Won't you be my nieghbor? Not!

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This was the sweetest neighborhood for a while. I know every area has its cycles depending on who moves in or out, but my neighborhood is just getting ridiculous. AND with the economy the way it is now and the housing market, I don't see how we're going to be able to move out any time soon.

Over the last three years, the kids that moved in down the street have slowly begun tagging or vandalizing all the houses on this street. Now I can't blame every bad word chalked on our driveways on them, as we live near some apartment complexes as well. The kids from those apartments filter through our streets daily. So who really knows how many kids are involved now.

BUT

when mailboxes are uprooted...
when Christmas lights are uprooted and unplugged...
when cars are egged...
when cars are broken into...
when police on patrol tell me their concerned at the crimes that have spiked in our housing area...
and when I drive down my street to go to work today and see a stop sign spray-painted with some very inflammatory words...

IM VERY CONCERNED!

I have called the police to do more patrol.
I have called the city's action line to document vandalism or neighbor break-ins.
I have alerted my neighbors to be on watch.

Other than locking my kid in my house, and putting up security cameras -- I'm at a loss of what to do. This is not a bad area I live in, but somehow crime is filtering its way in.

Any suggestions people??

Comments

wfbdoglover said…
I am sorry that you are going through this. I have spent 2 years advocating to get a drug dealer off our street. Calling etc... and documenting is a good thing. I also took photos of this kid and his "friends". Their cars, plate numbers etc. I emailed the dectective their dates and times of their visits and called when it was appropriate.

My suggestion is to take photos if you can and maybe start a block watch. A block watch needs a captain, which sounds like you are pretty much doing what they do already. The police come to your house, have a meeting and meet with your neighbors. They would then email you and crime/patterns and you would pass out to the neighbors.

Our neighborhood is nothing to sneeze at either, but the parents were in denial that their little 27 year old kid was doing something bad. Even after stolen property was found in their house, they made excuses "he was holding it for someone else". Well now little Timmy is in jail on a $25,000 bond for selling 4 x's to under cover officers. I am anxiously awaiting 1/20/09 for his next appearance, as more charges are pending.

At least I can rest now at night. :)

I wish you theh best and stick to your guns. You'll run it out!! Patience is the hardest part.
5:10 PM
Heidi said…
I agree with doglover--I have heard that neighborhood watch programs can really turn a neighborhood around. We used to live on a street that had some mild egging and mail boxes exploding, etc. However, the neighbors across the street from us were retired and loved to watch out the window with binoculars and were light sleepers to boot--the police knew them personally, they called so often. Anyway, the point is, we never had anything happen to our house because everyone knew the neighbors across the street would see it. My husband teaches at a school in a rough neighborhood. Every classroom in the school has been broken into but his. Why? He put a sign in the window that says "you're on cadid camera!" (though they're not). The point is, if word gets out that someone, hopefully more than one someone, is watching, things should get better.
6:07 PM
WeaselMomma said…
I've got nothing. With the exception of stalking the neighborhood to chase the culprits down yourself. That' a little too hard to do alone.
6:10 PM
Linda S said…
I know it's frustrating. We can usually pinpoint a few kids or groups and I always call them out. I wish I had something to offer you. Neighborhood watch is great, but is not full proof. We do have block captain and an email system and send email alerts when stuff happens.
7:23 PM
terri said…
I think the simplest thing we've found in our neighborhood is to keep it well lit. I try to keep my outdoor lights on overnight and a lot of the neighbors have motion sensor lights. Kids are a lot less likely to cause trouble when they're not hidden under the cover of darkness.
9:41 PM
Ted said…
Ugh...sorry that you're going through this!

Keep doing what you're doing...and pestering the law enforcement. That's why you pay taxes... and be proactive...as I know you can be. ;)

Love to you all!
T.
10:00 PM
I am Harriet said…
It's amazing what goes on in other families sometimes. It just goes to show you, you don't know what's going on behind closed doors.
Vandals today- jail tomorrow.
1:59 PM
Anonymous said…
I don't understand what goes through kids' heads. Tearing up other people's things brings you absolutely no benefit. Unfortunately, I live in a very good neighborhood, and we never really have any problems like that. My response would be "keep a good shotgun loaded at all times," but then again, I grew up in the country and that was always my dad's motto. I don't recommend trying it where you live. ;)
10:46 PM
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