Capri gets proactive with Neighborhood Watch

By Joan Kelly

At the monthly Capri Association meeting on January 11th the speaker was Capri resident and Gulfcoast Protective Services owner Kevin Martin. The residents crowded the hall to hear Martin, who has 25 years of security experience, make suggestions and a plea to organize and protect against break-ins.

Kevin Martin proposed that a Neighborhood Watch be formed with two block captains on each street. With trained people in place and everyone on the street aware of the problems he expects that the attempts at theft and vandalism will decrease. It is better to be proactive than reactive, having to call the Sheriff after a break in.

In the past 90 days on the Isles of Capri there have been 10 reports sent to law enforcement, and

11 in the 90 days prior to that. The time it takes for the Sheriff to respond to the security alarms is too long to catch the person in the act.

That is where an alert community can be helpful. Kevin Martin suggests that people report suspicious cars and trucks in the drives in the neighborhood.

Martin also suggested that people lock their cars, garage doors and sliders. He noted that 80 percent of the thefts take place where people leave the doors unlocked or open. This is the time to be proactive and lock up.

In reply the crowd vocalized several related concerns.

Many people signed up to take Neighborhood Watch training. The two to three hour training event will be provided for all residents who want to get involved.