SMOKY ROW RD COMMUNITY BLOCK WATCH

* CRIME ALERT *

2015-01-29T06:36:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share this with everyone. PLEASE READ AND SHARE!!!!

UPDATE:

Powell Police Report:

For Immediate Release Powell Police searching for suspect after attempted home robbery (POWELL, Ohio)—Jan. 29, 2015—The Powell Police Department is searching for a suspect after receiving a report of an attempted armed robbery at approximately 8:05 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28 along Village Ridge Court. According to the police report, the suspect rang the homeowner’s doorbell and when the homeowner answered the door, the suspect pointed a gun at the victim. The suspect is believed to be a white male and approximately 6’1. He was wearing a black toboggan hat, black jacket, black pants and a blue bandana. He was carrying a silver handgun and drove away from the residence in a darkcolored vehicle. Safety Tips  Be vigilant  Keep front porch lights turned on at all times  Lock doors  Do not answer the front door unless it is someone you know or are expecting Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Powell Police Department at (614) 885-3374. ### Contact: Megan Canavan Director of Communications (614) 885-5380 ext. 1022 (office) mcanavan@cityofpowell.us (email) @CityofPowellOH (twitter)/#PowellOhio

Post in Crime & Safety

Olentangy Ridge ALERT10h ago

Summit View Woods East

Someone posted this around 9:30 on a FB group I am on: Olentangy ridge:::: be on alert! Someone rang my doorbell tonight but when I got to door no one was there. Figured it was kids.....then my neighbor calls me about 1/2 hour later and tells me same thing happened across the street but they opened door and a man in a mask had a gun . He slammed door and guy took off . Cops are in the neighborhood . Lock up and be alert!

As of 10:44, there has been no one caught. Lock your doors, and don't answer!

To see all of the comments click h

Monday's Most Wanted

2015-01-26T05:51:00.000-08:00

I found this great website and I would highly recommending signing up to get updates but if you subscribe to my blog I will make sure that I just post the most important things so you don't get slammed with emails from their website.

This is from today from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office: Franklin County Sheriff’s Office SWAT is searching for Matthew Hall, 24, on charges of rape and sexual battery. He may be in the 43229 zip code area of northeast Columbus. Case Number: 14cr3116.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to call 614-525-7928.

Shared with all areas in Franklin County Sheriff's Office in Crime & Safety

To see this at nextdoor.com click here.

Thank you for being involved to help keep our community a safer place to live!

Nextdoor.com

2015-01-22T10:57:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! I just got an email from Angela who is in our neighborhood and she shared this website with me and I thought I would share it with everyone in case you weren't already on there.

If anyone else has any helpful websites or tips etc., please let me know so that I can share!

Thank you!

* THE BURGLAR IS RIDING THE BUS AND GOING TO KILBOURNE *

2015-01-21T10:20:00.002-08:00

This is just an alert so that everyone is aware that not only is the boy who burglarized our cars and homes and wrecked havoc on our neighborhood out of juvenile detention but he is also attending Worthington Kilbourne High School and riding the high school bus with our children. I am working diligently to change this as part of his probation requires him to stay at least 500 feet from any of his victims and I know that there are at least two other homes that were broken into besides mine that have children who attend Kilbourne. I don't know about any of my neighbors but I personally find this completely unacceptable. I have spoken to my victim's rights advocate and the superintendent of transportation of Worthington Schools and I left a message for Mr. Taylor's probation officer. I am being told that I need to go down to the courthouse and get a Juvenile Protection Order (JPO) which I will have to take a 1/2 day of vacation from my work to do. Even then it would be a temporary order and I would have to take more time off of work to go back to the courthouse for a hearing before a judge to get a permanent order. That seems ridiculous to me that I have to pursue this matter myself and get a JPO when a stipulation of his probation is keeping his distance. I pray for this young man's sake that he has been reformed and will become a productive member of society but for all of our peace of mind I believe he needs to do that in another school! Even if he is reformed and is trying to walk the straight and narrow path, that cannot repair the previous damage done.

If anyone has any suggestions or can offer any help I would appreciate your input. Also, if you would be so kind as to share this with everyone you know that would be amazing. I want our neighborhood to stay safe and I want our kids to be and feel safe and that can't happen with this person who has caused irreparable damage in our community lingering in the school halls and riding the bus with our children. By sharing this blog and my posts we can help spread the word and try to get this kid out of our school district. HAVEN'T WE ALL BEEN INCONVENIENCED ENOUGH???? Let his father have to transport him to a different school and be inconvenienced for once! Why should the victims have to lose more time and money over this situation?????? PLEASE help me spread the word and get something done!!! Just press the share button below this article and post it to your Facebook pages or share on Twitter. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE!!!

