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Harleigh Drive neighbors join together to lock out burglars By Mandy Major Forty-two concerned residents of Harleigh Drive gathered on July 20 for their second Neighborhood Watch meeting. The gathering, initiated by Deputy Ken Nelson of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department in response to several alarming burglaries that have recently occurred, was held to not only inform the residents, but to bring the community closer together by providing name recognition among the residents. Nelson prepared the residents by handing out maps with boxes representing the various homes, which were numbered and included the residents' names and phone numbers—information that is important, but often not known during local 911 calls. The deputy told the residents to remember KEN, which stands for Know Every Neighbor, and emphasized the importance of locking their property securely. This has been a problem in the past, as many Saratogans feel their neighborhoods are safe havens, and that has allowed many burglaries to occur. This was not the case, however, in the most recent burglary. The victims had locked their home securely and had been gone on vacation for two days when they were burglarized by what is believed to be a group of men that have committed several other burglaries in nearby areas. The perpetrators entered the home by throwing a gardening tool through the master bedroom window. It was obvious much time was spent in the house, as it was fully ransacked. Jewelry, electronic equipment and both vehicles were taken. It is believed that the burglars, most likely three or four young males, know they are suspects and yet continue their crimes. For Deputy Nelson, this implies that they might be coming back, thus making it imperative that neighbors are knowledgeable about the crimes and are well secured. "It is a proven fact that the more you know about your neighbor, by saying hi and socializing, the more you are going to watch out for each other," said Nelson. "Familiarity is just common sense, but it gets a little scary when people say they have lived at their house for 10 years and don't know any of the neighbors." The Sheriff's Department is encouraging these newly forming neighborhood groups to get together twice a year, around Christmas and the Fourth of July, even if crimes have not recently occurred. There is also a future plan to bring an email network within the communities, enabling residents to communicate and alert one another when they plan on leaving. The next Neighborhood Watch meeting is planned for August at the Saratoga Civic Center, when Nelson hopes to provide information to a broader audience. |
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