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The ABC’s of
Neighborhood Watch
We
who live in the City of Capitola and in Capitola Knolls in
particular are blessed with beautiful weather, beautiful
surrounding and, for the most part, wonderful neighbors plus a
very low crime rate. But, on occasion we all find our idyllic
lives interrupted by some illegal or inconsiderate action on the
part of others. Those of us who live in the Knolls, owners and
renter alike, have the responsibility to become concerned
residents and help each other make our homes and our property
more secure and in doing so make the Knolls a better and safer
place for all of us live. When we see a fellow resident or their
children doing something that is violation of Association rules
we should, in a polite way, let them know and ask them to stop.
If the activity could be considered a criminal act you should
report it to the appropriate authority.
Any
group of concerned citizens, such as residents of Capitola
Knolls, should not consider themselves vigilantes but rather the
extra eyes and ears of law enforcement.
Don’t let anyone tell you that Neighborhood Watch is an excuse
to be nosey. It is a proven fact that Neighborhood Watch
programs have resulted in dramatic reduction in residential
crime.
If
you are interested in organizing a formal Neighborhood Watch
program in the Knolls please contact the Capitola Police at:
831-475-4242
For
more information on the City’s crime prevention programs go to:
http://www.ci.capitola.ca.us/capcity.nsf/PolCrime.html
What and how to
report suspicious activity
This list is by no means complete, but gives you some ideas of
when to call:
-
Someone entering a
neighbor’s house when is unoccupied.
-
Someone who appears
to be moving household items late at night.
-
Someone running
through the Knolls with a pillowcase, bedspread or luggage
stuffed with various items.
-
Slow-moving
vehicle, especially without lights.
-
An unfamiliar car
left running and parked on your street.
-
Noises such as
alarms or windows being broken
-
Someone shouting
”HELP”, “FIRE” or “RAPE”
-
Someone in the Pool
area when it is closed.
-
Someone vandalizing
Capitola Knolls’ common areas or a resident’s personal
property.
Call the Police
Do
not investigate suspicious activity yourself. Let the police do
it. They have the training and the skills. Your role is to act
as their eye and ears, and then phone the Police Department with
your information.
-
Remain calm.
-
Call 9-1-1
-
Identify yourself
(name, address, and phone) and give location.
-
If there is a suspect or vehicle,
be able to provide the police dispatcher
with a detailed description and the direction the
vehicle/person is traveling.
-
Be patient. Stay on
the line until the police dispatcher’s questions have been
answered.
Burglary Prevention
The
facts about burglary:
-
Over 6,000
residential burglaries occur each day in this country. That’s
one every 11 seconds!
-
Nearly half of
these burglaries are committed without force – that is through
unlocked doors and windows.
-
Many burglars will
spend no longer than 60 seconds trying to break into a home.
Good locks and good neighbors who watch out for each other can
be your best protection.
Most of these burglaries could be prevented:
-
Always lock your
doors and windows, even when leaving for “just a minute”
-
Never leave a house
key available: under a doormat, in a flowerpot, on the ledges
of the door. These are the first places a burglar will look.
-
If going on
vacation call the Capitola Police or go to the City’s website
and ask about “Operation Vacation”.
Stolen Vehicles
Here is excellent information on how to prevent automobiles and
motorcycles and bicycles from being stolen.
StolenVehicles.pdf
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