Could this happen in your neighborhood?
- Upon leaving home one morning a man observed two young men sitting in a car across the street. Although he felt suspicious about the strangers, he went to work. Upon his return that evening he found his home had been burglarized.
- A woman went to the grocery store one afternoon. She left her sliding door slightly open. “I was only gone 10 minutes,” she stated. When she got home she found more than $1,500 worth of her valuables missing.
- Several neighbors noticed new residents of a nearby home had many frequent “guests” visiting for short periods of time. There had also been some recent auto and home burglaries in the area. Although they suspected drug dealing, they did not report anything to the police.
These are just a few examples of situations that prompted neighbors to establish their own Neighborhood Watch group. What is Neighborhood Watch? It is a program in which the people in one area (neighborhood) agree to watch out for each other and report suspicious activity to the police. Neighborhood Watch signs are prominently posted on street signs warning criminals that the neighborhood has an active and organized Neighborhood Watch group.
Report suspicious activity to the police
Informed and alert citizens play a key role in keeping neighborhoods safe. Do your part in keeping your community safe by paying attention to your surroundings. If you see something suspicious call the police.
Here are some examples of suspicious behavior:
- Someone going door-to-door asking unusual questions, or looking into houses or car windows.
- Unusual noises that cannot be explained, like breaking glass, or pounding sounds.
- Business transactions conducted from a vehicle. (This could be drug or stolen property sales.)
- Someone removing property from unoccupied homes or closed businesses.
- Someone loitering in a neighborhood on foot or in a vehicle when there is no apparent purpose or destination.
When you call the police be ready to describe specifically what you observed:
- Who or what you saw;
- When you saw it;
- Where it occurred; and
- Why it’s suspicious.
When to call 9-1-1
9-1-1 should be reserved for emergencies. Here are some examples of when to use 9-1-1.
- a person’s safety is in immediate peril
- a crime is in progress
- a serious injury that needs an immediate response
- any time where immediate response is required; when you cannot be placed on hold
The Roseville Police Department’s non-emergency dispatch number is (916) 774-5000 option 1. This number should be used to report incidents that have already occurred, when no immediate danger is present, and suspects are long gone.
Join a Neighborhood Watch Group
Don’t wait to become a victim. If your street has a Neighborhood Watch group, join in and become an active member. If there is not one in your area, get together with your neighbors and establish one. You can get started today by downloading our
Neighborhood Watch Starter Guide.