Residents Look to Start Neighborhood Watch

Numerous thefts and burglaries in the Half Hollow Hills areas over the past six months have sparked the call for a Community Watch program.

Creating stronger neighbor-to-neighbor relationships to keep crime off of the streets was the theme of a community forum held Tuesday night at Candlewood Middle School.

Three Suffolk County Police Officers spoke to the group of about 50 residents about how to observe and report suspicious activities in their communities. They said Neighborhood Watch groups are one of the most effective programs within crime prevention.

“We become very compartmentalized and don’t always know what’s going on,” Officer John Chiquitucto, community liaison for the Second Precinct said, referring to a lack of communication between neighbors.

“It’s about looking out for each other and getting to know what’s going on at the street level,” Sergeant Steven Desantis added.

Desantis said that property crime is the biggest issue within the Town of Huntington with 2,977 incidents reported in 2011. That number is a dip from the previous year in which 3,660 property crimes were recorded.

“When something is taken from your home, even if it’s just a bicycle, you feel violated,” James Ptchua, vice president of Four Towns Civic Association and member of the Half Hollow Hills School Board, said.

A main factor of reducing crime in the Dix Hills and Melville areas has to do with making it harder for criminals to commit an illegal act.

The officers said that when they report to a burglary or break in, they often find that the car or home was left unlocked, or that a valuable item such as a cell phone, laptop, GPS or wallet was left in the car. 

“If they try to get in one car and are successful, they’ll come back the next night,” Chiquituco, said.

The officers stressed the importance of locking garage doors, back doors, windows and setting an alarm, as well. 

When witnessing a break-in or burglary, residents are asked to call 911. The officers said that keeping a notebook and pen handy is extremely helpful for writing down descriptions and license plate numbers.

Residents were encouraged to call the COPE (Community Unit Police Enforcement) line at 631-854-8240 or 8250 for quality of life issues such as speed complaints or people hanging around a park at night.

Those who wish to be a part of a Community Watch group should contact Police Officer John Chiquitucto at 631-854-8253 or john.chiquitucto@suffolkcountyny.gov.