A rash of burglaries in the Magnolia Grove subdivision has homeowners fed up and looking out for each other. Some of these reported break-ins are happening at night when the residents are home asleep. But prime time is typically between the hours of 11am and 3pm, when many homeowners are at work.
Residents in the Magnolia Grove neighborhood near Washington Avenue spare no expense when it comes to home security. Yet many of them still feel helpless, like sitting ducks, as thieves continue targeting their property, no matter what measures they take to protect it.
"They know everybody is at work during the day," said resident Scott Storms. "They can get in and out."
Just last week a resident near the 4100 block of Floyd Street caught someone trying to break in through the top balcony of their townhome. In a mass email sent to neighbors the homeowner writes, "Looks like the side fence was a pole vault for them to jump and attempt to open our doors."
Jim Taylor with the Magnolia Grove Civic Association explained, "They're breaking in through windows, mainly in the back alley way or something like that where they are not being seen."
Magnolia Grove residents are so concerned they're starting their own neighborhood watch program. They've also been diligent about exchanging information with each other through social networking sites like Facebook. A resident recently tailed a suspicious vehicle through the neighborhood, snapped a picture and shared it with neighbors.
"After 2 or 3 o'clock, the cops are here, stopping everybody in the neighborhood," said resident Tony Moore.