Monday, December 28, 2009

Vehicle Burglaries

On Saturday night, December 26th, two separate incidents of vehicle burglaries occurred on Lasuen. One was on the 3900s block, the other at the corner of Lasuen and Kings way. Both involved breaking of windows to gain entry. A sweater and change were stolen from one vehicle. A tool box, ear phones, notebook, and other loose items were stolen from the second vehicle. (Note: This isn't much to steal at all--be sure to stow any loose items out of sight in your car.)

If you do not subscribe to the sheriff department's cyberwatch (http://crimemap.sacsheriff.com/cyberwatch/) there has been an increase in home/business and vehicle burglaries recently.

For information: several individuals contracted by PG&E are walking through the neighborhood with gas "sniffers," to look for leaks. Apparently the judgment from the the gas explosion in Rancho Cordova got them interested. The two men I encountered today are white males wearing reflective yellow vests and ID. They drive a white Ford full-size pickup with a small decal stating they are a company, (Dan Fitzgerald), contracted to PG&E. One individual has a large dark Mastiff dog (well behaved) walking with him

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Holiday Thefts

On December 20th about 10:30am a black Honda with a Hispanic male about 200 lbs in all black clothing with a white shirt came screaming down Roslyn way from El Camino. By the time he reached my house [which is several houses down from El Camino] he was driving about 60 to 70 MPH. Then a blue Ford Explorer raced right after the black Honda as I was screaming for them to slow down. About 20 or 30 min. went by, then the blue explorer pulled up and apologized for racing down our street. It was their car that was stolen and they where trying to catch him or follow until the police could take over but he ditched the car in Raley's parking lot before they could catch up.
_______________________

On December 18th a white 1995 Honda sedan was stolen from 2800 block of Becerra. This is the second "known" Honda stolen in this area. If you own a 90's Honda you might use the "club" or some other theft deterrent device. The last one was recovered in Citrus Heights, virtually unscathed. (Maybe just taken for a joy ride.) There was also an apparent attempted theft of a Honda on the 2600 block of Verna, the same night as the Vutano theft, but the owners scared the individual away.

Last Saturday night/Sunday morning several vehicles were broken into on Carrisa, and Becerra. Tools and electronic equipment were stolen. At least one vehicle was locked, but access was gained through a locked camper window
_______________________

On Friday Dec. 11th we had a 8' inflatable moose stolen from our front yard at 4100s block of Marconi Ave. In the process they also ripped down about 40' of candy cane fence which they destroyed. The next night they came back some time between midnight and 4am and took three more inflatables. One was a snowman on a motorcycle with penguins in a side car, another was a Grinch that was animated coming out of a chimney and the last one was another Grinch pulling a Christmas tree out of a chimney. I'm sure everyone in Del Paso Manor is familiar with my house at the corner of Marconi and Avalon. Due to the thieves in the neighborhood I was forced to take down the rest of my inflatables. I would like everyone to be aware of your surroundings.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Thefts in the Neighborhood

I apologize for my tardy updates. Every incident report matters!

November 5th, Stroller Stolen

From a home in the 2400 block of Cathay, a "bob jogger" twin stroller. This stroller is a $600 item and was taken from the front yard. It is navy blue in color. If you notice one for sale locally, contact the sheriff dept, or email the victims. (E-mail address available on request).

Photobucket


November 7th, Front Yard Items Stolen

From the 2800 block of Ione Street near Marconi on Saturday night, November 7th, a wooden hutch like decor as well as a three wheel metal/plant holder was stolen from the front porch. While it wasn’t worth a lot of money, I thought that I would pass it along to you.

November 12th, Various Items

Yesterday (Veterans Day Nov 11) a sheriff knocked at my door at 7:15am saying a jogger reported that a black man dressed as a jogger jumped my fence and they were here to look around my back yard. (3700 block of Duran Cir) They did not find anyone. But, if you live in the neighborhood and were jogging and reported the activity to the police, thank you so much!

But then this morning at 6:15 am my doorbell rang. By the time I got there, no one was there; there were wet foot prints on my front porch (looked like tennis shoes). The only thing I saw was a Housekeeping business card, don’t know if someone was dropping off the card and ringing my doorbell, or if someone was doorbell ditching. Either way, it’s weird. Within a few minutes I saw a man (looked to be white) walking in dark clothes and tennis shoes with a red hat on…don’t know if he was dropping off the housekeeping cards, or just walking, but he had tennis shoes on and that is what the shoe prints on my porch looked like.

This is the first time in 3 years of living here that I have had anything strange and it’s been twice in two days.

Did anyone else get an early morning doorbell ring, along with a business card?

___________________________

Yes, I saw a Hispanic lady placing housekeeping cards on doors yesterday morning. (Alamitos)

___________________________

Hello, something was also stolen from our front porch. We live on the 3900 block of Kings Way and someone stole our American Flag. The flag was put up by my husband and his combat brother who served in Iraq with him. It is irreplaceable. If you see anyone on our porch feel free to slap them then direct them to the nearest recruiting station in hopes they may learn respect for something greater than themselves.

___________________________

We live on the 3900 block of Kings Way. Our RV is kept on a pad at the top of our driveway, next to our house. Thieves accessed our RV roof mounted solar panel, cut the wires, and stole the panel. This strikes me as particularly aggressive because it was done on an RV roof 10 feet high, in a well lit area, on a well traveled street.

I missed the neighborhood meeting that discussed the possibility of hiring a security patrol vehicle. We would certainly pay our share for this necessary safety precaution.

___________________________

The RV roof solar panel was stolen from 3900 Block of Kings Way, and will cost over $1,000 to replace. If anyone has any information on its whereabouts, or the perpetrator , please let me know.

Thanks.

