Thank you for all that attended our last watch meeting. We had a wonderful turnout.
The next meeting will be on September 18th (the third Tuesday) at 7pm, located at the Cradock Baptist Church on Afton Pkwy. If you need a ride to attend these meetings, please let us know in advance.
Our next meeting we will have Officer Gavin speaking on Gang Awareness. You will NOT want to miss this event. Invite a friend and bring something to take notes (this will be very informational).
Our last meeting was scheduled to have Detective Gavin speak on Gang Awareness; however, he had important police business to attend to. Detective Northern spoke briefly in his place.
Please check out www.vgia.org, this site is very informative about gang awareness. There is a link to the website, and we have added a page with what parents need to look for.
Patrols will continue to be going as planned. If you want to volunteer to serve on a patrol, please email or call us. Email address is cradockwatch@hotmail.com. Ted's number is listed under contacts.
We are now patrolling the Middle School as school gets out to prevent problems and to protect our children.
September 22 at 10:00 am we will be having another Clean Up Our Street Day. Come join us at the Square and help us clean up our streets!!
With the burglaries that were happening in July that made a lot of residents concerned; there have been 4 arrested linked to those burglaries.
Calls for service in Cradock
June- 90 plus.
July- 70-75
August- 41-45
This does not mean that people are not calling when needed; it means that they do not need to call as often. We are making a difference, so we can’t stop now!!
After dark the playgrounds at schools and parks are off limits, if you see anyone hanging out… call 911.
If you see graffiti please call 393-8008 to have it removed.
If you have not become a member, wont you consider it? It's simple and free. Contact Ted or Shelly to let us know.
Again, thank you for a successful start.
We CAN and WILL make a difference.
Make sure that you e-mail cradockwatch@hotmail.com with any problems, concerns, or even questions that you may not want to put on the webpage.
We also want to know about specific houses on your block that are problem houses. Problem houses would include, drugs, prositution, gangs, and any violence. Please do not list houses that have unkept yards, or loud music unless the loud music is associated with the problems listed above.
When we know which houses are the primary problems, we will make them high priority for our patrols. You do not have to get involved because of fear of retaliation, just let us know and we will do our part to help you.
Remember any kind of retaliation is against the law. Whether it is intimidation, threats, or even violence you need to report it to your police department, Officer Baker, or one of us on the Watch. (Ted or Shelly). We will help you with the problem. In most cases however, there will not be retaliation, they would rather move on and continue their business then have to deal with the charges that can and will be brought against them.
We are also looking for volunteers to help pass out the monthly newsletter. If you already go on regular walks, why not pass them out to the houses on your route? It would only be once a month and it would be a great help! If you are interested please email us or call us.
If you or someone you know has a business and would like to advertise in our newsletter, contact Shelly. Our newsletters go out approximately one week before the meetings. (every 3rd tuesday of the month)
Thank you for all that attended the 2nd watch meeting.
The next meeting will be on August 21st (the third Tuesday). If you need a ride to attend these meetings, please let us know in advance.
Our next meeting we will have Officer Gavin speaking on Gang Awareness. You will NOT want to miss this event. Invite a friend and bring something to take notes (this will be very informational).
Patrols will continue to be going as planned. If you want to volunteer to serve on a patrol, please email or call us. Email address is cradockwatch@hotmail.com. Ted's number is listed under contacts.
August 25th at 10:00 am, we will be cleaning the streets (literally). We will concentrate on Afton and Prospect. So bring a trash bag and meet at the old Community Center. If you can volunteer please call Ted or Shelly and let them know.
If you have not become a member, wont you consider it? It's simple and free. Contact Ted or Shelly to let us know.
Again, thank you for a successful start.
We CAN and WILL make a difference.
From January 1 to May 15, 2007 there were approximately 254 burglaries reported in Portsmouth. Some of these reports were from domestic cases or unfounded, however there were still 254 burglaries reported.
What you can do to help prevent a burglary happening to you:
Do NOT leave newspapers left out. Pick them up daily or if you are going on vacation have a neighbor pick them up for you or put a hold on your delivery.
Do NOT leave your mailbox full. Pick up your mail daily or if you are going on vacation have a neighbor or friend pick it up for you or put a hold on your mail at the post office.
Keep your house well lit. Do not leave the same lights on all the time however, the crooks will notice this. If you leave your lights out, it is more inviting. You can get flood lights that do not cost a lot at any store. Put them up, it may help your house and you.
