South Main Street Neighbors

03/13/2025

Hello Beautiful Neighbors,

The neighborhood watch captain meeting was held yesterday Tuesday the 12th. It was a very informative meeting. Our Councilman John Perkins was there as well speaking on the Independence Bond that is on April 8th’s ballot. The attached pdf has both handouts for your review.

A few items to point out that our fantabulous Officers brought to our attention the following:

2) the Police substation on the square is up and running. Englewood will be closed. Our Police are located at - Independence Mall, Truman Road east of the Sermon Center, the historic square in the old drug store on Lexington Ave east of the Post Office, and the original Police Station beside City Hall.

3) we as South Main Street Neighborhood need to have a block party… any dates good for you?

4) a. stolen cars and car jacking are on the increase. See 4a for more details.
b. See this one too… they can’t figure out why thieves are going underground to steal Comcast’s fiber optics but Comcast has been hit very hard with this type of theft.

Mail theft # for the Postal Police aka Postal Inspectors is 1-877-876-2455 option 2.

c. Scams are on the rise be very cautious online, with strange texts, and unknown phone numbers. On the one example our Officers shared with us the theft was of $7,500.

d. The Police can only hold homeless for 4 hours.

e. Package thefts- I believe the UPS Brown Store by the Price Chopper on 291 and 23rd Street is a pickup for Amazon.

8) the road car racers and loud motorcycles have started back up.

*Independence Bond: seniors with taxes frozen are taken into account

02/20/2025

02/19/2025

One of our neighbors has asked if you’ve seen this beautiful cat?

Jana says this cat obviously has a home but appeared lost and at her back door two days ago. She has left food out for it and a blanket hoping it will survive this cold weather. She can’t seem to catch it to bring it inside until this severe weather passes.

Has anyone seen this cat or know where it belongs? Please let us know.

02/19/2025

Neighbor update for February:
To Report an Incident
Emergency Situations call 911
Non-Emergency Situations call 816-325-7300 or 816-836-3600
2.) Current Police Department News – Discussion
a. Have started moving into new substation on the square
b. GO Bond explanation on PD page from the Chief
c. PIT / Homeless
d. Follow with Soliciting licenses
e. Apartment fire
f. Codes Department / Dangerous Buildings
3) Annual Registration (Ours has been emailed - we neighbors need to gather together in the spring)
a. Needs to be completed each year to be considered an official group – some have been coming in
b. Requirements need to be met to get a sign and then maintained
c. Neighborhood Watch signs – approximately $100 - $125 per additional signs
4) Current Crime Trends
a. Stolen Autos
i. Cars left warming up in driveway/parking lots – DO NOT DO THIS
ii. Hotels still being targeted and stolen auto dumped there
b. Scams
i. Asking for Gift Cards, Money Orders, Wired Money
ii. No Government Office will ever ask for money this way
c. Abandoned houses/businesses
i. Please call dispatch to report suspicious activity
ii. Secure as good as possible
iii. People will break-in to steal copper or anything they can get hands on
iv. Or looking for a place to stay because of the weather
d. Package Theft
i. You can go to https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action
and see every piece of mail you will be getting delivered
5) Neighborhood meetings/block parties
a. Give plenty of notice on request for officers (3 Weeks Minimum)
b. Please fill out a form and/or email us with your request
i. Include date, time, location, number of people attending, and topic you would like covered (We will do our best to accommodate special displays pending calls for service and special operations)
ii. If you’re wanting a road blocked then a Special Permit Application needs to be filled out
6) Upcoming Meetings for 2025
a. First Tuesdays of every month – March 4th and April 1st
b. If weather becomes an issue, we may need to cancel or reschedule
7) Resources
i. Action Center: www.indepmo.org/ActionCenter.Public
ii. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ipdinfo
iii. Twitter: www.twitter.com/ipdinfo
iv. IPD Web Pages: www.indepmo.org/ipd
v. Crime Reporting Info: www.raidsonline.com aka www.communitycrimemap.com
vi. Crime Prevention Info: www.indepmo.org/IPD/CrimePrevention
vii. Home Camera registration with the Department https://independencemo.citysourced.com/servicerequests/create
(Select Public Safety Concerns as the Report Type & Log in or Create Account)
viii. Neighbors by Ring:
Text Independence pd to 555888
they will send a link to download and set up
ix. Neighborhood Watch Facebook group: “Neighborhood Watch Groups of Independence” – Gives Captains an opportunity to share information with other Captains throughout the city.

