The suspect leaped through the window.

The man seemed out of place, milling about in front Jack Reynolds’s home. Reynolds was not at home, so his neighbor across the street eyed the man closely. The suspect looked around and then peeked through the window. Soon the man disappeared behind the home — and then a light came on inside.

The Good Samaritan across the street quickly phoned the neighbor right next to Reynolds’s home, and then called police. The neighbor then approached Reynolds’s home, but found the suspect already had fled.

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“They got what they could in two minutes,” Reynolds says.

Unfortunately, the thief’s loot included some jewelry, a laptop computer, and a Smith and Wesson .38-caliber revolver. The pistol was the biggest loss. Reynolds had owned the gun for more than 60 years, and it had been a gift from his father-in-law. He has lived in the area since 1956, but has experienced very little crime. In recent months, the area has had two other break-ins, he says.

Dallas Police Sgt. Keitric Jones of the Northeast Patrol Division says to always check doors and windows to make sure they are locked. Cool weather may be great for opening windows and letting in the fresh air, but forgetting to lock them can be costly.

Even though Reynolds’s watchful neighbor wasn’t able to prevent the crime completely, Jones says this crime is a great example of how a neighborhood watch can prevent a criminal from getting away with considerable stolen property.

“Get involved in your neighborhood crime watch group,” he says. “It’s very important to get to know as many neighbors as possible so if they see something suspicious, they can call the police.”

Crime Numbers

32

Number of incidents that occurred in the streets surrounding the Skillman and Abrams intersection during a one-month period, including:

7

assaults

16

car burglaries

9

thefts