Adrienne

___________________________

Remember to be vigilant and report things out of the ordinary. Thank you to the jogger who called in the man dressed in black! A police presence in the neighborhood is a very good thing, even briefly. Criminals will know we watch and call the police.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Stolen Vehicle

Late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, a 90's teal colored, 2dr Honda Accord was stolen from the 2700 block of Butano, (the court). License number to follow. It has a straightened coat hanger as an antenna. If you see this car, call 911 (CHP) and report it, or you can call Nina Mills (number available on request).

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Census Workers

WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau
2010 Census Cautions
by Susan Johnson August 3, 2009
Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census... While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, the Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org.

Residential Burglaries in the Area

From Chuck:

I was informed by a mailman that delivers on Edison at Norris, that there have been two (known) residential burglaries in that vicinity (near Mira Loma High) that involved the theft of firearms. In one burglary, only one handgun was stolen, but in the second one many firearms were stolen. In the words of the homeowner, "armfuls" were taken, (primarily rifles and shotguns). It is unknown how criminals got in (I forgot to ask), but it is apparent that the guns were not secured in a safe.

If you monitor the Sheriff Department Cyberwatch (http://crimemap.sacsheriff.com/cyberwatch), then you might notice more reports of residential burglaries. It is upsetting to lose property to intruding thieves, but a loss of a firearm puts a whole new perspective to the crime. Now some brazen person has an instrument that can maim or kill another human being. In this day and age we all feel the need to protect ourselves and property from those who might want to take it from us, but secure your firearms so that no one can get them without a lot of work, especially when you are not home (because usually if they want them and they have the time, they will get them).

Note: Chuck makes a lot of good points. As an added point, please do remember that it isn't lawful in California to defend property using lethal force. You can only do so if you fear imminent danger of death or great bodily injury to yourself or another person and you are acting to stop that immediate threat. We don't want any of the good guys ending up on the wrong side of a cell door! If there is interest, I would be happy to post more information on lawful firearms ownership in our State.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Church Break-In

From Chuck:

I learned that either Wednesday or Thursday night of last week, the Town and Country Lutheran Church, (Marconi and Norris), was broken into and that 7 flat screen TV's were stolen, and "some meat" from the kitchen. The criminals apparently entered the grounds by cutting through the fence on the west side, from the Amber Grove Apartments. They broke locks and were able to get into the buildings where the equipment was.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Neighborhood Protection Meeting

On Tuesday 22 Sep 2009 at 7 pm, there will be a meeting at the AT&T building located at the corner of Watt and Kings Way, (follow the signs). This is a Home Owners Association meeting, but all are invited to attend, because it involves the security of our neighborhood.

We will be discussing, among other things, the proposal to hire a security patrol for our neighborhood. This will come at a cost, and all that are willing to get involved are strongly encouraged to help. If you are part of this network, and your neighbor is not, please inform them of this meeting. Employees of the Sheriff Dept. will be present, and answer questions.

DPM 3700 Block Kings Way Attempted Break in SUSPECT CAUGHT!

Hi Chuck! Around 10:30-11:00 on September 9th I heard somebody trying to break in my back door, exact same thing as last time, except this time I saw the man. I called 911 and just by the grace of god there was a unit already at the corner of Watt and El Camino, they arrived in 2 minutes , No one was in our yard but they found the suspect running away from my house down Duran. The police called me up to drive to their location and identify the man, The man they had was indeed the man I saw in my back yard I was sure of this by several distinct items he was wearing including dark hat with white rim, rolled up jeans and white and black shoes. The man they caught is on (probation or parole I forget which they said) and a wrap sheet ,according to the police, a mile long with BURGLARIES. I believe this is the same man that attempted to break in a few weeks ago because he used the exact same tactic. CSI is currently on their way over to take fingerprints and photos, The suspect has been arrested for violation of (probation/parole) and attempted burglary.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Random Acts of Kindness

From Trish:

We hear of such awful things in our neighborhood. I would like to let everyone know what a great area we live in.

My dog loves being out front. He may go to a neighbor’s house, but rarely more than one house away. I have had several people stop by, get out of their cars, come to the door, to let me know he is out. This happens at least twice a week. I think this is unheard of. There was one man who knocked even with my dog barking incessantly behind him.

This is not what is considered normal behavior these days. We hear about people not caring, crime, etc. I want to say I LOVE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD! Thanks for being my neighbors. (Please believe me, the dog knows where he lives—he is usually waiting for the neighbor across the street who gives him “cookies” twice a day. The patience…)

Monday, August 31, 2009

DPM 3727 Kings Way Break In update

I just wanted to let you know of the latest development in our break in. About half an hour ago, (09:35 PM Sunday, 08/30/2009) I was pulling out of my garage to get something at the grocery store for my daughter's school I forgot earlier. When i pulled out of my garage TWO men were standing next to my garage looking over my fence. They saw my vehicle pull out of the garage and took off, one on foot and one on a bike. I followed them up the street where they ultimately turned into the Kensington appartments. There was a tall black male appeared to be nearly 6 feet tall wearing a red or orange shirt and dark pants on a bike, and a white male with a dark baseball hat, white shirt and black pants, he appeared to be about 5"10 with dark hair. When I returned from the store to pull into my drive way I saw the white male with the baseball cap running down duran away from my house. I have called the police, they took the report over the phone and said an officer would be right over, it is about an hour later and still no cops at my house. This is very alarming going on, my house is definitely being targeted!

For the curious, what's a personal alarm mentioned in the first entry on this story?

