 It seems that crime is on an increase in our lovely neighborhhood. Several homes and cars have been burglarized and suspicious people have been hanging around the neighborhood casing the homes. It is common for them to enter the back yard during the day (week days) and break in thru the back windows. If you notice any suspicious activity, notify the police immediately, let them know this is related to the burglaries in the area and give them a description of what the person(s) is wearing and what direction they are heading. IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO REPORT ALL CRIME OR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AND MAKE SURE TO GET A POLICE REPORT OTHERWISE THERE WILL BE NO RECORD OF REPORTED CRIMES. Our local police officer is Darrell Nichols Work 305-795-2330 Mobile 305-389-3535 As an added measure, please report any suspicious activities and crimes to Roger Shields, who is our neighborhood crime watch organizer. If you want to participate contact Roger at 305-752-3433. This web page was created to encourage residents to post criminal and suspicious activity that occurs in our neighborhood and post any ideas you may have to decrease the crime in our neighborhood. If we stay alert and pro-active as to what is going on, we can discourage this behavior in our neighborhood. Communication is very important! |
- Crime prevention tipsNeighbors,
I'd like to make some suggestions to everyone as to how we can better protect ourselves now, today!
1. Get to know your neighbors. All of them, especially those on your street and with whom you share a common property line. Get their phone numbers and emails. Discuss your schedules, how they relate and how they differ. What hours they work away from home, if they frequently travel. Find out how many people are in the home and what ages. The more we are able to watch out for each other the better.
2. Make an email list just for your surrounding neighbors to alert each other about potential dangers. If you're like me, I don't check my messages from our google groups as frequently as other emails accounts. Make sure you have emails people look at often throughout the day. I would recommend you copy the google group to alert the entire neighborhood but make sure you are quickly reaching your immediate neighbors.
3. When talking to your neighbors also find out about how they might help in a potentially dangerous situation. Is there a particular door you should run to if you're in trouble. Do they have a dog they can release to chase a potential criminal. Several years ago there a man came through our hedges and was looking through our windows late a night. Our next door neighbor let his dogs out and the man flee, leaving us unharmed. Our kids never even knew anything happened. Please don't discuss this with me if they are around it's best the never know.
4. Use outdoor lights and put them on a timer if you frequently come home after dark. Lights left on during the day can alert people that no one is in the home so it is best NOT to leave lights on all day but if you have a timer that goes on and off at sunset and sunrise you are certain the outside of your home is always lit when you arrive.
5. Leave your curtains open when you're not home. This is the philosophy we follow. You may disagree. When your blinds are open people cannot rummage through your house without being seen. Trust me the more hidden they can be during a robbery, the more enticing the 'job' and the more time criminals have in your home.
6. Hedges do not protect you, they offer great coverage and a place to hide. We have a hedge but you'll notice it's not full. I like to look out my windows and see green and feel as though there is a bit of separation between our bedrooms and the street but I don't want to give anyone the feeling that they can safely hide or take time to break in through a window.
7. Double check all doors and windows when you leave. Now is the time of year when we can all enjoy the fresh air but be sure to close and lock all windows when you leave the house. Criminals often enter through side or back doors and windows that people inadvertently leave open.
I welcome neighbors to add to this list and continue to forward it around.
I want to stress the more people can be vigilant on their own streets, in their immediate surroundings, the safer our neighborhood is as a whole.
GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS AND WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER!!!!
Kathryn
5600 N Bayshore Dr - Security committeeA security committee has been set up by outgoing MCA president Dick Weden. I urge all interested neighbors to get involved with that committee.
Elvis Cruz, Vice President
Morningside Civic Association
- CRIME ALERTFRAN, We have had numerous persons walking into BelleMeade and going door
to door distributing flyiers. I stopped one yesterday morning and one this
morning. They had covered several blocks and no one called the police. I let
Roy know. These subjects are casing the neighborhood and seeing if anyone
calls the police so they can come back later and do it again. Also there is
a white van occupied by three blk Hispanic males that contact homeowners to
provide a lawn and landscaping service. One takes the owner into the rear
yard to show what they can do while the other two break-in to the house.
They are gone before the owners realize what has happened. This has been
happening north of the city so far. - Officer Darrell Nichols selected as Police Officer of the Year!The Morningside Civic Association adds it Congratulations to
Officer Nichols!
Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade selected Officer Darrell Nichols during a dinner reception last Friday, May 30th, 2008 as Police Officer of the Year!
And thanks to the Morningside Crime Watch Contingent!
