What to do about suspected robbers in the neighborhood?

[gsneff]

Always get a tag number and in case the tag is stolen get a real thorough description of the car. Also, do not approach the car by yourself, just get back a ways and keep it in site..

this^

if you feel real uneasy about it, go ahead and call the police and tell them you have a suspicious vehicle in the area and they won't mind having someone tak a ride through.

 

[Yrdawg]

Find a flat screen box, like a 52 in with surround and a HP Pavillion Box, leave them on the curb by the trash, move vehicles outta site, stand by as pro active neighbor hood watch,
oh......and be sure you know the number to nine one one

 

[bayoukajun]

If you see a suspicious vehicle like that again, the best info to pass on to LEO is: 1) License plate 2) Make, Model & color of the vehicle 3) Anything else that differentiates that vehicle from others of it's type, ie. fancy rims, tinted windows, bumper stickers and/or body damage 4) Occupant info (if possible)

The main thing is to get whatever info you can obtain - SAFELY.

I don't want to turn this into a cop bashing thread but this same thing happened on my street about a year ago. I did what I thought was right and call APSO. Gave them a ton of information on the car including a description of the driver, license number, make and color of car. The deputy who showed up at the house was so full of himself I immediately had a bad feeling this was going nowhere. I was assured that the deputy was going to talk to him. After two more days of this car slowly casing the neighborhood, I had enough and stopped him. After questioning him and getting an excuse that he was visiting some girl in the neighborhood, (it's a dead end street and we all know each other and no-one by the name he gave me lived there), he was politely read the rules of the neighborhood and sent on his way. Haven't seem him since. Bottom line, don't buy the salesman, census worker or any other excuse. Follow up on it.

Kajun.....

 

[edman87k5]

I say paranoid because instead of approaching the people or calling the police, an Internet post was made about it.
I figure the chance is about 50/50 that they were legit or casing the area. If you felt they were casing, you should have called the police/ sheriff then.

 

[DAVE_M]

So wht if it's an internet post? I figured with all the LEO's here, I could get some decent advice.

 

[mct601]

I get suspicious ride bys all the time. Calling the SO isn't an option for me because out here they do not do their jobs adequately and because of the location, it takes up to 45min to respond. I'm not saying it's their fault that the performance is bad, it's just we live in an understaffed county.

Having a 4wheeler stolen and countless clowns walk the streets in the AM, I pay attention to any suspicious vehicle. We have a few meth labs a mile or so down the road. It's not paranoia when I look out the window and see a car sitting by the mailbox, and when I walk outside they speed off. I'm not afraid to stare at some going 5mph on a street where residents go 50.

 

[Guate_shooter]

I dont think its paranoid either and I will definelty follow it up, I reside 30 miles from my local SO and the closest PD is about 12 miles from me which has NO jurisdiction on my area so we pretty much take care of each other eventhough there is a high volume of traffic due to boat lunch being close by we know what vehicle belongs where.

Working away from home 2 weeks at a time I have to relly on my neighbors a lot of time to take care of my place and when they are not home they know I am always a call away, its just how we do things on my side of the woods.

Stopping the vehicle to ask questions is also a good idea, since it makes them aware that we dont like you are and you better going somewheres else, it might be rude to some people but if they dont like it they dont have to come back either.

Just my .02, and I still say if you get more info make sure you keep your local SO informed that way nobody can say they were not aware.

 

[oleheat]

Hell no, you aren't being paranoid- you are being a good neighbor & citizen.

On my street, there are no signs that say "neighborhood watch"- but we are watching just the same. It helps that most of my neighbors are "gun people", also (especially those who happen to be my relatives.).

 

[spanky]

Did you get the plate?

 

[charlie12]

The last time we had a burglary in my neighborhood the people were caught the same day because I wrote down the plate number.
As soon as I drove up with my neighbor I wrote the plate number down before getting out of the truck. After that it went kind of crazy with shots fired but the people were caught later that day because I took time to get the plate number.
About three other burglaries were cleared that went down that same morning in the Central area.

So get whatever info you can when you think something my not be right so you can pass it on to LE.

Below is a picture of the plate number and the paper I wrote it on. I think there are 3 people that are not happy I wrote that down.

 

[DAVE_M]

Did you get the plate?

I didn't but I told my family, neighbors, and some friends that live in the area nearby.

 

[edman87k5]

I think you missed my idea of paranoid.
You were suspicious but did nothing about it. Did any of the posts saying get the tag and description provide info you did not already know? I sure hope not. If you noticed their activity and truly felt they were casing the neighborhood you should have at the very least gotten the tag and called your suspicions in so hopefullnthe cops would show a presence in the area.

 

[DAVE_M]

I did do something about it, I let the people in my area know about it. I haven't seen the vehicle lately so I didn't bother with the SO.

I dont see how wanting to help keep our area safe is being paranoid.

 

[herohog]

It isn't, ignore them. You are doing as you should.