A personal alarm is a small (playing card sized), battery operated alarm that is usually activated by pulling a cord. When this is done, it emits a loud (90 decibel) sound. They showed up on the market in the 90's. I stopped at Emigh Hardware today to see if they carried any. They said that they were out of stock, but should have some in tomorrow. The cost is around $16-17, and they should be located in the aisle with the door locks. If you can't find them, then ask Tim. Walmart might be another place to look.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

DPM alert BREAK IN 3000 Block KINGS WAY! - possible sex predator

Tonight (Friday August 28th) My husband and I went to a movie and left the kids with my sister to babysit, at approximately 9:00 we returned home before going out to dinner to check in and make sure everything was ok. We left the house approximately 10 minutes later. Just as we got to our restaurant (at Arden Fair Mall) we got a call from my sister telling me someone had Just broken into the back door after first attempting the front door. It appears as thought they thought no one was home since they must have watched our car pull away since this occured just moments later. She reported loud thumps against the front door followed by loud jerking on the door knob. Then after calling 911 they apeared to have jumped over our back fence (several black shoe rubber streaks noted on the white fence). They then went to our back door and loudly jerked the door knob and pounded against it until it ultimately opened, my sister pulled the personal alarm and they saw two tall men running and jump back over the fence. we were unable to get a description other than tall and male they were all very shaken up. I want to put this out there and see if anyone may have heard or seen anything at all, and also to request to my neighbors please kindly start turning on outside porchlights at night time, we live on the corner of Kings and Duran and that whole corner starting from across the street from us all the way to the house across the street on druan are completely dark at night, our house has been targeted now for several weeks and I feel strongly that it is due in part to the lighting issue in that part of the block. The police filed a report and they dont have any other leads. but this is the third time people have broken into our back yard at night time.


Sincerely, Robin

An addition to this is that Robin was out posting garage sale signs on Kings Way this morning and a greenish, Ford Taurus type vehicle made a u turn and follwed her up the street. When robin turned towards home, the vehicle made another u turn and followed her down the street, finally pulling up along side of her. The driver then something like, "Hi, honey, don't you have school today?" Because of Robin's short stature, and the comments by the driver, robin assumes that the individual was looking for teenage girls.

Once Robin made it clear that she was an adult, the driver drove off. No license plate number was obtained.

Again the vehicle is descibed as a greenish, Ford Taurus "type" vehicle. The occupant is described as a white male adult, possibly in his late 40's- early 60'sbald on top, grey on the sidesand the most identifiable features are tatoos up and down both arms, with a snake tatoo on one forearm.

Make your children aware of this vehicle/man, and if you see this vehicle, please get a license number so that we can notify the sheriff dept.

Additional information:

The vehicle, a greenish Ford Taurus type, has multiple antennas on it, at least three, of varying lengths, and so should stick out like a sore thumb. If were to hazard a guess, (considering his approach), he has a police scanner. When/if you see this vehicle, and perhaps call the authorities, inform them of this.

How to Lock Your Car and Why

I locked my car but as I walked away I heard my car door unlock. I went back and locked my car again three times, but it unlocked each time. I looked around and there were two guys sitting in a car in the fire lane next to the store. When I looked straight at them they did not unlock my car again.

How to lock your car safely:

While traveling, my son stopped at a roadside park. He came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later and found someonehad gotten into his car, and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator briefcase. You name it, they stole it.

He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into the police told him that there is adevice that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using yourkey-chain locking device.

They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. They know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, orbathroom and have a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said to manually lock your car door-by hitting thelock button inside the car, that way if there is someone siting in a parking lot watching for their next victim itwill not be you.

When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting it does not send the security code, but if you walk away anduse the door lock on your key chain, it sends the code through the airwaves where it can be stolen. This was something totally new to us.

Be aware of this and please pass this note on. Look how many times we all lock our doors with our remote. Just tobe sure we remembered to lock them. Someone can then steal our code and whatever was in the car can be stolen.

Snopes article on this e-mail note available here. Some of the information presented isn't entirely accurate.

While early Remote Keyless Entry systems were completely vulnerable to this time of attack, modern ones aren't. A current system uses a random code generator and thus makes a code grabbing device ineffective.

There's nothing wrong with manually locking your doors, but it would appear your car isn't as vulnerable as the e-mail would suggest.

Burglar Facts

BURGULAR FACTS
THIRTEEN THINGS A BURGULAR WON’T TELL YOU

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.

5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom—and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door—understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.

12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television.

Suspicious Lexus In the Neighborhood

From Irene on the 2000 block of Maryal on 08/17/2009:

This morning at around 5:45am my husband, Orlando, called to tell me to call 911 because he felt that there was a possible break-in going to take place in our neighborhood. Below is what transpired:

This morning, at around 5:45am, as my husband left for work, he noticed a white two-tone grey Lexus 4 door sedan (older model, 1990?), with large chrome hubcaps, parked in front of the stop sign of Maryal Drive and St. Marks (facing in the direction of Watt Ave.). The driver was a large African American man and in the passenger seat was a white female, as well as a white female in the back seat. As my husband left for work he noticed that they were watching him, and when my husband passed them on Maryal, my husband then saw the Lexus pull forward and drive slowly and stop in front of our house. My husband then turned his truck around and came back down Maryal towards our house. The man in the Lexus saw my husband coming back and turned right on Gila. This man in the Lexus came back down Maryal Dr. and passed my husband and made a left on St. Marks and proceeded to park his car in front of: 2304 St. Marks. My husband then proceeded to drive back down Maryal Dr. and as he came to the stop sign of Maryal & St. Marks, he saw the man and the two women exit the Lexus and begin to walk down St. Marks (towards Lusk) each with a back pack.

At that point, my husband called me and told me to call 911.. I called 911 and gave the dispatcher the information that my husband gave to me, unfortunately my husband wasn’t able to get license plate. The dispatcher said he would try and send a cruiser to drive through the neighborhood.

As I left for work, at 6:10am, I decided to go down St. Marks to see if the Lexus was still there. As I approached the stop sign of Lynwood and St. Marks, I saw the man and the two women, each carrying backpacks, get into the Lexus, they appeared to be coming from the house 2304 St. Marks. They saw my vehicle and sped toward the end of St. Marks and made a left onto Lusk and another left onto Gila. I followed the Lexus (but stayed back at least 3 cars) onto Gila and was able to get the license plate: 6JAW682. As I followed the Lexus down Gila, I called 911 again to give them the car’s license plate # and a better description of the driver and passengers.

