Police Log: Should You Start A Neighborhood Watch?

Property crimes -- burglaries, car break-ins, thefts -- continued last week in Dublin, as in neighboring cities.

Two home break-ins in Pleasanton, one week apart, netted burglars and nearly .

Some 20 residents in north Livermore, meanwhile, fed up with graffiti, scofflaws, gang activity and overall criminal malfeasance, recently organized a Neighborhood Watch -- and made their first order of business a boarded-up, abandoned house that was a magnet for trash dumping and nogoodniks, in general.

Dublin, too, is seeing ample property crimes: six burglaries were reported one day alone last month, plus the Oct. 11 suspicious soliciting incident in Dublin Ranch proved alarming to locals.

Could Neighborhood Watch groups help?

Dublin Police Services, along with law enforcement nationwide,  advocate Neighborhood Watch groups as deterrents to crime.

Dublin deputies say such affiliations allow neighbors to get acquainted, build partnerships with cops and city officials, learn about crime trends and prevention strategies, receive crime bulletins/newsletters, plus network with other proactive Dublin residents.

Folks interested in becoming "block captains" sign up for police training and receive crime-prevention kits from Dublin deputies.

Dublin residents interested in starting Neighborhood Watch groups or seeking more information can contact Dublin police at (925) 833-6670.

And to learn more about the newly formed Livermore watch group, and view "before" and "after" pictures of the home clean-up,

In other area police news:

Saturday, Oct. 20

• Two arrests for suspected driving under the influence: man, 1:32 a.m. on Hopyard Road at Owens Drive; man, 11 p.m. on 6500 Dublin Boulevard.
• Injury-accident reported 12:08 p.m. on East Branch and Windemere parkways.
• Car break-in logged 11:45 a.m. on 5000 Dublin Boulevard.
• Battery reported 2:38 p.m. on 7400 Rolling Hills Circle.

Friday, Oct. 19

• Male, 18, arrested for alleged possession and use/influence of controlled substances 2:16 a.m. on Tamarack Drive and Village Parkway.
• Battery reported 12:40 p.m. on 8100 Village Parkway.
• Car break-in reported 5:03 p.m. on the 3600 block of Fallon Road.
• Theft logged 11:17 a.m. on 3600 Kohnen Way.
• Fire at historic Livermore building ruled suspicious.

Thursday, Oct. 18

• Burglary incident filed 10:51 a.m. on 100 Civic Plaza.
• Male arrested 10:20 p.m. along 7900 Vomac Road for suspected use/influence of controlled susbstances and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Suspicious circumstances investigated 8 a.m. on 7100 Cross Creek Drive.
• Battery cases: 6:48 a.m. along 7500 Burnham Way; noon on the 7700 block of Lisa Court.
• Domestic-assault case reported 9:14 a.m. on 100 Civic Plaza.
• Woman found dead in suspected Castro Valley arson case.
• Identity theft filed 11:48 a.m. along 3400 Monaghan Street.
• Data released involving suspected sexual abuse in Boy Scouts organization.

Wednesday, Oct. 17

• Stockton female, 22, arrested for suspected possession of controlled substances 12:09 a.m. Dougherty Road at Sierra Lane.
• Noise complaint filed 12:55 a.m. along 8500 Davona Drive.
• Burglary logged 7000 Amador Plaza Road 9:18 p.m.
• Fight reported at a school on the 6800 block of Penn Drive 9:55 a.m.
• Homeless man, 37, cited on warrant charges 1:40 a.m. on Eden Canyon Road at I-580.
• Shoplifting cited 6 p.m. on 4900 Dublin Boulevard.
• Steven Carlson ordered to stand trial for alleged 1984 killing of Tina Faelz.

Tuesday, Oct. 16

• Warrants served: to San Francisco male, 34, and Oakland man, 29, at 1:22 a.m. on Dublin Boulevard near Iron Horse Parkway; and to another individual 9:35 p.m. on 4800 Swinford Court.
• Noise complaint filed 9:22 p.m. along 7700 Tuscany Drive.
• Telephone harrassment reported on the 3100 block of Finnian Way at 9:15 a.m.
• Car break-ins logged: 6 p.m. and 9:36 p.m. on 21300 San Ramon Valley Boulevard.
• Suspicious circumstances investigated 12:15 p.m. on 7100 Village Parkway.
• Reward of $4,000 announced for return of pug Holly reportedly taken in Oct. 8 Pleasanton home burglary.

Monday, Oct. 15

• Vandalism cited 10:45 a.m. on 6900 York Avenue.
• Vehicle towed for overdue registration on Hopyard Road at I-580; no time available.
• Grand theft from vehicle reported 1 p.m. on 7600 Burnham Way.
• Car break-in logged 6:47 a.m. on 5900 Topsfield Circle.
• Burglary reported 12:30 p.m. along 8300 Davona Drive.
• Vehicles reported stolen: 11:58 p.m. on 7100 Dublin Boulevard; 11:30 p.m. on 9000 Alcosta Boulevard.
• Castro Valley woman, 51, arrested for suspected DUI and use/influence of controlled susbstances 2:36 p.m. on 6900 Amador Plaza Road.
• Theft reported 9:21 a.m. on 4200 Belcarra Court; theft using access-card information 5:24 p.m. on 11500 Betlen Drive.
• Report of use/influence of controlled susbstances made 12:14 p.m. on Dougherty Road at Dublin Boulevard.
• Tracy male, 20, served with warrant 8:27 a.m. on Beverly Lane at Kimball Avenue.

Sunday, Oct. 14

• Vehicle reported stolen 8:13 p.m. on 5300 Iron Horse Parkway.
• Burglary reported 12:28 p.m. on 5300 Iron Horse Parkway.
• Noise complaint filed 2:04 a.m. along 3100 Finnian Way.
• Car break-ins logged 4:30 a.m. on 11300 Bloomington Way, 2:30 p.m. on 7400 Donohue Boulevard.
• Castro Valley woman, 52, arrested 9:58 a.m. for alleged DUI and use/influence of controlled substances on the 8200 block of Mulberry Place.
• Dublin male, 19, arrested 2:43 a.m. on Elba Way and Emerald Avenue for suspected DUI.
• Separate incidents of women robbed of gold necklaces in Fremont.