But there is a silver lining. This increase in criminal activity has triggered an interest in forming more Neighborhood Watch groups in the Willow Glen area, San Jose Police Department crime prevention specialist Rosanna Carrasco said.

In the past month, Carrasco has received 10 calls from Willow Glen residents requesting information about forming these groups, which isn't the norm, she said.

Ed Villalpando, 43, who lives on Jansen Avenue, joined a Neighborhood Watch group on his street four years ago, after a string of bicycle thefts and broken car windshields.

The Willow Glen native said he's accustomed to his neighborhood changing every five to 10 years, making it important for residents to know who lives on their street.

"The younger generation is really busy and doesn't have the opportunity to meet neighbors," he said. But a Neighborhood Watch program provides greater community awareness among residents.

Initially, 12 homes on Jansen Avenue organized a meeting with a crime-prevention specialist after the incidents occurred. Then the group's members had an additional meeting among themselves in 1999. The residents found that once they organized and were educated, the crime in their neighborhood stopped, said Villalpando. He credits the decrease in crime to neighbors' awareness and the city sending more police patrols at their request.

"Most burglaries are solved or stopped because neighbors call the police, rather than sending more patrols," said San Jose Sgt. Steve Dixon.

The Neighborhood Watch program is all about "looking to one another for help" said Carrasco.

And there are several reasons why communities implement these programs, she said, such as an increase in crime or to have a system in place where neighbors can watch out for each other when homeowners are on vacation or at work.

The program encourages neighbors to report any suspicious activity by immediately calling 911, the emergency number, or 311 in the case of nonemergencies, Carrasco said.

Those interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch program are encouraged to call the Crime Prevention Unit, which will schedule a time to come out and give a presentation. The program requires a minimum involvement of 10 homes, with the presentation held in one resident's house. The Crime Prevention Unit recommends only inviting neighbors of a shared street.

Residents learn tips for securing their homes and vehicles by imagining they are burglars looking for easy entrance.

Carrasco said she reiterates the obvious to the group—things taken for granted like an unlocked garage or sliding glass doors.

A police officer who patrols the area is also sometimes available to talk with residents about their concerns.

The greatest safeguard comes from residents knowing their neighbors and working with law enforcement, said Villalpando, who has watched the demographics of his neighborhood change over the decades.

For more information or to schedule a presentation by the San Jose Police Department Crime Prevention Unit, call 277.4133. Neighborhood Watch presentations are scheduled on Monday through Thursday between 7 and 9 p.m.