Thank you for reading this and participating in keeping our neighborhoods, our friends, and our families safer!

JOSH TAYLOR DENIED EARLY RELEASE

2014-07-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay (I got the news on Monday) but I wanted to let everyone know that the juvenile delinquent who broke into a bunch of our homes was denied early release earlier this month! Good news for our entire community and I just wanted to share!

BLOCK WATCH MEETING TONIGHT AT 6:30PM

2013-03-05T07:21:00.002-08:00

This is just a reminder that tonight is the third Smoky Row Road Block Watch meeting at 6:30 pm in the meeting room at the Northwest Library at 2280 Hard Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43235. Officer Bruce Beard, our Community Liaison from the Columbus Police Department, will be speaking at the meeting. This will be our 3^rd meeting after which we will be considered an official Block Watch that will be recognized by the City of Columbus. After this meeting the City will order signs that will be posted in our Neighborhood to warn criminals that we are watching! For more information on the Block Watch visit our blog at www.powellblockwatch.blogspot.com. To receive updates on Block Watch meetings and other pertinent happenings in our neighborhood please sign up on the blog to “FOLLOW BY EMAIL" (the box is in the column to the right).

***Also I should have the window decals this evening for all that have already requested one. If you would like a Block Watch window decal please bring a $1 donation. All money goes to pay for decals and flyers.

* NEW REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER IN OUR AREA *

2013-03-01T12:34:00.000-08:00

I received an update today from the Franklin County Sherriff's Office that I wanted to share. There is a new registered sex offender in our area. The offender's name is David Hughes and his address is 2383 Brigham Dr., Dublin, Ohio 43016.

To see a full list of sex offenders in our area click here and enter your address at the top left of the page.

Thanks for staying involved to help keep our neighborhood safe!

Juvenile Delinquent SENTENCED TODAY!!!!

2013-02-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today, Thurdsday, February 21st, 2013 I attended the sentencing hearing for the juvenile delinquent that plead guilty to 8 burglaries in our neighborhood. As I sat in the courtroom and waited for him to be brought in (he was shackled and was led in by the bailiff from the front of the courtroom) I was overcome with grief as I sat there thinking of the events that had led me to the courtroom this morning. Before that fateful day when he decided to bust down my back door and burglarize my home I felt completely safe and secure in my home and my neighborhood. And now here I was sitting in a courtroom getting ready to face the 14 year old boy (the Magistrate said he was 14) who had stripped me of the peace that we all should feel in our homes and communities. There were such strong emotions taking over every fiber of my being that I started to tear up and eventually started to cry. I was struggling with the thought that this juvenile delinquent may be let loose onto our streets in as little as 6 months after the emotional pain and monetary loss that he has caused to so many people.

When he arrived the Magistrate began the proceedings. The first person who got to speak was his probation officer. The juvenile had been given a psychological evaluation and based on the results of that evaluation and her own personal experiences with JD (juvenile delinquent) she recommended that he be held in a half-way house for the minimum six months and be given the opportunity to be rehabilitated.

At that time the Prosecutor got to speak. He informed the Magistrate that I was there and wanted to speak. As I took the stand I began to shake. My voice was crackling and I was trying to make sure that I got to say everything I had to say. I can not express in words how gratifying it was to look JD in the eye and tell him all that he has cost me and my son, the other victims and our community. I pointed out that after his arrest back in November after the first 4 burglaries that as soon as he got out of jail he was back out terrorizing the neighborhood and commiting the other 4 burglaries. I said that he knew at the time he was doing the robberies that what he was doing was wrong but he continued to do it anyway. I pointed out that he was bragging on his facebook page and said on one of his status updates that he did not intend to stop. I also said that I did not think there was any way that after only 6 months that JD would be rehabilitated. I spoke for a few minutes but I can't remember what else I said. It was emotionally overwhelming.

After I finished the Prosecutor addressed the court. He told the Magistrate how many victim impact statements he had received back (which she received a copy to read before the hearing I think this was just so JD and the others in the courtroom were aware) and how much money he had cost each victim for the victim's that did not turn in a statement but that he had verbally spoken with. He also pointed out that after JD's first arrest that he got out and went right back to burglarizing people. Also, since JD had been in custody he had been in numerous altercations with other inmates and also had gotten charged with a disorderly conduct. He then said that he recommended giving JD the maximum sentence (which I found out today was one year per charge of which he plead guilty to 8 felonies in total).

