May 2018 Newsletter
If you are not a member of our Facebook group page and/or Nextdoor then you may not be aware of some recent break-ins in the area. It began in the Southdowns area and has slowly ventured in our direction, with 3 recent burglaries in Pollard to my knowledge. The burglaries tend to happen during the day and range from stealing items off of carports to breaking in and entering the home. A neighbor posted details on our Facebook group page of the most recent occurrence yesterday evening on Tamarix: Some men claiming to be with AT&T told the homeowner they needed to talk to him in his backyard about trimming trees. While they were out back, another person went in the house and robbed him.
While this is certainly a cause for concern, I want to reassure you all that our security patrol is aware of the situation and will continue to patrol and monitor the neighborhood at the time of day / night when most break-ins occur. The majority of your CAPE membership dues goes to security patrols, and we certainly take the matter very seriously, however we cannot afford 24/7 security with our current budget and membership levels. This does not mean other options are not being explored, however implementation will require much manpower, planning and fundraising. In other words, please be patient. If you would like to join the Security Committee (and we could certainly use your help), please let us know!
In the meantime, to offset our budgetary constraints, we must all remain diligent in protecting our homes and our neighborhood. You can help by doing the following:
Remove anything valuable from street view;
Clear out carports, patios and porches;
Lock vehicle and home doors at all times, and reinforce them with extra locks if possible;
Close curtains and blinds when you're not home and in the evenings;
Do not allow anyone claiming to be with service companies or otherwise in your home without having made an appointment, and verify their identification upon arrival;
Keep outdoor lights on from dusk to dawn;
Trim tree limbs and remove other obstructions that block lights or provide a good hiding spot;
Keep home and auto security alarms set at all times;
Dummy cameras and alarm signs are also great deterrents if you can't afford the real thing;
Pick up mail, packages, fliers and newspapers as soon as possible;
Check for anyone watching before leaving your home and give a fake good-bye to make it appear like someone is staying in the house;
Keep the TV or radio on when you leave;
If going out of town - make sure no one is watching while you load suitcases, put lights on a timer, notify our security patrol, have a neighbor handle the trash / newspaper, and stop your mail;
Check in on your neighbors to help them with any or all of the above, especially if they are elderly or live alone;
Actively look for suspicious activity while driving, walking or bicycling through the neighborhood. Call 911 immediately if you see anything of concern, THEN notify the CAPE board and post on social media. Never approach or follow someone you suspect of illegal activity.
While we understand that you may be on edge with the number of reported incidents and will (rightly so) want to act quickly, please also keep in mind that school is letting out soon and many children and youths will be roaming the neighborhood having innocent fun. We ask that you keep this in consideration before forming any conclusions. Parents, please instruct your kids not to go on anyone's property without permission and to refrain from playing games such as "ding dong ditch" which may easily be misinterpreted at this time.
As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. I hope to see you all at the upcoming CAPE Open Board Meeting and Wine Walk later this month. Remember, an active and engaged neighborhood is a safe neighborhood.
Kelley Stein, President