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Neighborhood Safety Alert
July 19th, 2009
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There have been a few reports of crime and suspicious activity in Stacy Ridge Estates in the past few weeks.
Residents should contact the City of Allen Police Department (APD) at 214-509-4321 to report any suspicious activities that you see in our neighborhood. If you witness a crime, please call 911.
Also, please notify a member of the Safety Committee or an HOA board member when anything suspicious occurs and is reported to the APD.
Car Burglaries (4 incidents were reported in Stacy Ridge on July 7, 2009)
Park cars in garage if possible
If cars are parked in the driveway or street, lock the doors and take all valuables out, even during the day
Solicitations
Reports were made this past weekend of a female young adult going door-to-door selling educational materials in both Stacy Ridge and Country Brook Estates. Suspicion was raised when she requested to enter the home and was unable to identify herself as a local student and then had knowledge of resident’s names and children’s ages. The police were notified and made weekend patrols.
Upon further investigation it seems that she was using a technique to get neighbors to give information about other neighbors to get herself familiar with names/household children’s ages before going to the door. Sadly, she was able to get information about children’s names and ages from numerous neighbors this way.
Please be cautious when answering your door and do not ever divulge names/information about your neighbors. Before giving anyone money or a check -- it's a good idea to verify his or her identity.
Feel free to call a neighbor to double check the identity of persons claiming to be local residents. If your children are soliciting, be prepared for phone calls to verify—this keeps our neighborhood safe.
The City of Allen policy for door-to-door solicitations are:
Solicitors are supposed to get a “Permit” from the city prior to knocking on doors. They are required to show you this "Permit" when asked. Please use caution when asking for this, as this may cause someone with bad intentions to react negatively. Even if a permit is provided, please still use caution when making a purchase. A permit is not required for School, Church or Girl/Boy Scout solicitations.
Please feel free to contact me with any neighborhood safety issues or ideas to keep our community safe.
Thanks,
Tania Rippy
Safety Committee Chair
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City of Allen Police Department Update 2009
March 23rd, 2009
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I recently had the opportunity to meet with the Allen Police to review neighborhood safety issues. Sergant Felty, of the Allen Police Department's Community Relations Department, discussed the announcement that Allen was ranked as the 9th safest city in the United States. This is quite an accomplishment for a city that has seen so much growth and changes in the past two decades. As you know, reports like this make everyone proud of our community. In addition, this helps communities maintain their property value, which is wonderful considering the current economic status.
The Allen Police Department credits communities involved with safety programs including Crime Watch programs with helping deter crime. All residents should contact the police department for any suspicious activities (214-509-4321). Also, Stacy Ridge residents have the added value of the neighborhood directory to contact neighbors when anything suspicious occurs and to send alerts as needed thru the communications committee.
Despite the good news, there is some bad news in the start of 2009, crime statistics across the board have increased. Most alarming is the increased incidents of home burglaries and theft from vehicles. Recently, the home burglaries have resulted from kicked-in back doors during the day when residents have not been home. Sergeant Felty has the following advice to help deter criminals in our neighborhood.
·Consider locking fence gates
·Keep garage door(s) closed when not in use
·Keep window blinds/curtains closed
·Keep valuables in non-predictable hidden locations: valuable jewelry not in jewelry box on top of dresser, lap tops stored out of sight, etc.
·Lock up paperwork with Identity Information
·Consider re-enforcing locks on all doors
·Set Alarm system even when home (although alarms might be a deterrent, most criminals can still enter and leave the site before police respond)
·Keep an eye out for neighbors and report suspicious activities to the police department (911 or non-emergency 214-509-4321)
·Park cars in garage
·If cars are out, lock the doors and take all valuables out, even during the day
Residents are invited to attend training for the Citizens Police Academy, which enables the Police department to have additional help and patrols for our neighborhoods. For more information, call the Community Relations Unit at 972.678.2500.
Please feel free to contact me with any neighborhood safety issues or ideas to keep our community safe.
Thank you
Tania Rippy
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National Night Out
September 25th, 2008
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National Night Out
Tuesday October 7th 6:30-8:00
Stacy Ridge Park
National Night Out will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 for all residents. Once again we will be combining the event with Country Brook Estates at the Stacy Ridge Park and will have valuable safety information, refreshments, desserts and fun activities for the kids. It is a perfect opportunity to get to know your neighbors and meet the Allen Police Department.
National Night Out is an annual event designed to strengthen our neighborhoods through police-community partnerships. The goal is to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, build support and participation in local anti-crime programs and, most importantly, send a message to criminals that our neighborhoods are organized and fighting back!
Questions can be directed to Tania Rippy, Stacy Ridge Safety Committee
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Summer Newsletter Report
August 24th, 2008
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By Tania Rippy,
Safety Committee Chair
According to the July/August 2008
Issue of AARP Bulletin, there is a
growing crime trend that has criminals
using your credit cards before
you even notice they are stolen.
The target spot for stealing credit
cards is from parking lots of health
clubs and recreational facilities,
since most people tend to leave
their wallets and purses locked up
in the car. Thieves are using devices
to get into cars with out leaving
the typical “break-in” evidence.
Then, instead of taking everything
(i.e. the whole purse or wallet), they
just take a few cards out and leave
the scene just as you had left it.
This provides them time to make
purchases before the credit cards
are reported missing.
Please follow these safety tips to
avoid this theft:
• Don’t keep valuables in your car
• Don’t feel secure by hiding
items under a jacket or towel
• For new cards write “Ask for
ID” instead of signing the back.
(Information provided from “Fast
Lane to your Wallet” by Sid
Kirchheimer, AARP Bulletin, July/
August 2008)
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