Next JD's attorney got to address the court. He first pointed out that the purpose of the Juvenile Court is not to punish but rather to rehabilitate juvenile offenders. He then pointed out that JD has a very low IQ (I believe he said it was only 75) and that the result of the psychological evaluation proved that he knew what he did was wrong and that he was very remorseful. (The more this man talked the sicker I got to my stomach!) He then said that JD had a horrible childhood and that his father was gone from home a lot and his stepmother was very mean to him although not abusive. He said his client needed a nurturing environment which would be condusive to him getting educated and rehabilitated which he felt could not be done in the juvenile prison. And he argued that the altercations that JD had been involved in were when he was first incarcerated and at that time he was placed in a cell block with older inmates. Once JD was moved to a cell block with inmates closer to his age he had only been in one altercation. Also JD's mother lives in California and he said as soon as he gets out of jail he will be going to live with her. He asked that his client be sent to the half-way house for the minimum of 6 months and that he be given credit for the 3 months he has already served.

At this time JD's father got to speak. He said that he whole-heartedly agreed with the recommendation of JD's probation officer and his attorney. According to his own father he had always had behavior problems, even from the time he was very young, and that he believed the half-way house would be a better place for his son to learn from his experience and to get educated so that he can be a productive member of society. The whole time the father was speaking the stepmother was crying. Then she got to speak and just said she agreed with the father.

Now the Magistrate asked JD if he would like to say anything. He just said he was very sorry for what he did to all the families. That was all he said.

Once JD was finished the Magistrate asked him a few questions. She said that she could see that he stole the almost identical items from every home (mostly electronics). She asked him what they did with the items once they stole them. He said that most of them were in the apartment where the police found the stolen items and that almost all of it was recovered by the police (I know I for one got back NOTHING!). She said that she had the evidence that they had been selling the stuff mostly on Craigslist and she knew very few people got back many items. At this point the Magistrate took about five minutes to review everything. Those were five very long minutes!

When she started to announce his sentence I became increasingly nervous. JD's probation officer and attorney had tried to paint the picture of a choir boy instead of the out of control delinquent that he is! She said that she agreed that he needed to be educated and rehabilitated. From the tone of her voice I just knew he was only getting the 6 months! Then she said "however"... that perked me right up! However she said she did not feel that could happen in 6 months time nor did she trust leaving him in a half-way house where he would not be in a locked cell from which he could not escape. For three of the felonies she gave him one year each to be served consecutively in the juvenile prison. For the other 5 she gave him one year total to be served concurrently with the other sentences. She also ruled that she would not give a judgment for restitution for the victims because it would be futile.

I spoke with the Prosecutor after the hearing and he said he thinks JD's attorney will appeal the ruling and try to get the sentence reduced. He also said that even though the Magistrate sentenced him to a minimum of 3 years that his attorney could file a request for an early release at any time.

I left the courthouse today flooded with a wide array of emotions. I was ecstatic that he did not get the minimum sentence, disappointed that he did not get the maximum sentence and mentally exhausted from the entire ordeal from start to present. Starting the Block Watch and writing this blog has helped me to heal.

One thing I did tell JD was that if and when he gets out that we have a Block Watch and if he comes around this area again he will never get away with it because we are watching for him and his kind and that it would be in their best interest to stay away from our neighborhood!!!

Thank you all for your continued support and for getting involved.

BLOCK WATCH MEETING RESCHEDULED

2013-02-20T07:29:00.002-08:00

First of all I would like to apologize for the huge mistake on my part in regards to the last meeting. I have rescheduled with the library and our new Community Liason with the Columbus Police Department, Officer Bruce Beard, for 6:30 on Tuesday, March 5th at the Northwest Library on Hard Rd. (and I double-checked this more than once to make sure this time).

I hope you can make it to the meeting. If you plan on attending please RSVP via email to powellblockwatch@aol.com . Please share this information with your friends and neighbors!

Thanks for getting involved and I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting!

