APD  Neighborhood Crime Watch SUCCESS STORIES:

Potential Burglar Apprehended:

A west Anchorage Neighborhood Crime Watch participant observed a suspicious individual wandering through his neighborhood in the early morning hours.  As he watched from his vehicle, the male adult walked from driveway to driveway, pausing to stare at the home.  The neighbor followed him at a distance as the suspect continued up the street where a truck was idling in the driveway.  The suspect may have been waiting for the resident to leave for work.  The Crime Watch participant used his cell phone to call police about the suspicious person.  Police arrived at the scene and apprehended the man who was carrying an empty backpack and a prying tool.  The suspect had an outstanding warrant for attempted burglary.

Super Sleuths:

After an East Anchorage home was burglarized, neighbors spread the word via a phone and e-mail “tree”.  By talking amongst each other, neighbors were able to piece together considerable suspect information for police investigators.  One of the neighbors even recognized one of the youthful suspects.  Had the homeowner not reported the burglary, nor informed their neighbors…leads might not have developed for an investigation.  Suspect information would not have surfaced had it not been for the Key-Person’s diligence and superb neighborhood communication network. 

Community Policing:

Neighbors in an East Anchorage Neighborhood worked diligently with police and municipal government regarding a drug house in the neighborhood.  Vehicles speeding up and down the street, vandalism to property in the neighborhood and other nuisances became the catalyst for forming an official Neighborhood Crime Watch. 

The unified effort gained momentum when neighbors began communicating with each other and with the police.   Though it took quite a few months, arrests were made, fines were levied and the home which, once vacated, was boarded up.  An APD Sgt. commended the neighbors saying it was a shining example of community-policing.
The story even made front page headlines!

A Personal Testimony:

Your neighbors can be a powerful asset in prevention.  We maintain an informal, mini Neighborhood Watch of 6-8 houses.  We all exchange phone numbers so we can call each other if we see something amiss at an odd time; stuff like a garage door open late at night or one that has the habit of going back up after the neighbor leaves. We sometimes pass on vacation plans with folks we really know and trust, along with contact numbers for relatives or friends in case of emergencies.  We will make vacant homes look “lived in” by either clearing driveways of snow or, at the minimum, making tracks to give it a “lived in” look.   Since a bike trail runs behind our homes, we paint out graffiti that pops up in trail tunnels, on lamp posts, and path surfaces and report vandalism.  Neighborhood Watch is tremendously effective if successfully implemented!    - Jeff & Pam, Anchorage