Historic Tulsa Neighborhood Fights Back Against Crime

Tulsa neighbors are fighting back against a rash of crimes. The Owen Park neighborhood, just north of downtown Tulsa has been targeted by burglars and an arsonist.

Crime can happen in any neighborhood but responding to it as a team is often the best way to keep it from happening again.

Holly has been explaining to her 3-year-old son how someone broke their kitchen window and how police officers came and helped them.

"They climbed up a slide, broke this window and went into my kitchen and came out the backdoor, which is what triggered the alarm," Holly said.

Her neighbor heard it, called police, then Holly. The alarm scared off the burglars before they took anything. But they did throw a brick through her basement window, just for good measure.

"It was really scary. You feel really violated. It definitely alters your sense of security," Holly said.

Holly wasn't the only person hit; she's been told 11 other neighbors were broken into on the same night, including her neighbor across the street who had his computer stolen.

Then the very next night, someone torched an abandoned house in the same neighborhood.

04/04/2012 Related Story: Vacant West Tulsa Home Goes Up In Flames

Owen Park residents are not sure what's behind this rash of crimes in a neighborhood with a history stretching back to the early territorial days.

The neighborhood association is in the process of setting up an alert neighbor program so everyone who lives here can be part of the solution.

Holly loves the idea. She says this is already a tight knit community.

"We're already watching out for each other. We talk to each other, keep our eye on each other's houses, kids, pets, our things, so just to organize that, is a great idea," she said.

Holly says after this week's activities, the neighbors will really be watching for anything out of the ordinary.

lf you want to set up an alert neighbor program, call the Crime Commission at 9180-585-5209.