01/16/2019
Good morning, Shepherd; I hope this Wednesday finds you well…
I’ve had several neighbors reach out in the past few days with concerns over the seemingly new “pastime” some individuals have decided with which to bless us; there has obviously been an uptick in theft and break-ins the past several months, and like you, this bothers me greatly. We are planning our first neighborhood association meeting of 2019 for Thursday, February 28th from 6:30-8:00. While there will be more details in the coming weeks, we will have an officer coming to give a brief presentation on crime prevention and things we can do to thwart would-be burglars, etc. In the meantime, I would like to reiterate a few points that have been brought up over the years:
1. Please, please, please turn your outside lights on at night. I cannot stress how important (and easy) this is. While it obviously doesn’t prevent all crime, it is a major deterrent to theft. Along the same lines, if you are going to be gone for any length of time, alert your neighbors and ask them to keep an eye on your property. John and I let ours know even if we are going to be away for just one evening and vice versa. Not only does it help ease our minds while we are away, it also helps build relationships with those that live around us!
2. Lock your cars and try to leave nothing of worth in your autos when you aren’t in them. Again, while it might not immediately stop individuals from helping themselves to your things, the less they find of value in our neighborhood, the more likely they are to move on.
3. As much as I hate this, I encourage you to contact authorities if you see something suspicious. In the almost 10 years we have lived here, I have found our neighborhood to be kind and inclusive, but sometimes it is best to go with our gut and question strange behavior.
4. Finally, the past week has become like “true confessions” of robbery. I kindly ask that if you are the victim of theft, to please post it on Nextdoor for Shepherd neighbors only. I have honestly been surprised at the number of people that have been affected lately; I’m sorry to you all who have been targets.
It is my opinion that the more someone allows himself/herself to commit a crime, the bolder, more aggressive he/she becomes. I want our neighbors to be safe and to feel comfortable in their homes, and hate to think that this could escalate into something more dangerous. I think that if we all are vigilant and a little more active in deterrence, we can prevent these events in the future. While we wait for the meeting on 2/28, I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns, and welcome any ideas or dialogue that you may have!
Many thanks!
Erica Burden Taylor
