Diane Horswill (via the Wallingford eNews) confirms what we’ve all been suspecting: car prowls are way, way up in Wallyhood. In fact, the stats show a 40% jump in January from December. Some tidbits from the police reports:
01/01: 4400blk Sunnyside Ave N. reported at 8:08PM, the resident was gone all day and when he returned he found his front door ajar, it appeared entry was made by prying open a side window, a large number of electronics were taken
01/10: 4400blk 5th NE reported at 8:23PM, the resident was inside his apt. when the suspect walked in through the unlocked front door, he was confronted by the resident and said something about meeting someone there and looking for a place to live, the suspect stole some keys and an employee badge on the way out, the resident described the suspect as Hispanic 6’2” heavy build and in his 40’s he also said he was either high or intoxicated
01/21: 4400blk Wallingford Ave N. reported at 8:38PM, the victim parked and locked his car inside the secured parking garage at this building, he discovered later that a rear window had been broken and 2 backpacks containing clothing, text books and school supplies was missing
01/27: 1500blk N. 39th reported at 10:32PM the resident was gone all day and when he returned his found that his back door had been forced open, the house was ransacked and a computer, camera and liquor were among the items stolen
01/2: 4000blk 1st Ave NE reported at 2:47PM, the resident was away from his house the previous day from 2:00PM until 9:00PM, during that some a burglar pried open his back door, electronics including an IPod and DVD player were taken along with liquor
01/30: 4300blk Thackeray Ave N. this is a vacant house that is being renovated, the owner says he has been broken into several time and each time tools were taken…this morning when he discovered the burglary he also found a pile of tools covered with a plastic garbage bag, he recognized some of the tools as ones stolen in the previous burglaries, there was also a note admonishing him for not having better secured the property
With the kind of frequency we’re seeing, maybe it makes sense to rally people to swap late night watch shifts on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis. Sort of like a block watch, except actually make sure someone’s watching.
A good vantage point, a pair of binoculars and a cell phone seem like they could go a long way.
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so – that last one – not really a burglary, more like a forced lending.
The note made me laugh.
I agree with a block watch idea. I heard gun shots the other night by my apartment on 42nd and Latona. We can definately make a difference by banding together as neighbors to keep an eye on the neighborhood.