Woman takes neighborhood patrol into her own hands: 'If you come here, you're going to pay'

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Armed with a shotgun and pepper spray, a southwest Houston homeowner has become a one-woman neighborhood patrol.

Debbie Davis has lived in the Brays Village neighborhood near Harwin and Boone for 30 years. She told Eyewitness News crime has gotten progressively worse over the last two years, and just this last Sunday, her next door neighbor was attacked in her driveway.

"If you come here, you're going to pay. I'm done," said Davis.

Every night Davis sits at the top of her driveway -- armed and ready.

When she is not sitting outside, she's watching her surveillance cameras for any suspicious activity.

"I'm tired of living afraid. I'm tired of thugs coming in here and taking over our neighborhood. Enough is enough," said Davis.

"I told her I'm with her," said Pam Akbar. Akbar, 65, is the neighbor who was attacked by two robbers as she was unloading groceries on Sunday.

It was the latest crime in what the two women see as an increase in their neighborhood.

"The worst I've ever seen," Akbar, a 16-year resident, described.

However, according to the most recent numbers available, crime in HPD's District 19 is down year to year. Violent crime is down 13 percent and non-violent crime, which includes many property crimes, is down 20 percent. Those numbers are from January.

Davis said they don't represent what's really going on. She feels her cries for help have been unanswered.

"We're constantly looking at the numbers and in touch with Westside Patrol," said District F Council Member Steve Le, who represents Davis' neighborhood. He added his office has funded $155,000 in overtime for extra patrols and said HPD is making progress.

"It's so dangerous. I don't recommend that for her," said Le of Davis' extreme tactics.

"He doesn't need to worry about me," Davis responded.

She vowed to remain on patrol until she and her neighbors feel safe again.

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