01/23/2025

Hello Beautiful Neighbors,

I hope you are staying warm this frigid winter season we've been experiencing lately. I missed our January captain's meeting due to the ice that was holding me hostage.

I have emailed our neighborhood's registration for 2025 to Officer Osenbaugh and Officer Seiuli.

Kudos to our Neighborhood Watch Officers who send us meeting notes that can be shared!

There are two attachments for your viewing. One consists of the Jan meeting notes and the second one is information regarding soliciting laws for our city.

Please keep us posted on happenings in our neighborhood,
Thank you,

Neighborhood Watch Meeting Agenda January 14, 2025
Officer Matt McLaughlin [email protected] 816-325-7643
Officer Ray Osenbaugh [email protected] 816-325-7645
Officer Prince Seiuli [email protected] 816-325-7647
Sergeant Tyler Duke [email protected] Unit Supervisor

To Report an Incident
Emergency Situations call 911

Non-Emergency Situations call 816-325-7300 or 816-836-3600

1) Welcome and Roll Call
a. Get a head count – please sign in
2) Current Police Department News – Discussion
a. GO Bond information – city website – Government, City Departments, Office of the
City Clerk, Boards and Commissions, General Obligation (GO) Bond Committee
b. Shop with a Cop, Children’s Mercy parade, senior citizen visits
c. PIT count – homeless census
3) Annual Registration
a. Needs to be completed each year to be considered an official group – some have been
coming in
b. Requirements need to be met to get a sign and then maintained
c. Neighborhood Watch signs – approximately $100 - $125 per additional signs
4) Current Crime Trends
a. Shootings
i. Domestic related
ii. Drive by shootings
iii. Suicides
b. Stolen Autos
i. Cars left warming up in driveway/parking lots
ii. Hotels still being targeted and stolen auto dumped there
c. Scams
i. Asking for Gift Cards, Money Orders, Wired Money

ii. No Government Office will ever ask for money this way
d. Abandoned houses/businesses
i. Uptick in burglaries in 10 sector – businesses, storage units, residences
ii. Please call dispatch to report suspicious activity
iii. Secure as good as possible
iv. People will break-in to steal copper or anything they can get hands on
v. Or looking for a place to stay because of the weather
e. Package Theft
i. You can go to https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action and
see every piece of mail you will be getting delivered

5) Neighborhood meetings/block parties
a. Give plenty of notice on request for officers (3 Weeks Minimum)
b. Please fill out a form and/or email us with your request
i. Include date, time, location, number of people attending, and topic you would like
covered (We will do our best to accommodate special displays pending calls for
service and special operations)
ii. If you’re wanting a road blocked then a Special Permit Application needs to be
filled out
6) Upcoming Meetings for 2025
a. First Tuesdays of every month – February 4th and March 4th
b. If weather becomes an issue, we may need to cancel or reschedule
7) Resources

i. Action Center: www.indepmo.org/ActionCenter.Public
ii. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ipdinfo
iii. Twitter: www.twitter.com/ipdinfo
iv. IPD Web Pages: www.indepmo.org/ipd
v. Crime Reporting Info: www.raidsonline.com aka
www.communitycrimemap.com
vi. Crime Prevention Info: www.indepmo.org/IPD/CrimePrevention
vii. Home Camera registration with the Department
https://independencemo.citysourced.com/servicerequests/create
(Select Public Safety Concerns as the Report Type & Log in or Create Account)
viii. Neighbors by Ring: Text Independence pd to 555888
they will send a link to download and set up
ix. Neighborhood Watch Facebook group: “Neighborhood Watch Groups of
Independence” – Gives Captains an opportunity to share information with other
Captains throughout the city.
8) What’s going on in

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12/18/2024

Hello Wonderful Neighbors,

It is with great sadness for those of us who are history lovers and possibly joy for those of us neighbors who enjoy progress, that our historic Independence Water Tower will be removed in January 2025.

I’m thankful for our Councilman John Perkins who does keep us neighbors aware of any changes coming our way. Shamefully, yours truly gave him an earful as I’m a lover of history. But it is too much money for the city to repair the water tower.

Why has this happened you may ask? I see two distinct reasons: 1. Maybe us citizens do not get involved enough in our city’s affairs and we remain asleep at the wheel so to speak? Or 2. It could also be the apathetic attitude we reflect in our city’s poor turn out when voting opportunities occur?

So it is unfair to complain and criticize those who are at least trying to make a difference in our city. Besides the water tower coming down, there are plans to change the city scape and roads of the historic square. I don’t know the impact historically this will have on our quaint little square, but I have attached a link to this email so you can explore the many changes coming on the horizon.

