The purpose of our Neighborhood Watch is to deter crime in our neighborhood by involving our residents and making them more aware of incidents that do occur and ways to prevent incidents. It encourages residents to watch out for each other and get to know their neighbors. History has proved that Neighborhood Watch programs reduce and prevent crimes. Criminals learn that we work together to prevent crimes and are not tolerant of them being in our neighborhood.
Neighborhood Watch is quite simply the most effective way to reduce or prevent crime and make our neighborhood a better place to live.
NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH BLOCK CAPTAINS:
Hidden Lake Drive & Cove
Linda Robbins (Neighborhood Lead), 817.456.5349 (Hidden Lake Drive 2724-2736 evens and 2737-2749 odds)
Kim Farbisz, Hidden Lake Dr., 817-488-8553 (2700-2704 Hidden Lake Cove and Hidden Lake Drive 2700-2716 evens and 2701-2703 odds)
Jane Everett 817-416-8499 (Hidden Lake Drive 2718-2722 evens and 2715-2735 odds)
Rick Magica 704-501-7261 (Hidden Lake Drive 2738-2740 evens and 2751-2769 odds)
Pin Oak Drive
Linda Robbins 817-456-5349 (Pin Oak Drive 2700-2708 evens and 2701-2711 odds)
Marilyn Hall, 817-773-4496 (Pin Oak Drive 2710-2718 evens and 2713-2719 odds)
White Oak Drive
George Lilley, White Oak Dr., 817-488-4658 (White Oak Dr.-ALL)
Indian Oak Drive
Linda Robbins, 817-456-5349 ( Indian Oak Drive ALL)
Chase Oak Drive
Cheryl Wurtzer-Zarrillo, Chase Oak Dr., 817-488-7975 (Chase Oak Dr.-ALL)
We need a new block captain for portions of Indian Oak and Pin Oak. If you are interested in this position, please contact Linda Robbins.
Click here to go to a blank Neighborhood Watch Information Form. Please complete the form and return to your block captain as soon as possible.
In the event of a situation that the residents of Hidden Lake Estates should be made aware of, please contact your assigned block captain or Linda Robbins (Committee Lead). Anytime you are on vacation or on a business trip, notify one of the block captains, and we will watch your property.
Vacation Home Check By Grapevine Police Department
When you are going to be away from your home, you may also want to use a great free service provided by the Grapevine Police Department. They will send a Police Volunteer (VIPS) to check the outside of your home frequently while you area away. If they find anything amiss, they will have a Police Officer investigate. Go to http://tx-grapevine2.civicplus.com/505/Vacation-Check-Request to sign up for this service.
Advisory: Crime Reduction Strategies
Whenever warm weather is here crime is often near so please consider these important crime reduction strategies in order to fortify your castle.
■ Securing your garage/shed at all times; an open garage/shed is an open invitation for thieves to remove lawn equipment, bicycles, golf clubs and any other valuables. Denying access is one way to help keep crime out of your neighborhood!
■ Recording serial numbers and photographing your property; unrecorded and unidentified valuables make it difficult for investigators to not only recover your property but also CATCH the thief. Bicycle serial numbers are most commonly located under the bottom bracket where the two pedal cranks meet. Detecting stolen property makes it difficult for criminals to continue to pursue their dreams!
■ Illuminating your neighborhood; dark areas are an open invitation for thieves to migrate and flourish in your community. For less than 20 cents per day one can adequately protect their home and neighborhood. Deterring criminal activity is easily done by just a flip of the SWITCH!
■ Fortifying your castle; having adequate locks (deadbolts, auxiliary locking devices) make it difficult for thieves to invade your home. A free home inspection by your very own Crime Prevention Officers will not only help you safeguard your home but also save you MONEY. Delaying a criminal’s ability to gain access by hardening your target sends the thieves away empty handed!
■ Being involved with your neighborhood watch group; helps protect and watch out for one another's property. Communicate with your neighbors when a suspicious person/vehicle has been spotted in your neighborhood. Neighbors working together are an essential foundation for a safer, happier community.
Please contact the following Crime Prevention Officers for other tips on personal safety:
Sergeant Jason Keller at 817-421-2192
Officer Dale Roath at 817-421-2192
I received the following information via email and verified with the Grapevine Police Department Crime Prevention Officers that it is good advice. - Linda Robbins
1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put 'PHOTO ID REQUIRED.'
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the 'For' line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.
4. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards..
Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have first hand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.
But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)
7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Insurance(Service Canada) fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name.
The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks..
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680-7289
4.) Social Insurance (fraud line): Service Canada 1-800-206-7218