While I’m on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, the man in the Lexus stops his car in the middle of the street and put his Lexus in reverse and sped towards me, rolled down the passenger window and asked me if there was a problem. I told him that there was no problem, I was just wondering what he was doing in my neighborhood. He then proceeded to tell me that he and his friends were going to church.. I then told him that I didn’t know that there were church services at 5:45am on Monday morning, and that I was just concerned because there had been some suspicious events in our neighborhood and the model of his vehicle had been spotted on more than one occasion after these events had happened. He then told me that I would have to take that up with God, because he was just going to church. I told him that I was sorry for causing him any grief and that I would take it up with God. He then sped away down Gila and made a right onto Maryal towards Watt Ave.

The dispatcher then asked if everything was ok and asked for more info. i.e.; which way he turned onto Watt, better descriptions, license plate #, etc…etc…and said that she would send over an officer to cruise the neighborhood.

Although I had no intentions of having any type of contact with these individuals, it seems that they are brazen enough to make contact with me. If you see a pearl white/grey 4-door older model Lexus sedan, Lic # 6JAW682 around the neighborhood please report it. Apparently, they have been seen before and seem to be watching the schedules of the people who live in our neighborhood, and most importantly be safe! Lock your windows and doors to your house and cars! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me at (phone number available on request).

P.S. Does anyone know the people who live at 2304 St. Marks? I would like to notify them of all of this as well…

My recent lack of activity

My apologies for my recent lack of activity. For the interested, I had to have my gallbladder out. I'm back, however, and doing much better. I'll catch up on posting this morning.

Friday, August 14, 2009

Update on Car Burglaries

From Thursday:

An update: the reported car breakin on Catalina was actually someone driving by and shooting a pellet gun at the vehicle, which broke a wing window and put several dents in the left side body of the vehicle. The next night someone tried to enter through the broken window.

Car burglaries, Suspicious vehicle

From Monday, August 10th:

over the weekend, there were several "car burglaries", one on Lusk, and one on Lasuen, where the cars were left unlocked, and then ransacked, (probably not the same crooks), and a window on a truck was smashed, in the 2600 block of Catalina.

REMEMBER TO LOCK YOU VEHICLES, MOST CRIMINALS WILL TAKE THE EASIEST ROUTE TO GAIN SOMETHING, AND REMOVE ANYTHING FROM SIGHT, BECAUSE THEY WILL THEN TAKE THE ROUTE TO GET, WHAT APPEALS TO THEM.

Today there was a suspicious vehicle parked in the 2500 block of Andrade, in front of a vacant house, without a posted "for sale" sign, at approx 1 PM. the vehicle was there for over an hour, the occupants were described as a black male adult with a baseball cap, and the passenger was a black female adult. Several of the neighbors took notice, and watched, to the point that the vehicle left the area. the sheriff was called and responded in 14 minutes.

The vehicle is described as a silver, 4dr, Lexus, with 20 inch chrome wheels, CA lic 5JOV234.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

ICE, a suggestion from Chuck

You may have heard about this already. Chuck forwarded it to pass on to those who may not have heard about it, and it seems like an excellent idea:
Apparently this is a standard procedure all paramedics follow at the scene of an accident when they come across your cell phone.

ICE - 'In Case of Emergency'
We all carry our mobile phones with names & numbers stored in its memory but nobody, other than ourselves, knows which of these numbers belong to our closest family or friends.

If we we re to be involved in an accident or were taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence the 'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.

The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact during emergency situations. As cell(mobile)phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency under the name 'ICE' ( In Case Of Emergency).
The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but they didn't know which number to call.. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name for this purpose. In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply dialing the number you have stored as 'ICE.'
For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.
ICE will speak for you when you are not able to.
But wait, is this for real? I Snopsed it. Evidently, paramedics really do use it.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Car Burglary

On the 2000s block of Maryal on Jul 26:

Last night someone entered my car and helped themselves to my portable GPS system.
My husband told me to report it on the DPM Crime Alert Network.

Remember to be vigilant--if something looks out of the ordinary, call the police. Thanks, everyone!

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Daylight Burglary matter

For those following the blog, you're aware of a daylight burglary in the neighborhood. Google searching was turning up information the criminals might access. The involved parties feared the criminals might be smart enough to do this and retaliate against our neighborhood. Removing pertinent information didn't seem to alter the search results, so the posts have been taken down entirely to protect the homeowners. Information is available through the e-mail system set up by Chuck, or will be provided via e-mail to those writing to express an interest in the matter. I'll prepare a standard e-mail with all the pertinent information tonight. Thanks, everyone!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Suspicious Man at my Door (New incident on Butano)

From Karen, 2500's block of Butano:

I observed a older white Ford Truck (4019682 plate) parked across the street with a man sitting in the passenger seat. I observed a bicycle and other items in the bed of the truck. A few minutes later a black older man was at my door. He saw my dogs and from what I understood he wanted to wash windows. While talking to me he appeared nervous and was looking over my shoulder and made no direct eye contact. I advised him I wasn't interested and then the vehicle exited approximately 9:15 A.M. I was outside at 10:00 A.M. and observed the same vehicle go by now with two white males. The passenger was wearing a sunhat.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Suggestions from Scott

From Scott on Duran

I would recommend to homeowners that before confronting "suspicious people", those who notice these activities use a digital camera and take pictures first. These can be blown up for better detail or police or posted in emails so others can actually see who they need to lookout for and license plates can be seen with a zoom. Pictures can be taken from the safety of your home, but still be discrete, no need to let them know you are doing it. To deter night time prowlers, I recommend very bright motion activated security lights for all sides of your home and keep your gates locked with a lock. Alarm systems have been getting cheaper in recent years and don't necessarily need to be connected to the police or a service as long as a loud alarm bell is installed. A hidden 'Panic Button' is good to have to manually turn it on/off. Video camera systems have become cheaper too. Get to know your immediate neighbors and exchange phone numbers, they will probably respond faster than the police. Large numbers of people taking notice will scare off predators, but don't do it by yourself, they may have accomplices near.

