Neighborhood Watch

We are very proud of our Neighborhood Watch program. To stay informed as to what is happening in our subdivision, be sure to send your email address to Kate at p5south@att.net.

Your cooperation is needed to keep crime out of our subdivision.

Please continue to call 911 immediately if you see any suspicious activity no matter how small it may seem, particularily around the pool and lake after 10:30 PM. Also email Kate and let her know the police have been called and why. Parents, please advise your children and their friends to obey the rules. Rest assured, if anyone is caught vandalizing or breaking the law, WE WILL PROSECUTE!

Below are some tips that may help you keep your family, property and neighbors safe:

1. THE POLICE NEED YOUR HELP: The information you provide is vital. Descriptions of suspicious individuals, vehicles, license plate numbers (even partial numbers) & any information you have could be the break they are looking for. Don't hesitate to write any information down. Even if you don't report it right away, it could be needed later to aid in an investigation. The police cannot respond to suspicious activity if you don' t report it!

2. TRUST YOUR "GUT" FEELING: You know your neighborhood. You know who belongs there and who doesn' t. You know if a strange vehicle is parked in your or your neighbor's driveway or street. Take note of the make and model of the vehicle and license plate number. Be aware of your surroundings and at various times of day to know what is "normal" so you know what is not. Call 911 if you see suspicious individuals walking or driving in your neighborhood. Often criminals will drive around your street several times to see what is going on first. Most will try to avoid a confrontation and do not want to be seen so if they know you're alert and watching, they will move on. Trust your "gut" feeling—if something feels wrong, it probably is. GO WITH IT.

3. LOCK YOUR DOORS: Criminals are opportunists and are waiting to take advantage of an unlocked door. Even if you are leaving your house for a few minutes, lock your doors both front and back. It's worth the few extra seconds it takes to lock a door. Whether your park your car in the street or in your own driveway—lock your car! Anything you leave in your car—the garage door opener, cell phones, personal electronics, MP3 players, cash—can and WILL BE TAKEN. Criminals will walk up and down the street checking car doors and if they can open it, they will take whatever they can out of your car. Don' t forget your garage doors! Never leave them open or "partially" open. A criminal can slip under a partially closed door and steal things not only out of your garage but also out of your cars as well. Don' t give them the opportunity!

4. PROTECT YOUR VALUABLES: Criminals are looking for "quick cash" and that comes in the form of cash, credit cards, jewelry, laptops, computers, electronics and guns in your house. You can help the police recover stolen valuables by recording information about them NOW. Record all the serial numbers on your computers and electronics. Take pictures of treasured heirlooms, coin collections, jewelry and anything you want recovered with a digital camera. Take pictures of your house, all rooms, all appliances, all furniture—anything you want documented. Law enforcement officials NEED serial numbers and photos to track down your valuables at pawn shops and through nationwide data bases. Save all information and pictures electronically on a CD and store the CD in a safe deposit box or with a relative (NOT IN YOUR HOUSE) so it will be available when you need it. The information and photos you record will be crucial not only in the event of a burglary but for your insurance company in case of fire or other natural disasters. It only takes a couple hours to record serial numbers, take pictures and burn a CD. Aren't your valuables worth a couple hours of your time?

5. CALL 911, NOT YOUR LOCAL POLICE STATION: All calls to the police station have to be dispatched through Clayton first. Calling 911 directly will save precious time in the event of an emergency as those calls are directly dispatched out.