Westridge Neighborhood Watch fights the influx of burglaries

Frustrated residents of Westridge have teamed up to form a neighborhood observation group to combat and protect their neighbors from the influx of burglaries that they have experienced since last year.

On Saturday, around 6:30 p.m., the residents of Westridge alerted each other that they watched at least two people who wore the Gated community through the surrounding open space, which wore backpacks and masks for safety purposes.

Mark said that since last November there had been a slump in the neighborhood almost weekly. He said many of his neighbors had broken their home and stole sentimental objects. When the neighbors were notified, suspicious people went through the area. Around 20 inhabitants came together to patrol the area.

Around 7:30 p.m. Mark said: “I came into the goal and a white SUV tried to spin into the community. What we believe is that this was a pickup person for the people who were on foot. This person (the driver) was caught on video to run myself and to add 50 to 60 miles per hour to the community. ”

Mark added that several neighbors tried to block the driver, but the driver set up the vehicle and ran towards the Oaks Club on the Valencia Golf Course.

After the driver had left the vehicle, Mark stayed nearby and was able to mark a sheriff deputy of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff into the community and explained what was going on.

“This seemed to be sufficient to cause the deputy of the sheriff to send reinforcements,” said Mark. “There were probably 10 members of the sheriff within time and finally a helicopter was sent.”

Watch SGT. Jason Elizondo from SCV Sheriff's station said that containment was set up to try to find the suspects, but the MPs couldn't find anyone.

Mark said that the responding MPs were looking for a few hours before leaving the area after they could not locate the suspects. A few hours later, close to 11 p.m., a resident saw the suspect in front of the camera again, alerted the neighborhood clock and then the MPs were called back, but they still couldn't find the suspects.

A resident of Westridge, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the neighborhood observation group began last year because the neighbors were frustrated to be victims of constant burglaries.

He said that if someone goes out of the city, he woke up over the house because it seems to be a common factor that the presumed burglars have only hit houses that are empty.

Another resident of Westridge, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons, told him that it was obvious to him that the suspects are familiar in burglars because they are waiting for the houses to be empty. They always cover their faces and wear gloves so that they do not wear I have no fingerprints back.

“We strive to prevent them from kicking them even in our farm if they are in the area at all and gained access to an attempt,” said a resident.

The person added that the main purpose is to pay attention to each other as a neighbor and family. He said there was a strong sense of community among their neighbors and they wanted to act quickly.

He said he had the feeling that the reaction of the ward members to the alleged burglary situation on Saturday evening was not fast enough. Mark said some residents felt hopeless and that not enough was done to protect them.

When asked whether Mark felt safer in monitoring the neighborhood guard, he said.

“I have the feeling that there is a strong sense of community. I appreciate the efforts that all my neighbors have done, ”said Mark. “We all take care of it. We want to live and be in a place that is safe for ourselves and our families. Knowing that we can rely on each other helps, but it is not enough. At the end of the day we are not law enforcement authorities. We can see that we can report, we can try to record videos and so on, but we really need law enforcement authorities to be active and answer. ”