These are scary times and I think it's only going to get worse. So be prepared!

Note to the community: We're looking into various security options and should have a meeting soon to discuss a community-supported private patrol. Chuck has found that we can hire an off-duty deputy for just over $53 per hour. We've also been looking at www.paladinprivatesecurity.com which is composed of former military and police trained to respond to emergencies, not just patrol and observe. We'll post more information and things develop.

Please remember to be alert. Even if we weren't about to experience Sheriff's Department cutbacks, an informed, aware community is the best defense against crime and always has been.

Suspicious Man at my Door

From Brenda on Alva Court

I am very cautious about opening my front door. I live on Alva Court. There are only 5 houses and I am very familiar with what cars belong here.

At 3:38pm today my dog alerted me that someone was at my door. I did not hear the doorbell- I do not think he rang it. He did not knock.

I peaked out to see what was going on and saw a silver gray car parked across the street and then standing back to the side where I could not see him from my "peek hole" in front door was a man. He was an Asian man (early 30's) dressed in a dark shirt and light beige walking shorts. He was standing way back away from the door--which seemed strange to me and was trying to look in my windows-after a few minutes he walked back across the street and was looking back at my house. I then opened my front door and stepped out onto the porch , he saw me and then pulled out his phone- I yelled can I help you, but he got in his car drove off . He looked at me as he drove off. I did not have my glasses on -so did not get a license plate number. I find this strange...maybe he was a look out and
getting ready to break in....

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Truck Stolen near DPM School

From Darcell:

Between the hours of 11:00 pm and 6:30 am our 89 Toyota pick up was stolen out of our driveway. It was parked right next to my black Toyota Camry. The truck is old, blue, camper shell, long bed., Lic # 3W02749. We didn't hear a thing, not even our dog barked. We live at 2581 Maryal Dr., corner house with the long stretch of fencing on Avalon. There is a stop sign on our corner. We are right caddy corner to the parking lot of the school/tennis court, Maryal/Avalon.

Private Patrol Idea

Sent by Erik:

I'd like to invite all members of DPM neighborhood to consider something. In light of the devasting cuts to our crime prevention/ Sheriff budget, I would invite everyone to consider the idea of hiring a Private Security Patrol just for the DPM neighborhood.

Given our proximity to Wal-Mart and other magnets of crime, having a private security patrol could make a huge difference in our neighborhood. With approximately 1700 homes in the area, the cost would be small- probably around $20-30 per house per year. I am sure that most of you would agree that the cost is minimal compared to the potential benefit.

Other neighborhoods, such as Arden Park, already have this program in place ($25.00 per house per year), and it works extremely well. This is something that we should discuss.

Trish, our DPM HOA President will be talking more about this soon. Thank you for your consideration.

Editor's note: My family can arrange $30/year for this purpose. There hasn't been a lot of interest in neighborhood watch foot patrols, so this might be a great way to solve the problem at very little expense. We'll want to make sure all streets are covered.

Response from Paul Hahn on the Golf Budget

I e-mailed the County Supervisors about putting the Golf program above Sheriff Funding. They're claiming that's not the case:

Hello:

I’d like to respond to your e-mail to the Supervisors regarding the flyer and Sheriff, and Golf budget.

While there is no doubt that the decisions facing our Board of Supervisors and all elected officials this year are daunting, our Board has stated that after mandated programs, public safety is their highest priority.

I want to take a moment to clarify how our Golf Program is funded. For the last five years, the golf fund has been completely self-sufficient and takes no money from County general fund.The total golf budget for this fiscal year is $8.6 million, all of which will come from golf fees and sales at the golf courses. Absolutely no monies are being taken from other programs to help support the County Golf program.

If you have any questions about the Golf fund or any of the budgets with the Municipal Services Agency, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Paul Hahn
Administrator
Municipal Services Agency

Lost Family Pet- Black Lab/ Border Collie Mix

Over the weekend while we were out of town our family pet " Joe " got loose. Joe is our family dog and has been with our family for over 9 years. Joe is part lab with a mix of border collie ( he has a white patch on his chest. Joe is on the large side. I would say at least 80 + pounds. He is showing sign of aging with grey hairs on his face. He is a great dog. He is wearing a dark blue collar with our cell number.You may not be able to see his collar unless you look due to his fur. If anyone has information regarding Joe please call me at 916-223-9948. This is the best number to reach me at during the day. Thank you for any information that you might have. Our daughters miss him dearly!

Thad & Tammy
Duarte Court

Saturday, July 4, 2009

More information on Sheriff's Department Budget Cuts

This e-mail comes from an employee of the Sheriff's Department, so there is a natural advocacy to the information provided. Still, it is hard to argue that the Golf Fund should be a higher priority than our deputies.

I have attached some additional budget information I have recently received. Please feel free to share this information with friends, family and neighbors who live work and work in Sacramento County .

As of now, the Marconi Station Service Center is slotted to remain open…However; the plan is to continue to have me serve the citizens of Arden Arcade, unfortunately they are planning to remove me from the Marconi Station Service Center and over to the Garfield Station in Carmichael. I appreciate your comments and concerns in regards to this circumstance and will continue to forward your letters and emails of concern to the Sheriff and/or Division Commander.

Again, the North Central Division Community Zone Meetings are still scheduled as follows:

Zone 2&4 Tuesday, July, 7, 2009 at 6pm

Zone 1&3 Tuesday July 14, 2009 at 6pm

Apparently there was some misinformation in regards to the meeting time on the last email I sent. THE CORRECT TIME OF THESE MEETINGS IS 6pm.

Thank you to all… your continued willingness to support and be involved in your community is to be commended!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments in regards to this matter.

