From Rockledge Neighborhood Watch:
Hello Neighbors!
I hope you all had a great week.
I know we have been talking a lot about vehicle burglaries lately, but this week we had an occupied burglary in the area of Woodhaven Apartments. The resident left their sliding glass door open through the night. The suspect entered the sliding glass door while the resident was asleep and burglarized the residence. The residents awoke to the suspect in the residence. The suspect became startled and fled the residence. No one was harmed in this incident but it could have ended much differently. It is very easy to become complacent and feel safe in your neighborhoods, but we all need to remember, crime can happen anywhere! It is tempting to leave your doors and windows open at night when the evenings are as nice as they have been lately and rising costs of electric bills. Below are a few tips for home safety…
* Please close and lock all of your doors.
* If you have a sliding glass door, install and use a pin lock and charley bar. Also place some type of dowel in the track of the sliding door
* If you are leaving your windows open, please use window locks so the windows can only be opened a small amount for ventilation.
* Have proper lighting outside of your residence.
* Install security lights outside your residence and leave porch lights and outside lights on through the night.
* Make sure your bushes in front of your residences are trimmed properly.
* Install a security system at your residence and if you already have one, make sure it is being utilized.
* Install surveillance video at your residence and if you already have one, make sure it is working properly and you know how to review and record the information for the police.
Also this week…
A joint investigation with the Rockledge and Cocoa Police Departments was conducted and a search warrant was issued at a residence in Pelican Harbor. Two arrests were made for several charges of Lewd and Lascivious Molestation and Child Abuse from both departments. This investigation is ongoing.
Six arrests were made this week for drug related charges and three arrests were made for active warrants. Several other arrests were made for other charges including but not limited to carrying a concealed weapon, aggravated battery, trespass after warning and fraudulent checks.
The Rockledge Police Department has added a new anonymous tip area to the Rockledge Police Department website. The Rockledge Police Department is always striving for new and better ways to help deter and solve crime. This can be a great tool. if you have a tip related to any type of crime please feel free to use this site. We have also added on the City of Rockledge Facebook page a copy of the City’s peddler, solicitor and canvas permit with the below verbage. Never allow a solicitor or someone you do not know in your home. Be aware that criminals often use this as a ploy to case your residents or find potential targets for crimes
IMPORTANT ALERT ABOUT DOOR-TO-DOOR SOLICITATION
Anyone appearing at your door trying to sell or take orders for merchandise or services of any kind must have on their person a valid permit (see sample). A Peddler, Solicitor or Canvasser Permit is a wallet-sized card issued by the Rockledge Building Services Division to individuals who have successfully completed a background check by the Rockledge Police Department. If an unexpected solicitor appears at your door, ask to see the permit; if the person is not able to produce the permit card or makes an excuse concerning its whereabouts, call the Rockledge Police immediately. Even people wearing a recognizable logo MUST HAVE the permit card on their person.
I have talked to many residents who have observed suspicious activity but have not reported it to the police. Know that the Rockledge Police Department is here to take your calls. If you see a suspicious person or vehicle in your area, report it right away! Please be observant for such things as personal, clothing and vehicle descriptors, but do not engage the subjects, contact the Rockledge Police Department.