Street and Bridge Projects | City of Independence, MO
independencemo.gov
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Resources:
i. Action Center: www.indepmo.org/ActionCenter.Public
ii. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ipdinfo
iii. Twitter: www.twitter.com/ipdinfo
iv. IPD Web Pages: www.indepmo.org/ipd
v. Crime Reporting Info: www.raidsonline.com aka
www.communitycrimemap.com
vi. Crime Prevention Info: www.indepmo.org/IPD/CrimePrevention
vii. Neighbors by Ring: Text Independence pd to 555888
they will send a link to download and set up
viii. Neighborhood Watch Facebook group: “Neighborhood Watch Groups of
Independence”
– Gives Captains an opportunity to share information with other

Captainette, Robyn
[email protected]

Melisa Facebook guru: South Main Street Neighbors

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11/19/2024

Hello Beautiful Neighbors,

November’s block captains meeting was held Tuesday the 12th.
Most info is the same month to month and I’ve posted it at the bottom.

New info:
1. MOU (Memorandum of understanding) is a form you can complete and file with the police giving them the authority to arrest any trespasser on your property without you even needing to be present.

2. The City’s Trick and Treating at the Farmer’s Market was a huge success!
300 bags of candy were donated and there were 5,200 attendees ! Wow!

4. Dec 6th is Independence “Living Windows” for the Holiday Season
the police have been assigned a “living window” too!

3. They are making a substation on the square? Not sure I heard that correctly.

Our Neighborhoods:
Drumm Farm area have had a couple of recent incidents. 1. A home invasion from a back door entrance with the perp counting down before he kicked it in. Wife home alone. 2. Another female neighbor was assaulted while out walking in the neighborhood .

Note: a home invasion is a priority 1 police should be there 3-5 min response
Car break ins are a priority 5 with a later response 30-45 min

If your mailbox or mail is stolen or tampered with this crime should be reported to the Federal Postal Police. Here is there #877-876-2455 option 2

Monthly News:
Car thefts are increasing. Catalytic converters, Kia & Hondi car thefts still occurring, now moving onto Dodge Chargers & Challengers too …secure your cars
Funny Ci******es - grey area to smoke pot in public. There is no city ordinance as yet that governs this. You must be 21 to purchase pot. People can grow their own pot on their property but not provide it to minors.
Watch out for Scams: numerous complaints of people calling claiming to work for the city. Threats of warrants or arrest if you do not comply. They are asking for money orders, gift cards, wired money - remember No Government office will ask for money this way
Package delivery thefts are increasing at front doors

Resources:
i. Action Center: www.indepmo.org/ActionCenter.Public
ii. Facebook: www.facebook.com/ipdinfo
iii. Twitter: www.twitter.com/ipdinfo
iv. IPD Web Pages: www.indepmo.org/ipd
v. Crime Reporting Info: www.raidsonline.com aka
www.communitycrimemap.com
vi. Crime Prevention Info: www.indepmo.org/IPD/CrimePrevention
vii. Neighbors by Ring: Text Independence pd to 555888
they will send a link to download and set up
viii. Neighborhood Watch Facebook group: “Neighborhood Watch Groups of
Independence”
– Gives Captains an opportunity to share information with other

Captainette, Robyn
[email protected]

Melisa Facebook guru: South Main Street Neighbors

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10/22/2024

Hello Beautiful Neighbors,

I’m sorry this email communication has been a long time coming 😬. This summer has been brutally busy and has zoomed by in the blink of an eye.

I’ll start with our neighborhood first:
1. Two homeless men with shopping cart pilfering front porches on Main Street in the middle of the night (3 weeks ago)
2. Two days ago in the wee hours of the morning between 11:30 pm and 3:00am of this past Thursday, one of our neighbors mailbox on Main Street was literally stolen off of their front porch. It was attached to the house. This is considered a Federal crime as your mailbox does not belong to you but to the U.S. Postal Service. Please make sure you secure your mailboxes as well as you can. Make the thief have to work for it!

If your mailbox or mail is stolen or tampered with this crime should be reported to the Federal Postal Police. I’ve attached their number at the end of this email for your convenience.

