Eyes peeled: Neighbors can help take a bite out of crime

It seems like there has been an uptick in the number of reports of break-ins and other nefarious activity in local neighborhoods.

And while we can probably never completely stop crime, there are ways to make a difference.

And it starts in our own homes.

Keeping an eye out in the neighborhood, especially for suspicious people lurking near a home or for activity at a house where you know the owner is away, can go a long way in not only solving crimes, but in preventing them.

Watching out for one another used to be par for the course in most communities. Everybody knew their neighbors. So, if something was out of place, someone knew.

In our increasingly busy world, we don't always take the time to get involved.

But by simply paying attention -- and reporting concerns to authorities -- residents can send a message to criminals -- go somewhere else.

Published in Editorials on July 5, 2013 10:39 AM