Neighborhood Watch

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1. Do not leave your vehicles unlocked

• Do not leave anything of value visible from outside your vehicle
• Park in your driveway or garage if possible
• Keep sheds and garages locked
• Leave your outside lights on all night
• Become more involved in your community, join your Civic League

If you are leaving town:

• Alert a trusted neighbor
• Stop newspaper and mail delivery
• Install timers on interior and exterior lights
• Leave a car parked in your driveway or ask a neighbor to park their car In your driveway
  

If you suspect anything out of the ordinary, see suspicious people, or see suspicious activity in the neighborhood: call the VBPD non

emergency number, 757-385-5000. Give them a description of the person or persons and describe why you feel they are acting suspicious. If you see an actual crime being committed or about to be committed, call VBPD at 911 immediately.
Some of us may be hesitant to report suspicious people or vehicles fearing that we will be regarded as “snoops”. Your own neighbors are your single best security device. The greatest deterrent to a would-be criminal is the fear of getting caught. Each concerned citizen is another pair of eyes to let the criminal know that he is being watched. You are a vital part of Neighborhood Watch. One or two people cannot watch 907 homes. It takes all of us to do our part. Thank you for doing your part it’s paying off.

From the "Lake Smith Ripples" April newsletter:

The feisty early season Daffodils are starting to fade but they will soon be replaced with various, later blooming trees and flowers that

flourish in our community.

The well-maintained flower beds and lawns show the pride that everyone in Lake Smith Terrace, Haygood Point, and Governor Square has in their homes. Would-be thieves would rather operate in communities where homes need repair, lawns are overgrown, vehicles are undergoing long term major repairs or junk is lying around.

Please keep in mind that along with the warm weather and we also see a rise in criminal activity. Remember to call all suspicious activity to the police department’s non-emergency number (757-385-5000). If the circumstance requires immediate police, fire or rescue response, do not hesitate to call 911. You are not bothering the police when you call, they would much rather respond and have it turn out to be nothing, than not be called when they are actually needed.

Acknowledge your neighbors when you see them. Just a wave or a friendly hello will do. We needn’t be close friends with our neighbors to look out for their interests. We can begin to build a better neighborhood watch security system by becoming acquainted with our neighbors and their everyday living patterns. By knowing when they are at work, on vacation, and so forth, we will be better able to judge whether a stranger should legitimately be at the neighbor’s home. Inform your neighbors when you will be away and ask them to let you know when they will be gone. It is a win-win for everyone except would-be burglars. A burglar’s greatest fear is being observed. Each concerned neighbor is another pair of eyes to let the criminal know he is being watched. 

Neighborhood Watch supplies these eyes in our community. For the program to be totally effective, each resident must take an active role in both security improvement and observation. Virginia Beach continues to experience groups roaming through neighborhoods checking for unlocked vehicles in the early morning hours. If you see this happening, do not confront them. Call 911. There is a good chance that they are armed.

Sam Hribal, Civic League Vice President