Most of our monthly info is the same except for the following items:

Current Police Dept News:
1. A new substation at the Independence mall opened Oct 1st.
2. A new substation for the Englewood officers
3. Citizen’s Academy is booked this fall and next spring. It’s popular 😃
4. Trunk or Treat is the 24th at the Farmers Market from 6-9pm
5. The Halloween Parade will be on 26th at 10am

Current Crime Trends:
1. Vehicle thefts of trailers and Uhauls are occurring at hotels by I70
2. Make sure car doors are locked and windows up parked in a well lit area when possible
3. Do not leave any items of value in plain view
4. Weapons used during some of the thefts (video from Highlea showed lookout with gun tucked under arm
5. No new gang activity

Shelter assistance:
1. 801 E. 23rd St (women’s shelter)

Outreach Assistance:
1. Community Services League
2. Rediscover
3. Heartland
4.opening later in 2025 - “Drop in center” at Good Shepherd Community of Christ

Scams as usual:
Persons claiming to be workers from the city asking for money in gift cards, wired, money orders, which the city will never do this

Abandoned houses or office buildings
1. Please call dispatch to report suspicious activity
2. Secure as good as possible
3. Persons are breaking in to steal copper or anything they can get their hands on
4. Or they are looking for shelter because of weather

Next meetings are Nov 12th and Dec 3rd at the police station on the square.
I’ve included the neighborhood handout for emergency preparedness info just in case you need it.

As always,
Let’s keep a lookout for each other… the holidays are fast approaching 👀

Captainette, Robyn

02/13/2024

Dear Wonderful Neighbors, 😃

I’ve attached again the two pdf attachments for you to view from last month’s email. One is the notes from Officer Ray on crime in the city for January and two is a new newsletter that is in process.

I did attend February 6th’s meeting but have not received any notes from Officer Ray yet. Usually I would have it by now to forward to you, but I need to catch you up to date, so I won’t wait any longer for it. I’m sure they’re a little busy 😂

I noticed at the meeting that it’s pretty much the same info, therefore I attached January’s meeting agenda.

Item 2). a. On Homeless updates: 84 contacts made / 56 taken into custody / 12 cited and released / 9 given resource information / pending follow up
*** They are not impressed by some of the groups who “supposedly” are trying to meet the needs of the homeless, but seem to be more concerned with photo ops to be able to write a grant. The homeless then get lost in the process.

*** I did ask them about Independence Is Alive And Well group who I know our nice neighbor’s were involved in and about Pastor Billy Tharp who purchased the Independence Health building on Liberty St, but they had never heard about them. So they said they would check into these two groups.

***There seems to not be good resources for our Homeless in Independence.

Item 2) b. Citizen’s Academy will be starting in March and they have 20 openings

Item 3) a. Our annual registration is due so I will get that taken care of asap.
Item 3) b. I would like to get our signs on South Main Street replaced or should I say back again. I will be working diligently on this.

Item 4) a. Car Thefts for Independence are on the increased in past couple of weeks.
I. Car thefts at hotels on the east side of town
Ii. Make sure car doors are locked and parked in well lit areas when possible
Iii. Do not leave cars running and unattended unless it has a remote start feature. There is an ordinance against leaving cars running unattended without key fob.
Iv. Do not leave items of value in plain view
V. Catalytic converter thefts still exist

Item 4) b. Scams
I. Numerous complaints of people calling claiming to work for the city
Ii. Threats of warrants or arrest if you do not comply - US Marshall’s or Federal Court personnel - calling about missing your jury duty - threats if arrest unless fine is paid
Iii. Asking for gift cards, money orders, wired money
Iv. No government office will ever ask for money this way
V. SKIMMERS showing up on gas pumps last couple of weeks and are now in Independence

Item 4) c. Abandoned houses
I. Please call dispatch to report suspicious activity
Ii. People will break in to steal copper
Iii. Or looking for a place to stay increasing as temps get colder

Item 4) d. Package thefts
I. Keep eye out for suspicious activity
Ii. You can track packages to get an idea of when they will be arriving

This Spring, in a few months, we should have a simple gathering of all of us neighbors to maintain our neighborhood community. It is through these connections we can maintain our safety.

Please let me know your ideas,
Sincerely, Robyn captainette
816-838-6575 text or call
Melisa Facebook guru
South Main Street Neighbors

11/14/2023

Hi Neighbors!
Just a quick list of a few upcoming events going on around "The Square"
November 17th - Square Lighting begins at 6:00 until 8:00. The evening will starts with FOX 4's Matt Stewart will MC at the Pharaoh Cinema.
November 25th - Shop Small Saturday with Santa starting at 10:00 AM.

December 1 - Living Windows. 4:00p-8:00p
December 23rd- Girls Day Out

For more details go to indepsquare.com