~Cindy


Cindy
Crime Prevention Specialist
Sacramento Sheriff's Department
North Central Division

916-876-5717
The Additional Information she attached:

THE FACTS

  • The Sac County Sheriff’s Dept currently patrols 844 Square Miles and serves over half a million citizens.
  • This fiscal year the Sheriff Dept has taken $57 Million of the County of Sacramento’s $180 Million budget deficit.
  • That amount of money has caused the Sheriff’s Dept to cut 209 FULL TIME DEPUTIES, 50 civilian Employees AND OVER 400 ON CALL DEPUTIES come August 1, 2009.
  • Although the Sheriffs Department makes up only 7% of the county budget, the department is being held responsible for 31% of the 2009‐2010 total deficit.
  • To help ease the deficit, deputies voted to give up the raises they were contracted to receive for the next two years, while the Board of Supervisors allocated $8.6 MILLION TO THE GOLF FUND (a program designed to maintain aging county golf courses, which in 2005 was stated to be a self‐sufficient program) (SACBEE.COM).

BECAUSE OF THE LOOMING STAFFING SHORTAGE

  • Proactive Law Enforcement activities will BE SEVERELY DIMINISHED.
  • The 38 cars currently patrolling will be reduced to 10 cars, pre-1970 patrol staffing levels (SACBEE.COM).
  • Service Centers, Air Operations, and Problem Oriented Policing (POP) will cease to exist.
  • If your business or your home has been burglarized, robbed, embezzled, or stolen from, YOU MAY NOT GET A RESPONSE!

SACRAMENTO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

District 1: Roger Dickson (916) 874-5485 dickensonr@saccounty.net

District 2: Jimmie Yee (916) 874-5481 jyee@saccounty.net

District 3: Susan Peters (916) 874-5471 susanpeters@saccounty.net

District 4: Roberta MacGlashan (916) 874-5491 macglashanr@saccounty.net

District 5: Don Nottoli (916) 874-5465 nottolid@saccounty.net


SACRAMENTO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

Come have your voice heard!!

When: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Time: TBA (9:30 am or 2:00 pm)

Where: County Administration Center, 700 H Street Room 1450

WHY: Tell your Board of Supervisors that your safety matters and help keep Sacramento County…YOUR COMMUNITY… a thriving place to live and work!!

If you cannot attend the meeting, please take the time to call or email your concerns, thoughts and opinions to the Board immediately!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Effects of Sacramento Sheriff's Budget cuts to the North Central Division- Arden Arcade

It looks like a neighborhood watch will be more necessary than ever, though there hasn't been much interest in patrol. If you'd like to be involved with patrols, which will be safest in groups, please e-mail DPMNeighborhoodWatch@gmail.com

Good afternoon to everybody……

The command staff of the North Central Division has provided us with some very disturbing facts as to how the budget cuts are going to affect the different bureaus, units and divisions of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department.

As most of you may know, the Board of Supervisor’s only restored 12.5 million to the Sheriff’s Budget, therefore leaving the total deficit to the Sheriff’s Budget at approximately 58 million. The Sheriff has had to take some drastic measures to the way the Sheriff’s Department is able to provide law enforcement services to the citizens of Sacramento County.

At about 3:00 pm Captain Gordon Smith held a meeting with the North Central Division Staff and relayed the following information:

· Approximately 171 deputies being laid off
· Approximately 50 civilian’s being laid off
· 3 Captains, 7 Lieutenants, and 29 Sergeants will be demoted back to their previous rank
· All helicopters have been grounded until further notice
· Captain Gordon Smith, North Central Division Commander is being demoted to previous rank and will no longer command the North Central Division
· Lieutenant Lou Fatur will be moved elsewhere within the Department
· ALL North Central Division Patrol will be removed from the Marconi Station and housed in the Garfield Station, located in Carmichael
· ALL North Central Division Detectives are being removed on July 5 from the Marconi Station and placed under Central Investigations in a separate facility
· The total department detectives will be reduced by half, to approximately 39, this will occur on July 5, 2009
· The North Central Division Crime Prevention Specialist will be relocated to the Garfield Station while serving Arden Arcade and Carmichael
· The current Captain of the Northwest & Northeast Division will be commanding the North Central Division from the Garfield Station
· The North Central Division POP team has been disbanded and permanently eliminated and will be rotated back to patrol and/or corrections on July 5, 2009

Due to the layoffs, the patrol divisions will be reduced from 325 patrol officers to 171 officers. This is very drastic and will result in only 6-7 two man patrol cars patrolling the entire county… per shift. The Carmichael, Fair Oaks and North Highlands Service Centers will be closed sometime in July. There is a possible exception the Marconi Station Service Center will remain open.

It is very unfortunate that this is what our Department has to resort to and we know and understand that these changes will be detrimental to the quality of life in your community and neighborhoods.

I am still planning to hold the North Central Division Community Zone Meetings as follows:
Zone 2&4 July 7, 2009 at 7pm
Zone 1&3 July 14, 2009 at 7pm.

Both meetings will be held at the Marconi Station 2500 Marconi Ave (Fulton & Marconi). I have also attached the flyers for the meetings so you can invite your neighbors, feel free to make copies.

I highly encourage each and every one of you to attend these meetings as it is my goal to keep as much of the community informed as possible. New information, new directives and decisions are being made almost on an hourly basis and it is my guess we will have updated information to report to you at these meetings. Your comments and input are very much appreciated; we look forward to hearing from you.

Please feel free to email me and I will forward your comments to Board of Supervisors. If you are interested in contacting the Board of Supervisors directly you may call Supervisor Susan Peters at 916-874-5471 or email at the following:
schmidtH@saccounty.net
Davisl@saccounty.net

Thank you everybody for your time and attention to this very important matter. Should you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me at anytime.

Cindy Burdette
Crime Prevention Specialist
Sacramento Sheriff's Department North Central Division
916-876-5717

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Sheriff's Zone Meeting and City Annexation Information

From Cindy:

I would like to take this time to make you aware of some very drastic cuts taking place in the Sheriff’s department. The NCD POP team has been permanently eliminated along with a large number of our detectives, and patrol has a chance at being reduced by half of what we have now.