* Update On Our Neighborhood Thief *

2013-02-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give everyone an update. The young black male suspect (if you do not know who he is and would like his name please email me for that information as he is a minor and I do not want to share it on this page) has plead guilty to I believe 8 felonies. His sentencing hearing is tomorrow which I do plan on attending to testify as one of his victims. The prosecutor is going to recommend that he be sent to the juvenile prison for the maximum sentence (which I believe would be 4 years) but the young man's attorney is going to request the minimum sentence of 6 months in a sort of half-way house. I will update everyone tomorrow after the hearing.

If any of the other victim's have not turned in their victim impact statement or have not let the prosecutor know that you would like to attend the hearing and testify I would urge you to do so IMMEDIATELY. As of the last time I spoke with the juvenile's probation officer she had only received 3 victim impact statements which is good for him and bad for our neighborhood!

The second suspect has plead guilty as well. Her sentencing hearing is on March 21st. She is not a minor so hopefully she will not fair so well in court and will get the maximum sentence!

Thanks for getting involved to keep our neighborhood a safer place for our families!

TONIGHT'S MEETING IS CANCELLED

2013-02-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

Due to a scheduling error on my part I have to cancel the meeting tonight. I inadvertently scheduled a room at the wrong library so I have to cancel the meeting and re-schedule. I apologize for any inconvenience! I just could not feel worse!

Thank you for your understanding! Please feel free to email me with any questions. powellblockwatch@aol.com

5 Cheap Home Security Tricks to Keep Your House Safe

2013-02-12T06:23:00.001-08:00

I found this article on Aol. Click here to read the article.

BLOCK WATCH MEETING REMINDER!!!!!

2013-02-07T10:57:00.003-08:00

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We will be having a Smoky Row Road Block Watch meeting on Tuesday, February 12th, 2013 at 7:00 pm in the meeting room at the Northwest Library at 2280 Hard Rd., Columbus, Ohio 43235. Officer Carl Johnson, our Community Liaison from the Columbus Police Department, will be speaking at the meeting. This will be our 3^rd meeting after which we will be considered an official Block Watch that will be recognized by the City of Columbus. After this meeting the City will order signs that will be posted in our Neighborhood to warn criminals that we are watching!

Here are my top 5 reasons you should participate in our Community’s Block Watch:

1. Safety and Security:There is no feeling that you can experience that can quite compare to receiving a telephone call from your panicked teenager who has just walked into your burglarized home alone! I was lucky (well as lucky as anyone can be in this situation) that when my son returned home from his football game to find our back door kicked in that the burglars were long gone. If you search the internet right now there are stories nearly every day of children being home alone when a burglar rings the door bell. We teach our kids never to open the door for a stranger yet when burglars ring the bell and no one answers they take that as a green light to come on in and start helping themselves to your personal property. My child is 13 which is old enough to stay home for a few hours alone until I get home from work. He has never felt unsafe or uneasy in staying alone for short periods of time. I am sure many of you reading this article also have children that must at times be home alone for whatever reason. The second some low-life thug makes the decision to invade your home and vandalize and burglarize your personal sanctuary you will never be the same! Installing simple motion detectors and signs warning burglars of your home security is a great place to start to make your home a safer place to live. Discussing how to react in the face of imminent danger of a burglar with your children is another critical step in maintaining safety and security. The next logical step is to participate in your neighborhood Block Watch! Your level of participation is completely up to you! There are many essentials positions that need to be filled in a Block Watch group. The largest group is that of observers! BE AWARE! That is an easy job that we all can do! GET INVOLVED!!! MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY BETTER! If you would feel you would like a more crucial role I am sure the Block Watch organizer (in this instance that would be me:) would welcome and appreciate the help!

2. Lower the Crime Rate in your Neighborhood: There have been many studies in the United States and in the United Kingdom concerning the effectiveness of Community Block Watches. According to the Crime Prevention Research Review No. 3: Does Neighborhood Watch Reduce Crime,"Nearly all studies found that Neighborhood Watch areas were associated with lower levels of crime." Decreasing crime rates in our neighborhoods can have a rippling positive effect.

3. Lower Homeowner's Insurance Premiums: Lower crime rates are good for our sense of safety and security in our own homes but when crime rates go down so do our homeowner's insurance premiums. Who couldn't use more money in our pockets instead of allowing petty criminals not only steal things that we have worked hard for but in turn cause us to end up paying higher premiums on our homeowner's insurance!

4. Increase Property Value: Lower crime rates not only mean lower insurance premiums but by lowering crime we can increase our property values! Let's face it, who wants to live in a high-crime area?

