Cabarrus County Neighborhood Watch www.cabarrusneighbors.com (including Cabarrus Woods & Victoria Park) www.informationnet.info 

 

 

Goals of a neighborhood watch program

The main objective of Neighborhood Watch is to reduce the incidence of crime by:

•Increasing citizens' awareness of burglary and other neighborhood crime through a continuing information program.

•Training citizens in the means of better  property security and assist them in making their property more secure.

•Developing a neighborhood action program where neighbors help watch each other's property and report suspicious persons and activities to law enforcement agencies.

•Encouraging all citizens to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in reporting crime.

What is Suspicious?

The effectiveness of a law enforcement department's crime prevention efforts is enhanced by active participation on the part of citizens. By calling to report suspicious persons or activity, you not only aid the police or sheriff you make your community a safer place to live.

Some people fail to call simply because they are not aware of activities that might be suspicious. Others may notice suspicious activity and hesitate to call for fear of being labeled a "nosy neighbor" or a "crank."

Still others take it for granted that someone else has already called.

Call 911 or your local law enforcement department Immediately when you observe suspicious activity. Do Not worry about "bothering" them. Do Not worry about being embarrassed if your suspicions prove unfounded. Think instead about what could happen if you do not act.

 

Information Most Often Needed

What happened?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

Was anyone hurt?

Description of Persons: (Include clothing). When describing suspects, notice age, race, sex, height and weight. Compare your own weight and height with the suspects. Pick out some unique characteristics (scars, nose, jewelry, etc.) that will help you identify the suspect in the future

 if need be.

Description of Vehicle: License number, make, model, color, any

REMEMBER: For Police Assistance Dial 911 or the law enforcement department in your area.

Obvious Things to Watch For:

Basically, anything that seems even slightly "out of place" or is occurring at an unusual time of day or night, could be criminal activity. Some of the most obvious activities to watch for and report

include:

Anyone entering your neighbor's house when it is unoccupied. 

A scream heard anywhere may mean robbery or assault.

Anyone offering merchandise at ridiculously low prices.

Anyone peering into or tampering with parked cars

A sound of breaking glass or loud explosive noises.

Anyone loitering in the neighborhood who does not live there.

Anyone peering into or tampering with a residence.

Some Not So Obvious Things to Watch For:

Anyone Going Door-to-Door In Your Neighborhood

Anyone Walking Casually Through The Neighborhood Looking into Automobiles, Backyards, Etc.

Anyone Running, Especially if Carrying Something of Value.

Anyone Exhibiting Unusual Mental or Physical Symptoms.

Anyone Taking a Shortcut Through a Backyard.

Any Vehicle Moving Slowly And Without Lights.

Any Apparent Business Transactions Conducted From a Vehicle.

Any Persons Being Forced Into Vehicles.

Any Continuous Repair Operations at Non-Business Locations.

Any Open or Broken Doors or Windows at a Residence.

Anyone Making a Quick Change of Vehicles.

While some, if not all, of the suspicious situations described could have  innocent explanations, law enforcement departments would rather

 

What To Do Before the Burglar Comes.

Not if he comes, but when he comes. Because, he is coming. Down your street. And looking for easy targets. He's looking for easy targets because he's not a professional, as a rule. He's an

amateur. And so he must find easy targets. And he does. Enough easy targets to make residential burglary one of the fastest growing crimes in recent years.

Make your home look (and sound) occupied.

By day, leave drapes and shades in normal position-the way you have them when at home. (And don't leave easily movable valuables in sight close to windows!) At night, leave on some inside lights- bathrooms and hallways, for example. 

Consider buying automatic timers that turn lamps on after dark, then off a few hours later or at

dawn. These timers can turn a radio on, too, so your home sounds occupied. 

Never leave garage doors open-especially with no car in sight. This is like a WELCOME sign to burglars. And closing garage doors is something to do every time you leave- even if only for just a few minutes. 

When leaving for longer periods, don't forget to remove easily stolen objects like a power mower, garden hose, lawn chairs, bicycles and the like from your yard and keep them safely locked up.

Be a good neighbor Keep an eye on your neighbors' homes, get them to do the same for you. If you see something suspicious-movement inside when a home should be empty ... a strange car or truck in the driveway  ... a loiterer ... call your local law enforcement agency immediately.

Make a reasonable effort to get a good description and license number- without endangering yourself. Burglars have been known to use a truck and openly carry off valuable possessions. If neighbors haven't mentioned moving, be suspicious. Police would rather you called than

wished you'd called. 

Install good locks .. and lock them! Many homes are guarded only by spring-latch door locks. Often these were installed before burglary became such a threat. (Also, older doors and frames may have become worn, leaving a pronounced gap that allows easier jimmying. So be

sure to check them, too.) To see if you have these inadequate locks, try this test. Open your front door part way. Then push the button or twist the knob that is supposed to lock it when it is closed. Now try to push in the bolt that sticks out and would normally fit in the hole in the door frame if the door were closed. If the bolt yields, with only the resistance of a spring behind it, you have the wrong kind of lock for that door. Ask a locksmith about a one-inch deadbolt lock. 

This type of lock should be installed on every door that opens to the outside or garage. The strike plate that the bolt goes into should be fastened with screws at least three inches long. Be sure that locks are firmly screwed into solid wood-not just into a light door jamb. The longer the screws and the longer the lock bolt the safer your home will be.

Besides good locks, it's also a good idea to have a one-way peep-hole in your front door so you can find out who's outside without opening your door to a possible dangerous stranger.

 

Secure your windows. Most windows come equipped with latches that do not provide ideal security. To secure double hung windows, window pinning is recommended. To do this, drill a hole at a downward angle through each top corner of the inside sash of the window, and 3/4 of the way through the outside sash. Insert a 5/16" eyebolt in each hole. The bolts should fit loosely enough in their holes so that they are easy to insert and remove. To secure windows (or glass doors) that slide sideways, you should do two things. First, screw a wood or metal bar of the proper thickness inside the upper track of the window. This will prevent the window from being lifted out of its track. Second, to prevent the window from sliding should the lock be defeated, install a "Charlie Bar" or similar device with a retaining bracket.