Please spread the word as I highly encourage everyone to attend the zone meeting!!

The sheriff dept will host a Zone2 & 4 meeting at 2500 Marconi ave on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 7 PM.

These are very tough times for the Sheriff’s Department in regards to the safety and quality of life in the community. If you are interested you may write a letter and email to me, I will forward it on to the powers that be (Board of Supervisors) and/or you may call the Board of Supervisors directly at 874-5471.

City Annexation information:

Below is an e-mail address and website links from which the interested may obtain information.
www.ardenarcadecity.org

Appreciation for our POPS Officer

From John:

To Sheriff McGiness,

This is a short note to let you know what an outstanding job Deputy Duncan Brown is doing in our neighborhood.

Duncan has gotten rid of several chronic problem residences that I am aware of. These problems can range from neighbor disputes, drug dealing, domestic disturbances, serial burglaries, and bad elements hanging out at the neighborhood school.

As you know law enforcement, and public safety is a day to day issue, it never gets fixed permanently.

We recently learned Officer Brown will not be our POPS officer in a few weeks. We all hope his replacement will have the dedication Officer Brown has shown for our community.

Thank you
John S.
Del Paso Manor resident for 20 years
P.S.
The Marconi Station, and POPS program has made a big difference in our neighborhood safety.

John suggests it might be a good idea to have many residents write in. If you'd like to contact Sheriff McGinness, you may do so at:

http://www.sacsheriff.com/

sheriff@sacsheriff.com

Two Girls potentially casing homes in the neighborhood

From Amy:

Two young girls came to my door mid-afternoon today 6/18. They were both high school age, both brunettes, no makeup, both wearing black shirts one with the word SECURITY on the front and she also had two front chipped teeth. I normally never open the door to strangers but my kids were trying to help and answered the door for me. The girls stated that they were with a local organization asking people in the neighborhood about careers. They had no noticeable identification and were over friendly with my kids asking about their age, what they were doing this summer, attempting to pet our dog and I believe they would have walked right into my house if given the chance. They were asking probing questions about what I do, and trying to peak into my house. Only after a few shorts minutes, I told them I couldn't talk and shut the door. One girl was very unhappy with me ending the conversation, she proceeded to roll her eyes and mutter something under her breath. Shortly after shooing them away, I looked for them walking down my street and didn't see them. I definitely feel very uncomfortable with this encounter and feel like they were up to no good. I didn't give them any answers to any personal questions but felt like I was being "cased".

This event happened on Carissa Way.



From Ben:

They came by my house as well, they were selling magazines. I asked them to leave and they were rude to me as well. I was appropriately rude back, with vigor and hurtful intent. Stand strong Del Paso Manor stand strong

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Recycling Scavengers

This post comes a bit out of order--the incidents took place on Friday, June 12th. However, there's good background information for residents.

From Andrew:

Good morning, DPM neighbors. This one's not a huge one, but to keep everyone updated, there were very unkempt recycling rummagers in the neighborhood this morning. The Sheriff's Department was responding last I was updated (I'm presently at work). The rummagers were on Watson Street when my wife called the police, but one other resident closer to DPM school came out to report when deputies arrived on scene, having also called the police.I'm assuming the sheriffs will handle this before my wife returns to the area where she saw them, but if I have any updates on the resolution of the matter, I will send one more e-mail. Thanks, everyone!

From Brenda:

I believe I was the person who also reported these homelesslooking scavangers/looters this morning. I took pictures of them leaving my street and then called Sheriff and then followed this man and woman both on bicycles. I spoke to the sheriff on street and then observed him talking to the looters on El Camino at Avalon. He just said a few words to them..nothing else. So,I wanted to see what they would then do-so I again followed them. The bicycle the man was riding was pulling a large square cart that was loaded with black garbage bags..it was over flowing and he had a full sack on the front of the bike.The woman a small petite dirty blonde also had full bags on her bike. I followed them and they ended up at a recycling station in the parking lot at Watt and Arden--beside the Dollar Store.

From Trish:

I have called so many times about the guy in the maroon Taurus. The sheriff never gets here when he is still around.

A Special Note:

Normally this blog, much like the alert list, will not include opinion. Comments to help make things more secure, additions to reports, etc. are very welcome.

On this issue there was some discussion of why we're concerned with the scavengers at all. For those not familiar with the situation, I think it's important to understand why this matters.

1. Undesirables in the neighborhood--If you're at all concerned about your property value and the safety of your family and neighbors, it's important to remember that garbage scroungers are often people on the fringes of society. I'm more concerned about the safety of my 5 year old and my wife than the 5 cents they'll make off the plastic bottle in my recycling. I give as generously as I am able to private charity to help them those in need. While I applaud the initiative of recyclers, they should collect from traditional sources, as has been done for decades (roadside, etc.)

2. Crime--I've hinted at this above. How many people going through your garbage are just trying to survive, and how many are looking to commit identity theft? How many of these people aren't stable, and are willing to commit violence?

3. Your garbage pick up rates--The county, which has been raising garbage and sewer rates, relies on the recycling program for income. Many of the scavengers aren't local. They're taking the revenue that keeps your rates as low as they presently are for personal gain. In short, they're stealing from our community's common pool of resources and removing it from the community.

Another resident also commented, indicating why she's concerned:

From Mary:

I've owned my home in this neighborhood for over 5 years. These supposedly harmless people have tresspassed on my property with their mobility machines often tearing up my landscaping going through my recycle and leaving a huge mess, breaking bottles and leaving the glass everywhere, throwing their cigarette butts all over my property, and leaving whatever garbage they don't want (candy wrappers, etc) anywhere they choose. Guess who has to clean it up?

Three weeks ago I had caught several of them on my property with flashlights, checking out my front porch, etc. even looking in my backyard. I had the police out at 1 am in the morning, not because I take pleasure in doing that, but because having flashlights shine in your windows at 12:30 am is a little scary. When I checked the street they had taken all of the recycle out of everyone's recycle bin and it was all laying everywhere, including bottles that anyone driving can run over and make an even bigger mess. I've found at least two of them checking out the homes during the day to see if someone is home or not so they could steal.

