[Summit] Suspicious vehicles

[Robert Mathiesen]

Hi All,

At the last CrimeWatch public meeting, Lieutenant Sciavulli said -- if I
remember correctly -- that even though some of the criminals might well read
our list, it was still a very good idea for us to post the details of
break-ins and suspicious incidents.  We need to pool our information about
what has happened, and this list seems to be the best way to do that.  Then
each one of us will know better what to look for and when to call the police
with information that they can use.

Also, the Lieutenant said that when we call, we should phone 272-1111, which
connects directly with the Providence Police Department.  We should NOT --
repeat, NOT! -- phone 911, which reaches the State Police and delays a
response by the Providence police by 15 minutes or more.

We should call right away when we see a break-in in progress, obviously.  We
should also call right away when we have enough information for the police
to do something concrete toward identifying or finding the people involved
-- when we have a license plate number or other vehicle identification, or a
photograph or good, detailed description of a person.  If the available
officers and patrol cars are not busy with something more serious than a
break-in (for instance, with a murder investigation), they will send
someone.  (And budget constraints mean that there aren't all that many
available officers and patrol cars these days in District 8, which is our
district.)

The Lieutenant said that these same budget constraints mean that the police
don't have the funds to do some of the things people see police doing on
TV.  DNA testing is expensive, for instance.  Nor do some of the things
shown on TV work as smoothly in real life.  Fingerprints have to be pretty
complete and pretty clear, on the right kind of surface, to really be usable
for identification or conviction; and you don't find fingerprints of that
quality all that often.

Nor do the police have the manpower to sift through all the vague reports of
suspicious activity in hope of teasing out a pattern that can lead to an
arrest and conviction.  If anyone is going to do that kind of information
sifting, it will have to be us neighbors, amateurs that we are.  If we don't
or won't do it, it won;t get done.

So keep on posting everything that sets off warning bells, and trust your
instincts.  Some of it may be overreaction, but some of it won't.

Also, Lieutenant Sciavulli regularly reads this list, and all the
information we post here gets to him.  Useful information also gets to the
patrolmen.

And of course paranoia doesn't help at all.  Don't panic!  The trick is to
keep a cool head even in an insecure world.  Phone in (272-1111) anything
where a quick response by a patrol car can help, and post the rest here.

Thanks!
Bob M







On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 9:07 AM, Monique S Doherty <monique at msdoherty.net>wrote:

> **
> Hi All,
>
> I find it noble that there are so many residents on the lookout for unusual
> activitity occuring in the neighborhood. It certainly has paid off! I feel
> very bad for those of you whom have been victims. It is an awful feeling; as
> it has happened to me several times over the years.
>
> Two things which concern me are:
>
> Are those "committing these acts" on our email list--receiving the
> break-down of the happenings?
>
> The Police *should* be called, even if it is an observant neighbor calling
> regarding an "innocent" act which turns sour. *Suspicious to us is reason
> enough to call the police.*
> **
> Monique
> 4th St
>
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>
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>
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