Neighborhood Watch

Neigborhood Watch
Scroll down for:
* How to Report a Crime
* Neigborhood Watch Block Captains
* Awareness Tips
* Other Useful Links

How to Report a Crime

Crime in Progress

Report a crime in progress or a crime that has just occurred by calling 911 first, then contacting your Block Captain. (See “Tell Your Block Captain” below.) For emergency incidents, such as crime in progress, the alert chain can be done via phone.

Non-Emergency Crime

If the crime or incident is not an emergency, you can call the Orange County Sheriff Non-emergency number – (407) 836-HELP (4357), but the preferred method is to file a report online. The Orange County Sheriff's Office is now offering different online services to assist the public.

http://www.ocso.com/Fileapolicereport/tabid/126/Default.aspx allows you to report certain types of crime online, such as lost property, theft, vandalism, and vehicle burglary. The report should include what happened, when it happened, point of entry, and any suspect information. Online reporting is preferred by OCSO because information about the crime is accurately submitted as written text instead of spoken through a possibly bad phone connection. Filing a police report is important because it helps OCSO keep statistics on neighborhood, which helps them decide where to dispatch patrols. After you complete and submit your report you will:

• See the words: "Your report has been submitted" showing proof that your report is complete.

• Be given a temporary case number.

• Be able to print an unofficial copy of the report to keep for your records.

• Be sent a confirmation and an unofficial copy of your report by e-mail so long as you provide a valid email address,

Tell Your Block Captain

Finally, email or call your Block Captain with any information – what happened, when it happened, point of entry, and any suspect information. Email is preferred, since all the details are right there, rather than depending on notes taken over the phone, possibly resulting in inaccurate information. If the Block Captain is not home, email or call the Coordinator.

Neigborhood Watch Block Captains

Your Neighborhood Watch Coordinator is: Sandy Horazak, 407-207-6557 - Home sanden@bellsouth.net	Block	Block Captain	Contact #
	1.	Open
	2.	Gail Strachan	407.282.1667
	3.	Open
	4.	Open
	5.	Sue Green	407.273.7340
	6.	Cookie Symons	407.273.5460
	7.	Open
	8.	Sandy Horazak	407.207.6557
	9.	Open
	10.	Open
	11.	Christine Culbertson	407.658.4261
	12.	Kathy O'Sullivan	407.325.5263
	13.	Open
	14.	Harold Engold	407-491-5523

If you have any questions or would like to participate in the Neighborhood Watch Program, please contact Sandy Horazak

Awareness Tips
CRIME ALERT TRANSIENT CRIMINAL GROUPS

Annually during the winter season, transient criminal families and individuals, commonly referred to as Gypsies, migrate to Central Florida. They typically move here when it is too cold in the northern states to pump/spray their liquid products, and they typically leave Central Florida in the mid-March to early April.

These groups typically engage in criminal activity aimed at the elderly population. They engage in common home repair frauds such as pressure washing, painting, roof repair/sealing, driveway asphalting and /or seal coating, tree trimming, tool sales, lighting rod installation and pest control. These individuals normally solicit their victims door-to-door and do so without obtaining the proper county licenses or state contractor licenses. Only about 3-5% of their activity is aimed at the business community. They typically perform criminally shoddy or no workmanship and charge exorbitant prices. Due to the age difference or mental decline plus the fact that they outnumber their victim, the victim usually gives them the money demanded. They will even take a victim to a bank to make withdrawals. They prefer cash but if they can get a check, then the amount of the check is normally changed to a far greater amount. Any check given to these groups is IMMEDIATELY cashed. NOTE: This type of activity is not civil in nature! Some criminals may do IMPOSTOR crimes, where they pose as Surveyors, pest control, tree trimmers or utility/cable company employees in order to gain entry to a victim's residence. The "shill" in the group will typically talk the victim into leaving the house, at which time other members of the group will enter the residence and steal cash/jewelry. These groups commonly use portable radios to communicate between themselves.

Awareness Tips

*These groups operate on a cold contact door to door basis

*They do not provide valid contracts

*They offer construction, fencing or roofing deals

*They will travel in newer construction style trucks with out of state tags or newly registered Florida state tags

*They will not have the proper business licenses or permits

*They target older citizens

*They will overwhelm and get victims to submit to their offers by superior numbers, outlandish claim of urgency and deceptive offers

*They will work in groups; one will talk to victim and get them to come outside while others walk into your house and steal

* They will offer to take you to your bank to get money

If you come in contact with these groups contact law enforcement immediately!

Orange County Sheriff's Office

Non-Emergency 407-836-HELP

Emergency 911