As Crime Rises, Angry Catoosa Residents Create Neighborhood Watch

Burglaries and vandalism are out of control in one Catoosa neighborhood.

Frustrated homeowners in the Rolling Hills neighborhood said they can't take the crime anymore and are taking a unique approach to stopping it.

In 1962, when Linda Deal moved into the neighborhood, she said it wasn't uncommon to leave a door unlocked. But, with crime on the rise, she wouldn't do that today.

"It is angry to have our neighborhood turn into this," Deal said.

Over the past few years, she said burglaries and vandalism have gotten out of control.

She said her grandson's truck was burglarized, and his items were found for sale on Craigslist. Deal said her car's been burglarized, too.

"I looked out the door a few minutes later, and there were the boys, just going down the street getting into cars," Deal said.

With the entire neighborhood getting hit, constantly, it's not enough to be mad, so folks who live there are taking action.

Fed up neighbors got together to form a neighborhood watch program, and in just a few days the group grew from 20 to over 200 people.

Deal said, "We got people patrolling the streets day and night; people putting cameras on their houses."

Police are also helping.

On a special Facebook page, started by Tony Calzini, neighbors post pictures of burglary suspects and their cars, which has led police to make some arrests.

Deal said while crime is out of control, she won't let them run her out.

"They are not gonna want to be here. They are going to want to go somewhere else 'cause we're watching for them, and they are gonna get caught, and they are not gonna like it," she said.

The neighborhood watch plans to meet early next month.

You can learn more about creating a neighborhood watch here. You can also use the ICE BlackBox app.