5. Increase Your Family's Sense of Pride in Community: We do not live in the 1950s anymore and I know I am guilty of not really knowing my neighbors and/or participating in community activities! What a great way to come together and get to know one another and keep each other's back safe! By participating in the Block Watch you will teach your children and your grand-children the value of getting involved and standing up for what is right!

I cannot stress enough how important it is that we have every single community member involved to make our neighborhood a safer place to live! Won't you please join our cause today? If you would like to help please with the block watch please email me at powellblockwatch@aol.com.

NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM INFORMATION:

A few weeks ago a 3-year old child went missing in our neighborhood and I was contacted by one of our Block Watch members to see if we had any way of alerting our members of this critical situation. I was not home and did not have access to the telephone numbers that I have for our members. Fortunately the child was found unharmed fairly quickly. Although this was an isolated episode and was resolved without incident, the situation did present the need for an emergency alert system in our area. I am thinking that a text message would be the best way to reach everyone the quickest.

The 1^st sign-up sheet that I created on line for the 1^stBlock Watch meeting can be accessed by everyone. Here is the link to that document https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuvuWkUWcxtfdDg4bURUUlNZTXJkcUYwQ0dsTHhHTVE#gid=0. I added a column to this sheet where you can indicate whether or not you wish to be contacted via email in the event of an emergency. If your name is already on the list please edit the information as necessary. If you would like to sign up please sign up on the link above or email me. If you wish to be contacted but do not receive texts, please indicate that you would like to receive a telephone call instead. If you do not wish for your information to be public please remove your name from the list. A lot of our neighbors are not participating in the Block Watch meetings but may wish to be included in the Emergency Alert System. Please feel free to share the link with your neighbors in case they would like to receive these texts. In the event that you are having trouble adding your name please email me your information and I will be happy to add your name to the list for you!

If anyone has an emergency situation that arises such as the child that went missing (I think he had just wandered out of his yard but having a child missing for even a few minutes can be a terrifying experience) please text me with the details so that I can forward the message to those on the text messaging list! Also if anyone is interested in helping out with the emergency alert system in case I am not available please email me!

Thank you for getting involved to help make our community a safer place to live!

Light Up Your Block!

Help combat the crime in our neighborhood today

Turn your outdoor lights on each night

What else you can do:

Be on the look out in our neighborhood

Call police (614.645.4545) for suspicious behavior

Join the block watch

Questions, comments or concerns?

Please contact the block watch at powellblockwatch@aol.com

www.powellblockwatch.blogspot.com

* Community Block Watch Meeting February 12th, 2013 *

2013-01-29T08:30:00.002-08:00

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Here are my top 5 reasons you should participate in our Community’s Block Watch:

1. Safety and Security: There is no feeling that you can experience that can quite compare to receiving a telephone call from your panicked teenager who has just walked into your burglarized home alone! I was lucky (well as lucky as anyone can be in this situation) that when my son returned home from his football game to find our back door kicked in that the burglars were long gone. If you search the internet right now there are stories nearly every day of children being home alone when a burglar rings the door bell. We teach our kids never to open the door for a stranger yet when burglars ring the bell and no one answers they take that as a green light to come on in and start helping themselves to your personal property. My child is 13 which is old enough to stay home for a few hours alone until I get home from work. He has never felt unsafe or uneasy in staying alone for short periods of time. I am sure many of you reading this article also have children that must at times be home alone for whatever reason. The second some low-life thug makes the decision to invade your home and vandalize and burglarize your personal sanctuary you will never be the same! Installing simple motion detectors and signs warning burglars of your home security is a great place to start to make your home a safer place to live. Discussing how to react in the face of imminent danger of a burglar with your children is another critical step in maintaining safety and security. The next logical step is to participate in your neighborhood Block Watch! Your level of participation is completely up to you! There are many essentials positions that need to be filled in a Block Watch group. The largest group is that of observers! BE AWARE! That is an easy job that we all can do! GET INVOLVED!!! MAKE YOUR COMMUNITY BETTER! If you would feel you would like a more crucial role I am sure the Block Watch organizer (in this instance that would be me:) would welcome and appreciate the help!

2. Lower the Crime Rate in your Neighborhood: There have been many studies in the United States and in the United Kingdom concerning the effectiveness of Community Block Watches. According to the Crime Prevention Research Review No. 3: Does Neighborhood Watch Reduce Crime, "Nearly all studies found that Neighborhood Watch areas were associated with lower levels of crime." Decreasing crime rates in our neighborhoods can have a rippling positive effect.

