Meadowcliff Neighbors,
A neighbor on Meadowvale was burglarized during the day today, sometime between 9:30 a.m. & 4 p.m. while everyone was at work or school. The thieves entered by breaking a window off of the back patio, tore a TV off the wall and stole a laptop, small electronics and jewelry boxes. They may have left through the front door which was closed but unlocked when the family returned this afternoon. With school back in session, more of our houses will be vacant during the day and neighborly vigilance will be more important than ever.
I was out of town following the rash of daytime break-ins at the start of the summer and so didn’t follow up on the idea of scheduling a neighborhood meeting with reps from the precinct, but I think we should try to pull one together now. I believe the main goals of the meeting would be to identify specific strategies to combat this kind of crime in our neighborhood and get any updates from the department on the recent crimes. The first (and only) time we had a neighborhood watch meeting was back when we were getting started. We had the meeting on a Saturday morning in the cafeteria of IHM school.
This is a busy time of year; I think the idea last time was to meet on the early side Saturday before too many weekend activities kicked in. A weekday evening might also be an option. I’ll check what kind of dates / times are available to get someone out to meet with us, then I’ll be looking for help with a venue. If you have strong preferences about when to schedule a meeting, let me know and I’ll do my best.
A separate, more general security item especially for anyone doing back-to-school shopping: A woman had her purse snatched while approaching her car at Lenox Mall last Saturday. She was dragged a couple car lengths before they actually got the purse and fled to a waiting vehicle. It was mid-afternoon in a busy area of the parking deck and it sounds like there wasn’t much she could have done to prevent it. She was alert to her surroundings, not on the phone or dealing with kids at the time, wasn’t carrying a lot of stuff. Be careful if going to Lenox. I will be in touch soon regarding a Neighborhood Watch meeting.
Meadowcliff Neighbors,
Last night / this morning (Monday) there was a rash of car break-ins in Leafmore. It sounds like the targeted cars were unlocked; stolen items included GPS, work badge, ipod. In a more exceptional case, someone in Leafmore had a wallet stolen from his car in his driveway during a 10-minute window around 7:30 a.m. this morning. Another reminder to remove valuables (the thieves are efficient about finding things under seats, in glove boxes, etc.), lock our cars, and call 911 if you see anything suspicious in the area.
I was out of town when several neighbors’ cars were egged on Abby & Meadowcliff the other night, so apologies for not getting the word out. Do call the police if your car was hit; the more they hear from us, the more they will be in the area. As usual, cars parked on the street were hit, and unfortunately those closest to Briarcliff seem to be the main targets.
Also while I was out of e-mail range, last Wednesday a home on Sunset (near Shallowford) was broken into in the middle of the day — broken door, some electronics taken. No word about an alarm so I’m assuming there wasn’t one. A black GMC SUV is suspected in the case.
Lastly, a neighbor returning from vacation last week found their outdoor storage area broken into and some items stolen. Keep watching out for each other!
Meadowcliff Neighbors,
Please see the following alert regarding a home invasion near Briarcliff / Henderson Mill Rd. yesterday.
Also, Sunday night, neighbors on Allaire had house guests with a car parked on the street. Some time between 11:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. someone stole their GPS and cell phone charger. The car was unlocked. Unfortunately this is our reminder to remove anything of value and lock our vehicles. If anyone else was hit that night, please call it in to the police.
Lastly, please continue to watch for suspicious vehicles and persons in the neighborhood. A dark red older Chevy truck was pulled over and the drivers questioned by police after they looked like they could have been casing the neighborhood. If it happens to be someone house hunting, at least they’ll know we’re an alert neighborhood…
Meadowcliff Neighbors,
A coyote was seen this morning around 7:15 a.m. on a front lawn on Fisher Trail, just next to the small Fisher Trail park. For those new to the neighborhood, this is becoming a common occurrence. In the past, coyote sightings and incidents have come in waves, especially this time of year when they may be feeding pups.
Some deterrent steps: Do not leave easy sources of food out or accessible, including pet food and edible garbage. If you see a coyote, do what you can to scare it off including making a lot of noise and throwing stuff. This is not so much because the coyote poses an imminent threat to you, but because we don’t want them becoming desensitized to humans. Coyotes will only act aggressively towards people if they are cornered or if their pups are threatened.
Over the years, several neighborhood cats have been killed by coyotes. Their main hunting time is dusk to dawn, so do what you can to keep pets secured during those times.
People often ask about trapping / removing coyotes. County animal control doesn’t do this, only private trappers. This is generally not a long-term solution as other coyotes will likely move in. Realistically, they are here to stay but we can try to make the neighborhood less appealing by minimizing their hunting and feeding options.
Meadowcliff Neighbors,
An elderly neighbor on Oakawana had a man come to her door asking to discuss some trees behind her house that he would be trimming for the neighbors behind her. She walked out the front door with him and spent a few minutes discussing the trees. She thinks that while they were outside another man went into her home through the unlocked front door and took some cash she had in a desk in the front room.
These might be the same men who knocked on her door several months back wanting her to come outside to discuss some possible roofing work (she did not go outside that time.) They are two white males, and one came to the door while the other waited outside in a truck. They could be targeting our senior neighbors. Please keep an eye out, talk to any neighbors who might be approached, and be very cautious about unsolicited workers coming to the door.