Because of that, they attended a homeowners association meeting Tuesday night organized by Cindy Snodgrass, association president.
Snodgrass said the idea came to her after she fell victim to theft. “I had spoken with the police department multiple times about crime in the area,” Snodgrass said. “Then one day I was working in my yard and left the garage door open. After about 30 minutes I returned and my golf clubs were gone.”
Snodgrass said she felt the neighborhood should take responsibility for protecting their property.
“I was tired of reading and hearing about crime,” she said.
Temple Police officer Bryan Davis was guest speaker.
Davis works the west side of town and patrols the Wildflower area. He explained that people could take simple precautions against crime.
“It is easier when an area cares,” he said. “We can see a lot more with 40 eyes than we can with two, so having a neighborhood that is observant helps the police a lot.
“The area has attracted the most growth in the city,” he added. “The more people that come to the area, the more crime happens in the area.”
Davis said for the most part crimes on the westside are crimes of opportunity - property left unguarded in places where they are ripe for the taking, like the front seats of unlocked cars.
Taking simple steps around your home can also help prevent crimes.
“Lights around the home act as a deterrent to crooks,” Davis said. “As does being observant in your area.”
Don’t be afraid of driving around the block if things don’t look right and call the police if there are strangers hanging around your area, he said.
“The majority of car thefts in the area happen when people leave their doors unlocked,” Davis said. “About 85 percent of car burglaries in this area happened when their doors were unlocked.”
If your house is burglarized, have a list of serial numbers handy. “You can even take photos of items,” Davis said. If items don’t have serial numbers, engrave or mark your driver’s license number onto the item. “We all have a different number in Texas. By marking the object, we (the police) can then get it back from pawn stores.”
Double locks on doors and windows can sometimes reduce insurance premiums, Davis said.
“There is no law that says you have to answer the door either.
“If you are going away for a while, let the police know,” he said. Temple Police Department will put you on a house watch list and check on your house while you are away. “Make sure if you are going away for a weekend that timers for lights are on different times.”
Temple police also offer free home inspections to residents in the area to help with safety concerns.
If you are a member of a group that would benefit from a chat with police about safety or you would like an officer to come to your home for a safety inspection, call the Temple Police Department on 298-5500.