3. Lower Homeowner's Insurance Premiums: Lower crime rates are good for our sense of safety and security in our own homes but when crime rates go down so do our homeowner's insurance premiums. Who couldn't use more money in our pockets instead of allowing petty criminals not only steal things that we have worked hard for but in turn cause us to end up paying higher premiums on our homeowner's insurance!

4. Increase Property Value: Lower crime rates not only mean lower insurance premiums but by lowering crime we can increase our property values! Let's face it, who wants to live in a high-crime area?

5. Increase Your Family's Sense of Pride in Community: We do not live in the 1950s anymore and I know I am guilty of not really knowing my neighbors and/or participating in community activities! What a great way to come together and get to know one another and keep each other's back safe! By participating in the Block Watch you will teach your children and your grand-children the value of getting involved and standing up for what is right!

I cannot stress enough how important it is that we have every single community member involved to make our neighborhood a safer place to live! Won't you please join our cause today? If you would like to help please with the block watch please email me at powellblockwatch@aol.com.

NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM INFORMATION:

Light Up Your Block!

Help combat the crime in our neighborhood today

Turn your outdoor lights on each night

What else you can do:

Be on the look out in our neighborhood

Call police (614.645.4545) for suspicious behavior

Join the block watch

Questions, comments or concerns?

Please contact the block watch at powellblockwatch@aol.com

www.powellblockwatch.blogspot.com

* Emergency Alert System *

2013-01-14T09:25:00.003-08:00

Saturday a 3-year old child went missing in our neighborhood and I was contacted by one of our Block Watch members to see if we had any way of alerting our members of this critical situation. I was not home and did not have access to the telephone numbers that I have for our members. Fortunately the child was found unharmed fairly quickly. Although this was an isolated episode and was resolved without incident, the situation did present the need for an emergency alert system in our area. I am thinking that a text message would be the best way to reach everyone the quickest.

The 1^st sign-up sheet that I created on line for the 1^st Block Watch meeting can be accessed by everyone. Here is the link to that document https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AuvuWkUWcxtfdDg4bURUUlNZTXJkcUYwQ0dsTHhHTVE#gid=0. I added a column to this sheet where you can indicate whether or not you wish to be contacted via email in the event of an emergency. If you wish to be contacted but do not receive texts, please indicate that you would like to receive a telephone call instead. If you do not wish for your information to be public please remove your name from the list. A lot of our neighbors are not participating in the Block Watch meetings but may wish to be included in the Emergency Alert System. Please feel free to share the link with your neighbors in case they would like to receive these texts. In the event that you are having trouble adding your name please email me your information and I will be happy to add your name to the list for you!

I will make a flyer to distribute in our neighborhoods as soon as possible to make everyone aware of their opportunity to be included. If anyone is interested in distributing flyers or is interested in helping with the Emergency Alert System please email me at powellblockwatch@aol.com.

Feel free to share this post on your Facebook page and with your family, friends, and neighbors!

If anyone has an emergency situation that arises such as the child that went missing (I think he had just wandered out of his yard but having a child missing for even a few minutes can be a terrifying experience) please text me with the details so that I can forward the message to those on the text messaging list! Also if anyone is interested in helping out with the emergency alert system in case I am not available please email me!

Thank you for getting involved to help make our community a safer place to live!

* 2nd Smoky Row Road Block Watch Meeting Scheduled *

2012-12-05T06:40:00.003-08:00

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

We will be having our 2^nd Smoky Row Road Block Watch meeting on Wednesday, December 12th at 7:00 pm in the library at the Liberty Elementary School located 8081 Saddle Run Rd., Powell, Ohio 43065. Officer Carl Johnson from the Columbus Police Department will be speaking at the meeting. Once we have 3 meetings we will be considered an official Block Watch that will be recognized by the City of Columbus. After the 3^rd meeting the City will also post street signs that say Neighborhood Watch Area in our community to warn criminals that we are watching!

A community-based crime prevention program is a simple and direct approach toward protecting our community from criminal attacks. The program involves the reduction of criminal opportunity through citizen’s participation in crime prevention measures, such as being alert and aware, reporting suspicious and criminal activity to the police, and initiating actions which reduce criminal opportunity. To make a COMMUNITY BLOCK WATCH effective we need to work together as a community. We would like to invite you to join our efforts in making our community a safer place to live. Please visit our blog at www.powellblockwatch.blogspot.com for educational information and tips on how to keep alert as to criminal activity in our area. If you would like to join our efforts please email the Block Watch at powellblockwatch@aol.com. At the very least we are asking everyone to please report any suspicious activity to the Columbus Police Department immediately at 614-645-4545. We appreciate your efforts toward making our community a safer place to live.

