It may be a fluke, but there have been more serious police reports than usual in neighborhoods in our part of Greensboro recently. As followers of Nextdoor.com know, College Hill has had a few crimes reported this summer — including four reports of items being stolen from front porches — and it’s also worth being aware of what’s going on around us.
Photo taken from surveillance video in the Brice Street neighborhood, from a Nextfdoor.com posting today
Most of the following appeared on Nextdoor, going back to the beginning of July. That does skew things a bit. Some neighborhoods — Brice Street, College Hill and Fisher Park in particular — are more active than others (Glenwood and Westerwood, for example) in using the site to report public-safety issues.
- Brice Street neighborhood (2100 block of Spring Garden), August 20: “This man [the post included the photo at right taken from a surveillance video camera] walked down my sidewalk on spring garden and turned to come to my house I was at my desk and saw him coming and where I keep a .45 and he turned to my house and then stopped when he noticed the camera. I am positive he is holding a gun in his hand under his shirt/shorts. I am positive this man was intent on harm and it was clear I was home as lights were in tv playing and car in driveway. I took video to police and wanted to share.”
- Fisher Park, August 19: “Heads up to everyone. Discovered early this morning all of my tires had been slashed. Never had any problems in the 6 or so years I have lived here. Car was parked on street as always. Just wanted all to be aware.”
- Fisher Park, August 10: “The Fisher Park Community has a thread on Facebook where residents are sharing surveillance video and pictures of the man trespassing on their property. … The Fisher Park community is on alert after seeing the man pictured above wandering around the area, demanding money, falling asleep on porches, and even gaining access into apartment buildings.” (via WFMY-TV)
- College Hill, August 8: “Unfortunately it looks like 12 chairs and two tables that belonged to Amy Solo were stolen from my front porch mid-afternoon today. According to James a white van pulled up in front of my house facing the wrong way (south), loaded up the items and drove off. … Very distressing – first time in 40 years I’ve had anything removed from my front porch – and in the middle of the day??”
- Fisher Park, July 19: “I want everyone in Fisher Park to know that I discovered early in the morning of July 19th that someone had picked up a block of cement and smashed the windshield of my car, then ripped up flowers in my wife’s garden. … I have lived in Fisher Park for 12 years with my car parked on the street in front of my house without incident prior to this vicious occurrence.”
- Fisher Park, July 13: “Home Break-In during day — Friday morning 7/13 between 11am – 12noon the back door of my neighbor’s house on Magnolia Street was kicked in. Gold jewelry was taken and the bedroom ransacked. The police were called and said this has been a pattern.”
- Brice Street, July 12: “FYI tonight just minutes ago a gang of young people were caught trying to break into my son’s vehicle on Milton St. My son chased them and the police used dogs and trapped them in a fenced area.”
- College Hill, July 1: “Three robberies occurred within 10 minutes the evening of Sunday July 1. Greensboro Police report that three suspects have been arrested and charged with the crimes. The robberies were the first reported in College Hill since March.”
P.S. This is only marginally related, but interesting. While looking at crimemapping.com today, I noticed there’s a location on Spring Garden Street on the other side of campus that had seven crime reports since July 15. I looked them up and found that it’s the Sheetz station — five for theft or shoplifting, one for assault and one for car theft. All but one of the theft reports included an arrest (the car theft report did, too). That place draws a rougher crowd than I would have thought, but they appear to be ready for them.