School Safety Traffic Reminder
' Students returned to class on August 31. Please remember to slow down and watch for children crossing streets near schools.
Property Crimes Spike
In late June, High St. resident Mark Baldwin became a statistic. Overnight someone stole his car, which was parked in front of his home. While waiting on the sidewalk for police to arrive, Mark met and spoke to neighbors who experienced or knew of others who experienced similar recent crimes in the normally quiet area near St. Lawrence O'Toole Church. The highway patrol eventually recovered Mark's car. He now uses The Club when his car is not in his garage.
' Renee Sykes, Neighborhood Services Coordinator (NSC) for police beats 22Y and 25X that cover the Laurel, told residents at an August Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) meeting and at National Night Out block parties that the Laurel is experiencing higher rates of residential and automobile burglaries. She pointed out resources and measures that residents can take to help avoid becoming victims, including burglary prevention and police home inspection workshops.
' Renee distributed prevention tip sheets and reminded us of common-sense measures that one can do at home, like securing windows and doors in front and back, installing motion-sensing lighting, and concealing valuables by closing curtains, shades, and blinds when not at home.
' Burglars scope out neighborhoods during the day for residences where residents are not home. They knock on doors and look for signs like trash bins left curbside beyond pick-up days and uncollected newspapers. Let unfamiliar people know that they are noticed. Ask people you see where they are going, how can you help. When you see suspicious behavior, note car license plates and personal-description details and where people were heading after you saw them. Contact the nonemergency police phone number to report anything suspicious. Regarding unfair profiling concerns, someone noted at the August meeting: "It's not profiling if there's a rash of burglaries in your neighborhood. You know who your neighbors are."
' Report crimes in progress by calling 911 on a landline or 777-3211 on a cell phone. Otherwise, call the police nonemergency phone number at 777-3333 to report suspicious activity or people. See the Oakland Police Department Web site for tips on avoiding becoming a victim or to file an online nonemergency citizens crime report. oaklandpolice.com.
Noteworthy
' During the week when his car was missing, Mark Baldwin said that Oakland Police issued four illegal parking tickets on the vehicle, documenting the license plate number on the tickets. He paid the fines. After supplying a police report for the stolen vehicle, the city offered him refunds.'
Creek to Bay Day
Join neighbors on Saturday, September 19, between 9 a.m. and noon at Peralta Creek Park at Rettig Ave. and Wisconsin St. Our work is an ongoing creek restoration project.'
' Bring a hat, sunscreen, and sturdy shoes. (Include gloves and pruning shears if you have them.) Children can participate with a parent or guardian. Free t-shirts go to the early birds.
John Frando can be reached at jfrando\@gmail.com.
| 