If you plan to attend the Block Watch meeting please RSVP to powellblockwatch@aol.com. Thank you for your involvement!!!

We would like to give a special thank you to Principal Holly Coombs and the staff at Liberty Elementary for accommodating our group.

* UPDATE ON OUR NOT SO FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD THIEF!! *

2012-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:00

This morning I spoke to the Detective from the Columbus Police Department that is working on the four burglaries that occurred in our area last month. He called to let me know that they were releasing my stolen property back to me (the only thing they recovered of mine unfortunately was the duffle bag that was taken out of my closet, the contents of which were dumped on my floor, and the thief used the bag to haul our valuables out of our home). I asked him what was going on with the juvenile delinquent that was responsible for the burglaries and he told me they were able to charge him with 4 counts of burglary and one count of theft. He was arrested on October 25th but released shortly thereafter. Since his release the no-good thug has broken into 4 more homes and is facing four more burglary charges. He was also caught driving a stolen vehicle on Sawmill Road about 10-15 days ago and is currently sitting in jail (right where he belongs.... YAY) but it is unknown how long it will be before he gets out at this point. His last post on Facebook was on November 16th so I imagine that he was picked up on that day or shortly after because for all of you who have checked out his Facebook page you know how he loves to post and boast on his Facebook wall about his thug life! I do not have any further information. If anyone has anything they would like to add to the blog or if you have more information regarding our thug's fate, please email me at powellblockwatch@aol.com so that I can share with everyone!

Thank you so much for staying involved by keeping informed!!!

OPERATION "LIGHT UP YOUR BLOCK"

2012-11-12T09:13:00.001-08:00

Light Up Your Block!

Help combat the crime in our neighborhood today

Turn your outdoor lights on each night

What else you can do:

Be on the look out in our neighborhood

Call police (614.645.4545) for suspicious behavior

Join the block watch

Questions, comments or concerns?

Please contact the block watch at powellblockwatch@aol.com

www.powellblockwatch.blogspot.com

UPDATE as of November 12th, 2012

2012-11-12T08:06:00.003-08:00

There are several things I wanted to make everyone aware of that have happened in the past few days. First of all there was an older lady who was riding a bicycle on Hartsdale Drive on Saturday afternoon. One of our Block Watch members' husband was working in their garage when the older lady on the bicycle stopped and said she wanted to look at their front door because she had one like it and then she rode away. This seemed very peculiar to the residents so they emailed me to ask if anyone else has had anything like this happen to them. I wanted to share this with everyone just in case as it seems very odd.

Also, I wanted to give everyone an update on our neighborhood thief. He was spotted in our neighborhood yesterday so he is definitely not in jail. I also checked his Facebook page this morning and he updated his status 10 hours ago so he is free to keep up his criminal activity. I want to remind everyone that he is a minor so I am not going to post his name on this blog but if you would like to email me I would be happy to share his information with you. My email address is powellblockwatch@aol.com. Please feel free to email me with any questions or if you have something you would like to share on this blog.

I checked the Columbus Police Department Offense Reports this morning for the past 7 days and there have been several other burglaries and car break-ins. For information on those reports you can search the website here.

Thanks for checking out this post and being involved. A special thank you to the person who reported the suspicious activity to me this morning so that I could share it with our neighbors!

CRIME PREVENTION TIPS AND LITERATURE FROM THE COLUMBUS POLICE DEPARTMENT

2012-11-08T11:27:00.003-08:00

For a complete list of Crime Prevention Tips and Literature and an Online Police Report Guide click here. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page for the list!!

TOP 10 Personal Safety Tips from the Columbus Police

2012-11-08T11:25:00.001-08:00

Want to see the City of Columbus Police Department's TOP 10 PERSONAL SAFETY TIPS???
Just CLICK HERE!!

Columbus Police Community Liason Unit Phone Numbers and Website Addresses

2012-11-08T11:23:00.001-08:00

For a List of Phone Numbers and Website Addresses CLICK HERE.

Like our FACEBOOK Page!!!!!

2012-11-08T11:14:00.002-08:00

"Like" us on Facebook!!! Just click here to view our page!!! Make sure to share the page with your friends! THANKS FOR BEING INVOLVED!!!