By the way, are you hooked up to the county sheriffs website? We have at least 8 crimes a week within a mile of here, mostly theft. I no longer leave my garage side door open to air out my garage, because I've had them attempt to come in and see what they could take from there as well. Two of them I recognize, because I see them down at Raleys all the time turning in their recycle items that they've "stolen" for money. Usually it's with a cigarette hanging out of their mouths or a bottle of beer or wine in their hands. (interesting how they have money for that)

I worked as a temp for the County for the Dept of Human Assistance for a year. We received over 900 applications a week for benefits from people asking for help. Many were denied for fraudulent reasons, but those that are in need received cash on a daily basis for food, yes that's right, your tax dollars at work, a place to stay, all the free medical they want including drug and alcohol rehabilitation forever or as long as they think they need it, a clothing allowance, and if they need their tattoos,( that they so irresponsibly had done to themselves), removed so they can possibly get a job, oh yes, we pay for that too.I'll be darned if I'm going to let them rummage through my recycle bin, create the mess that they create, tresspass illegally on my property, and collect the recycle for which I'm already paying for through my tax dollars. Not to mention that from a real estate point of view, that is the WORST thing you can let happen in a neighborhood. Try to sell your home when the buyer checks out the crime stats and finds out how many indigents we have running through the neighborhood, or talks to the neighbors to find out that we have a chronic problem, which by the way, we do. Oh by the way, one of them is on the sex offenders list as well, he lives on Marconi, and I've seen him a couple of times. Do you want him in the neighborhood going through your recycled items while children are walking to school?Frankly, I'm of the mind set that we need to clean up this neighborhood, not let it go to those, not less fortunate than us, but ones that choose not to work like rest of us and prefer to just take whatever society will allow them to have.Anyone needing food, clothing, shelter, surgery, and I mean anyone, citizen or not, is eligible to get whatever they need from the DHA. All they have to do is apply. Anyway, that's my feeling on it and I intend to remain aggressive until we clean up this neighborhood.

Commments Sections

Comments are open to the members of DPM. You may discuss any situation with other neighbors - what you have done in an attempt to solve the problem, suggestions on how to mitigate an incident. All comments should, of course, be polite and in keeping with the goal of this blog, which is to keep track of problems in our neighborhood and come up with solutions together as a neighborhood to resolve them. Any defamatory comments or spam postings will be removed. This is not to be used as a forum for businesses to advertise to members.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Trouble Near the School

Part of the purpose of this blog is to keep neighbors informed of incidents in our area, expanding upon the excellent e-mailing list started by Chuck.

What does a blog format do? This creates a historical record with times and dates. All neighbors will be able to review past events, without logging into e-mail if they choose not to. It's also easier to maintain than a distribution list.

If we have descriptions of people and vehicles, anyone may peruse them. We can also post photographs if needed. It is our hope this will become a community resource that will help to make things safer for our families.

Today's alert and discussion:

From Michelle:

I don't know if you've heard or witnessed this, but I've noticed a lot of illegal activity at the tennis courts at Del Paso Manor. I have had to chase off (more than once) a group of individuals who have been smoking marijuana at the benches next to the tennis courts. I'm usually with my children so I can't really do much. I call the Sheriff Department and ask them to do a "park check" and drive by the area. It is at all times of the day, but I see them regularly around dusk. I chased them off about 30 minutes ago. The main guy that I see every time is a white male, 22, 5'10", Blond short hair (usually wears a baseball cap), diamond stud in his left ear, baggy clothes, clean shaven and usually wears red. There are a whole lot of red flags for someone who is in law enforcement.

There is another group separate from these smokers who vandalize the nets inside the tennis courts. They sit on the nets and turn the benches upside down. The net has been broken twice in a three month period. I continue to tell them to get off the nets. Next time I go to the school, I am bringing a video camera with me. They are a group of teenagers who are bored. The vandalism is senseless and expensive for the district to replace the nets.

If you can let people know that if they see these two groups of people to call the Sheriff non-emergency number at 874-5115 to report them. I am going to contact the district officer to ask that he write his reports in the parking lot when he can. I've met him before, and he's a nice guy.

Let me know if you've received any other information about this. This may seem pidley, but smoking dope on a school ground where kids are playing isn't cool.

From Claire:

We saw them at the school last night as well. We called the Sheriff arou0nd 8:00 and they said they would send someone out. The man in the white shirt was also urinating on the tree right by the playground in front of families that had children. I am not sure if the Sheriff came out or not.


From Larry:

I wasn't going to bring this incident up but I see from these last two incident reports that perhaps I should. Last Thursday 6/11/09 at approximately 1:45 P.M. my son, my wife and my grandson and daughter were out front on our driveway on Kings Way when suddenly a grey Plymouth breeze came over to the curb at a high rate of speed, east bound, in front of our driveway and pulled a u-turn when two young light-skinned Latino males jumped out and started walking toward Del Paso Manor school.

When my son looked up he said that there was a group of approx. 20 to 25 youths walking up the street towards Watt Ave... Sensing trouble, my son got the baseball bat from his trunk and faced the two from the Plymouth breeze and told them to take it somewhere else. A third male, white, in a pick up truck showed up and confronted my son and said that he was trying to defuse the situation.

They argued for a moment and then he said that he should not have brought out the bat as the other guy (in the Plymouth) "was packing". They continued to linger for just a few minutes and my son had to raise his voice and get in their faces and told them again to move on and take their issue somewhere else. One of the youths, a female, got into the Plymouth and they continued towards Watt Ave. Sounds as though they may be congregating at the school and then coming into the neighborhood.

Future Home of the Del Paso Manor Neighborhood Watch

Hopefully, we can get enough people involved to stop vandalism and crime in the DPM area.