Keep your yard neat. Keep the grass cut, hedges trimmed and garbage out of your yard. If your yard is unkept it is inviting to the crooks. It shows that you don't care about your possessions.
If you already have a dog, GREAT! But if not you may want to consider one. It doesn't have to be a big dog, in fact a small yappy dog is good. They tend to make a lot of noise. And make sure that you post signs on your fence that state "Beware of Dog".
Meet your neighbors, ask them to look after your house while you are away. This includes; work, shopping, vacation. You don't have to tell them every time, they probably already know your regular schedule, just ask them to keep an eye on your house when you are not home and to call 911 if anything happens while you are gone.
If you have an alarm... GREAT!! The problem most people make with having an alarm is that they don't have someone they trust to be one of their contacts. If you are on vacation and someone breaks into your house, you can not come home to take care of any matters. Have someone you trust as a contact that you can give a key to, so if they need to come and unlock or lock up your house they can.
If you are gone, have a car parked in your driveway. If you only have one vehicle, ask a neighbor to park in your driveway at different times of the day so that it appears that someone is home.
NEVER leave your garage door opener in your car. If someone breaks into your car they now have access to your house. Take it inside with you at night!! Also, if someone steals your car and finds out where you live, your house is now a target.
Between January 1st to May 15, 2007 there were approximately 457 motor vehicle larcenies reported in Portsmouth. These include people breaking into the vehicles, stolen plates, etc.
What you can do to prevent a motor vehicle larceny:
Do NOT ever leave valuables in your car. Do NOT leave your title in your car!! Keep your titles locked in a lock box. Take your purse, your wallet, money, jewelry, anything that is of value out of your car. The thieves will see it and take it!
Use one way screws on your license plates. Using them your plates can not be stolen.
Summer is coming, which means kids will be out unsupervised.
What you can do to prevent a crime happening to you:
Keep a well manicured yard.
Shut your gates.
Put up signs; "Beware of Dog".
Display your address on the front of your house where it can be seen from the street. If you have an emergency, you want the police, firemen, EMT's to be able to find your house.
Install a metal screen door or security door.
Make sure you have SOLID wood doors on your house. (all doors that lead to the outside)
Make sure that you have a 1 inch or more dead bolt lock on your doors.
Put in a peephole if you don't already have one. This includes front and back doors, and if you have an attached garage make sure that you have a peephole on the door that leads to the garage.
Put pin stops on your windows. They can be purchased at any hardware store.
The door that leads into your garage from your house needs to be reinforced. Make sure you have a dead bolt lock, and a peephole on the door. You also want to make sure that you have your lighting inside your house for your garage. If someone is in your garage and you cant turn the lights on, you wont be able to see them. You may want to put bars on the windows of your garage. And always make sure that you keep your door between the garage and your house locked at all times.
Cradock did not get the Weed and Seed grant. We are not sure why we didn't, but we will try again!
The Weed and Seed is a federally funded program administered through the U.S. Department of Justice. The Weed and Seed Program is a multi-agency strategy that WEEDS out violent crime, gang activity and drug trafficking in selected neighborhoods and then SEEDS the neighborhoods through social and economic revitalization.
For more information on the Weed and Seed Program you can visit http://www.portsmouthpd.org/weedandseed.htm or contact the Coordinator: Jennifer L. Adams at 235-1839 (cell).
On Saturday April 21, 2007 there was an assault on a pizza delivery man. Apparently there was an order for a pizza to an unoccupied house in Cradock, when the delivery man got to the house he was beaten and robbed.
This is a scheme that is being used by criminals all over. If you see anyone in or on the property of an unoccupied house, please contact the police right away, it could save someone.
On April 24, 2007 there was a shooting on Farragut St. I do not have the details on this shooting, however, it appears to be gang and/or drug related.
On April 26, 2007 police were called to an unoccupied house on Decatur St. for two males trying to enter the dwelling. A window was attempted to be pushed in. The police did not catch the two males but do have a description of them.
Keep an eye on the unoccupied houses in your neighborhood.
On May 8, 2007 police were called to 61 Decatur St. Three juvenile males were seen going into the back yard of this unoccupied house, when sounds of glass breaking and banging on a door were heard. The police were called, the juveniles were positively identified. They were cited, charges will increase once the police speak to the owners of the house. The witness will be going to court to testify against the three. Two of the juveniles have previous records. One including robbery at another house on Decatur St last November.
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