Thank You For Coming To The Block Watch Meeting!

2012-11-08T11:04:00.001-08:00

I wanted to thank everyone for coming to the first Block Watch meeting Monday night. It was great to meet everyone and have members of our community share their experiences, thoughts, questions and ideas.

I am still trying to figure out a way to post the handouts that I passed out at the meeting on the blog. If you would like a copy of them please email me at powellblockwatch@aol.com and I will be happy to send them to you!

Our community liason from the Columbus Police Department should be at our next meeting to speak and answer any questions you may have. As soon as I have that meeting scheduled I will post it on the blog and also email everyone a flyer.

If anyone has anything that they would like to share on the blog please just email me and I will be happy to post it for you!

Again I would like to thank everyone for getting involved and I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting!

Have a great day!

Tina

THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU: AND THEN SOME!!!

2012-11-02T13:17:00.001-07:00

THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:
I am particularly interested in the part about the wasp
spray...see bolded

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom- and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at http://www.faketv/.com/)
8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.

4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It's easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon ,
California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs http://www.crimedoctor.com/
and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of
Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.
Protection for you and your home:
If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's evil plans for you. (I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.):
WASP SPRAY

A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention from people like a can of pepper spray would. She also keeps one nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and might be of use.

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE
On the heels of a break-in and beating that left an elderly woman in Toledo dead, self-defense experts have a tip that could save your life.

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High School. For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet spray near your door or bed.

Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."

Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the
culprit in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades. It's also one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection, Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out."

Maybe even save a life.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your Dr.'s office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't
stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

P.S. I am sending this to everyone I know because I think it is fantastic. Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. My Mom has suggested to my Dad
that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she doesn't hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's a problem.

Please pass this on even IF you've read it before. It's a
reminder.

Please share this with all the people in your life. Simply click on the Facebook button below to like this post on your Facebook page!

(This was an email that I received a long time ago but I wanted to share it since it has lots of great tips!)

This one is a tip from me:

My house was burglarized and my teenage son was the one who came into the house, alone, and found that the house had been burglarized. I work during the day and he has to be at home for a few hours every night after school until I get home from work so I had him start ringing the door bell at least 3 times before he enters the house. This will scare the burglar and send them scurrying out like cockroaches when a light is turned on in a dark room! This tip will work with adults, children and elderly... so simple yet it could save you from walking in on a very dangerous situation!

SMOKY ROW RD COMMUNITY BLOCK WATCH

*** CRIME ALERT ***

UPDATE:

Post in Crime & Safety

Olentangy Ridge ALERT10h ago

Summit View Woods East

Monday's Most Wanted

Nextdoor.com

*** THE BURGLAR IS RIDING THE BUS AND GOING TO KILBOURNE ***

JOSH TAYLOR DENIED EARLY RELEASE

BLOCK WATCH MEETING TONIGHT AT 6:30PM

*** NEW REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER IN OUR AREA ***

Juvenile Delinquent SENTENCED TODAY!!!!

BLOCK WATCH MEETING RESCHEDULED

*** Update On Our Neighborhood Thief ***

TONIGHT'S MEETING IS CANCELLED

5 Cheap Home Security Tricks to Keep Your House Safe

BLOCK WATCH MEETING REMINDER!!!!!

*** Community Block Watch Meeting February 12th, 2013 ***

*** Emergency Alert System ***

*** 2nd Smoky Row Road Block Watch Meeting Scheduled ***

*** UPDATE ON OUR NOT SO FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD THIEF!! ***

OPERATION "LIGHT UP YOUR BLOCK"

UPDATE as of November 12th, 2012

CRIME PREVENTION TIPS AND LITERATURE FROM THE COLUMBUS POLICE DEPARTMENT

TOP 10 Personal Safety Tips from the Columbus Police

Columbus Police Community Liason Unit Phone Numbers and Website Addresses

Like our FACEBOOK Page!!!!!

Thank You For Coming To The Block Watch Meeting!

THIRTEEN THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU: AND THEN SOME!!!

* CRIME ALERT *

* THE BURGLAR IS RIDING THE BUS AND GOING TO KILBOURNE *

* NEW REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER IN OUR AREA *

* Update On Our Neighborhood Thief *

* Community Block Watch Meeting February 12th, 2013 *

* Emergency Alert System *

* 2nd Smoky Row Road Block Watch Meeting Scheduled *

* UPDATE ON OUR NOT SO FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD THIEF!! *