of the person who took the call and they can follow up from there.
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