Marble Way

Coordinators:

Olivia Magana:   olymag@comcast.net

This group is fully active and has signs posted on their street.

Update from Coordinators 11/19/12:

here is the 2nd email I promised to send regarding what we talked about in our Marble Way Neighborhood Watch Meeting in October. This information is taken from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Neighborhood Watch Participant's Handbook provided to the street coordinators during September 2012 training session by our instructor Sherrie Carhart, Sacramento Sheriff Crime Specialist. My own personal comments are in "red" text.

Recognizing Suspicious Activity

BE ALERT. Anything that seems slightly "out of place" or is occurring at an unusual time of day could be criminal activity. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO APREHEND A PERSON COMMITING A CRIME OR INVESTIGATE A SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. Call the sheriff's department immediately, and do not worry about being embarrassed if your suspicions prove to be unfounded. Law enforcement officers would rather investigate than be called when its too late.

The following incidents MAY indicate possible criminal activity and should be reported:

* Suspicious door to door solicitation or persons representing a business that comes to your door;

* Continuous repair operations at a non business location (stolen property being altered);

* Open or broken doors and windows at a closed business or un occupied residence (burglary or vandalism);

* Unusual noises, such as dogs barking continuously (burglary, assault...), screaming, gunshots

* Sound of breaking glass (burglary or vandalism);

* Large volumes of traffic on foot or by vehicle that comes to homes for short periods of times.

* Unusual work activity in the garage and at odd hours of the night.

* A person exhibiting unusual mental or physical symptoms (person may be injured, under the influence of drugs, or otherwise needing medical attention).

Time and accuracy are critical in reporting crime or suspicious events. Use law enforcement agency's emergency number to report life-threatening incidents or a crime in progress, and use the non-emergency number for crimes that have already occurred. Your call could save a life, prevent an injury, or stop a crime. The information you provide will be kept confidential. You do not need to give your name, although this is often helpful.

Suspicious Persons

Obviously, not every stranger who comes into a neighborhood is a criminal. Legitimate door-to-door sales and repair people appear in residential areas frequently. Occasionally, however, criminals disguise themselves as these workers; therefore, it is important to be alert to the activities of all nonresidents. Law enforcement officials should be called to investigate persons in the following circumstances, who mabe be suspects in the crimes indicated:

* Going door to door in a residential area, especially if one or more goes to rear of residence or loiters in front of an unoccupied house or closed business (burglary);

* Forcing entrance or entering an unoccupied house (burglary, theft, or trespassing);

* Running, especially if carrying something of value or carrying unwrapped property at an unusual hour (fleeing the scene of a crime);

* Heavy traffic to and from a residence, particularly if it occurs on a daily basis (drug dealing, vice or fence operations);

* Screaming (rape or assault);

* Loitering around or peering into cars, especially in parking lots or on streets (car theft);

* Loitering around schools, parks or secluded areas (sex offender);

* Offering items for sale at a very low price (trying to sell stolen property);

* Loitering or driving through a neighborhood several times or appearing as delivery person with a wrong address (burglary).

Suspicious Vehicles

Vehicles in the following situations MAY be involved in crimes and should be reported to authorities:

* Slow moving, without lights, following aimless course in any location, including residential streets, schools, and playgrounds (burglar, drug pusher, or sex offender);

* Parked or occupied, containing one or more persons, especially at an unusual hour (lookouts for a burglary or robbery);

* Parked by a business or unoccupied residence, being loaded with valuables (burglary or theft); this exact description happened about 2 years ago, my neighbor's house was for sale and vacant for months someone came in and parked a u-haul truck in front of her garage and took furniture, fixtures, and other stuff. After they stole her belongings the person stayed behind and lived in the house without being noticed. CRAZY!! Please be alert and report any suspicious activities observed with any empty houses in our neighborhood.

* Abandoned in your neighborhood (stolen car);

* Containing weapons (criminal activity);

* Someone, especially a female or juvenile, being forced into a vehicle (kidnapping, assault, or attempted rape);

* Business transactions taking place in it, especially around schools or parks (sale of stolen items or drugs);

* Persons detaching mechanical parts or accessories from it (theft or vandalism);

* Objects being thrown from it (disposing of contraband).

Describing and Reporting of Events, Vehicles and Persons

Practicing to develop skill in providing quick, accurate descriptions is an excellent NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH meeting activity. In attempting to describe events, vehicles, or persons, write down the details of what you have observed while they are still fresh in your mind, so your descriptions to law enforcement officials will be as accurate as possible.

When Describing Events, write down: 

* What happened;

* When it happened;

* Where it occurred (note the nearest cross street, home address, or landmark in relationship to the event);

* Whether injuries are involved (Be prepared to report visible or suspected personal injury. Be as specific as possible - this could save a life!);

* Whether weapons are involved (this information, whether observed or suspected, is vital to responding officers).

When Describing Vehicles, write down: 

* Vehicle license number and state, make and type of vehicle, color, and approximate age;

* Special designs or unusual features, such as vinyl top, mag wheels, body damage, pinstripes.

* Direction of travel.

Describing Persons: 

In preparing descriptions of persons, it is important to write down the following:

* Sex, race, age, height (estimated from eye contact levee measured against your height); weight, hair (color and length), hat, facial hair, shirt, pants, shoes, distinguishable mannerisms, physical disabilities, disfigurations, scars or tattoos, voice characteristics, direction of movement.

How to Call the Sacramento Sheriff's Department: 

If you call 9-1-1 from a cell phone, you will get the California Highway Patrol (CHP)

24 hour numbers:

SHERIFF EMERGENCY (from cell phone)   874-5111

SHERIFF NON-EMERGENCY                       874-5115

CHP                                                                   861-1300

Please enter these important phone numbers into your cell phone. I learned my lesson! -- I wanted to call the non-emergency line to report someone urinating and exposing themselves in public and I could not for the life of me find the sheriff's non-emergency number. I finally got home and looked at my contact sheet and called it in. Then I thought, what about if the incident had been a crime in-progress? I would not have the luxury to go home and then call it in. The criminal could have been gone by the time I called. Having these important numbers programmed in your cell phone is an excellent safety practice, you never know when you will need to call for HELP. I have these numbers programmed in my cell phone now.

Last thing, with the holidays around the corner we need to stay alert and watch out for each other. If you see any suspicious activities in our neighborhood please follow these steps:

1. call the Sacramento Sheriff to report suspicious activity

2. contact street coordinator to let them know.  

Also, thank you for those that came out to the Carmichael Community Meeting on November 13th our street was well represented :) 

Thank You,

Marble Way Neighborhood Watch Coordinator