JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Residents in the Crosswater at Pablo Bay neighborhood are on edge after they say several cars and garages were broken into.
One resident of the subdivision off San Pablo Parkway, between J. Turner Butler and Beach boulevards, said Wednesday that the break-ins have reached double digits.
"We aren't able to nail down a trend. Some cars have been unlocked, but quite a few have been locked and been forced open, either pried open by some other means. It's been all over the place," said one neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous.
The neighbor said they're trying to take hold of the situation by meeting up at designated times and circling the neighborhood to look for anything suspicious.
"Some of us take it to the next level. If I see something that doesn't look quite right, I'm texting the neighbor, like, 'Hey, did you mean to leave your garage open? There's a car in your driveway. I don't recognize it.' That may be a little invasive, but God forbid something happens and I didn't do it," the man said.
He said they never approach anyone because they don't know if that person could be armed and they don't want to take any chances.
If residents see something strange, they call police, he said.
The neighbor also said having more police presence in the area would help as well.
"I would like for some police officers to come to our safety meetings, maybe give us some tips, or real world examples of things to watch out for and so on and so forth. I could say it until I'm blue in the face, but if it comes from an actual authority figure, sometimes people take it to heart more," he said.
Authorities urge people to always lock their cars and homes, even if they trust the neighborhood they live in.