Crime Alert (home invasion) from Greater Chatham Alliance

A disturbing anecdote from the Greater Chatham Alliance (sent via their e-mail list; see below to sign up for it):

CRIME ALERT FROM GREATER CHATHAM ALLIANCE (GCA)

These home invaders seemingly are widening their boundaries. This neighbor at 2XX E. 87th Street did not answer the door bell assuming the three (3) young men would go away.

Instead the invaders proceeded to kick the side door in, entered the home, started gathering items and after they discovered the homeowner was barricaded in her bedroom on the phone calling the police, they fled.

This all happened on a really busy street, during the daylight hours. Evidently the "crooks" don't choose homes at random; they do their research.

A phone alert was sent to neighbors in the area.

We're sometimes of the illusion that these perpetrators are "outsiders" when actually they're our next door neighbors, so to speak.

These alarming crime statistics in the area are helping to bring our property values down, even more than the economic situation that exist in our country.

Notices are being circulated in the area on the negative re-assessment of our property. Some homeowners are hesitant to sell at this time, hoping this downward trend will stop.

This is not the time to ignore a call for your participation in solving these crime issues. Thanks. CHATHAM UNIFIED BLOCK CLUB

LESSON LEARNED HERE: It's definitely a crew working the area! This is similar to the home invasion on 80XX S. Michigan where the mother went to work on Sunday and the father went to Jewel. The MO was the same.

Remember, the kids were at home and didn't answer the door? Then the thieves kicked in the door and the kids jumped out the window. These home invasions are getting brazen! So if you have a side door or basement door, you probably need to put a security door in front of it now - an alarm may not be enough! They seem to know that it takes time for the police to come! So we have to slow their roll!

Please don't forget to report these crimes to the police so we can document how the police are responding and why we feel we don't have enough police in the community.

One more request as you read this e-mail and the crime incidents: let your neighbors to the north and south of your home know what happened. If you can, print out this e-mail and hand them a copy.

If you are on a block club, then bring copies of it to your meeting, or get up and read it. Ditto if you go to a neighborhood church.

If we are forewarned, we are fighting back!

I've X'd out the addresses. I've left in enough numbers to show what blocks are involved. Also GCA is having a meeting October 17th as they are looking for people to serve on CGA's saftey & security committee. If you can't make the meeting by want to be apart of this committee you should send e-mail to lesliehonore [at] sbcglobal [dot] net.