Community Watch

Orange County Sheriff's Department:  https://www.ocsonc.com/


Most break-ins happen during daytime hours.  Please call the Orange County Sheriff's Dept. to check on anything that feels "out of place."    Call 9-1-1.

• Please report any suspicious vehicles parked or cruising and/or persons loitering in the neighborhood.
• Please write down license tag numbers and vehicles description / time / date / place to report suspicious activity to the sheriff's dept.
• Don't leave valuables in vehicles in the driveway.  Lock your vehicles.
• Avoid leaving laptops and other electronic equipment inside your home within view of prying eyes.
• Use timers on household lights and leave a radio on while you are away so that it will appear as if somebody is home.
• Stop newspapers and mail delivery if you will be away for a week or more (or have a friend pick them up for you).
• Trim hedges to open up sight lines so trespassers can't hide.
• Don't open the door to a stranger.  If they say they have an emergency, then offer to phone 9-1-1 for them, but talk to them through the door.  

Orange Co. Sheriff's Dept. - Phone 9-1-1 and tell the dispatcher 

you wish to make a non-emergency suspicious activity report.

Ask somebody you trust to check on your property if you are going to be out of town.  The Sheriff's Department also will provide courtesy daily checks on your property while you are out of town.  Call 919-245-2900 to arrange this service.

We have posted a "No Solicitations" sign at the entrance to the neighborhood.  Feel free to tell salespeople that we have a neighborhood policy not to accept door-to-door solicitations.  They must have passed that big sign at the entrance to get to your doorstep.  If they cannot produce a permit, then the Sheriff can escort them out of the neighborhood.  (This does not apply to children and teens who live in the neighborhood and are seeking support for clubs, sports teams, community activities, etc.)

A "Community Watch" sign is posted at the entrance as well.  The sign doesn't mean much if we fail to phone the Sheriff's Dept. when we see something that looks out of place.  A deputy will leave a note on the windshield of a parked vehicle or will approach the stranger in question in a way that lets that person know that we are looking out for each other and that we, indeed, do have an active Community Watch.  If the person has a legitimate reason to be in the neighborhood, then that person doesn't have a problem.  The Sheriff's Dept. gladly handles such matters.  After you have reported suspicious activity to the Sheriff's Dept., then you can also post it on the neighborhood email listserv.  Never confront or pursue a person.  It is best to try to get a complete description and a license plate tag # and the date / time and keep a record of it.  Let the Sheriff's Dept. take care of the rest.