About 60 people gathered at Babcock Presbyterian Church, in Loch Raven Village, Wednesday night to discuss with Baltimore County police officials what residents say has been a rash of property crimes, including thefts from vehicles, in the neighborhood.
Loch Raven Village, Knettishall and Ridgeleigh have seen an increase in property crime, police acknowledged during the meeting, which was conducted by a pair of community associations that represent residents in the area, The Associates of Loch Raven Village and the Knettishall Community Association.
In July and August of 2015, 22 vehicles were stolen across Precinct 6, which includes the Towson area, Capt. Jay Landsman Jr., commander of Precinct 6, said the day after the meeting occurred. This year, 47 vehicles have been stolen in that same time frame precinct-wide, including 17 in the Loch Raven Boulevard corridor, Landsman added. In six of those cases in the Loch Raven Boulevard area, the keys were in the vehicle.
Other property crimes across Precinct 6, such as thefts from vehicles, have not generally increased this summer; Ridgeleigh and Knettishall, as well as nearby Loch Raven Village, have seen more crime than other areas, but that could change at any time, Landsman added.
Precinct 6, which includes Towson, stretches from the city line to I-695 and from Falls Road to Perring Parkway. In July and August 2014, 93 thefts from vehicles occurred in the precinct; in the same time period in 2015 there were 95 thefts and 96 this year, Landsman said.
One resident who attended the meeting, but preferred not to give her name for publication, said her car had been broken into three times over a recent two-week period. The series of break-ins didn't make her angry but made her resolved to stop crime in the area, she said.
The cause for the recent crime spike in the area could be a result of a change in the area's population, community outreach officer Sgt. Steve Fink told residents at the meeting.
"If a neighborhood is all of a sudden getting younger and there's more young families in the neighborhood, there's going to be more things going on outside," he said. "More bicycles, more lawn equipment outside, more things being left outside."
That's where police are seeing a change, Fink said, adding that a similar spike might occur elsewhere in the precinct at a different time.
"We try to adjust our patrol areas accordingly," he said.
In addition, the summer brings thefts from cars and other similar crimes, such as thefts from sheds, Landsman said at the meeting.
Citizens on patrol
The main question on the minds of residents who attended the meeting was how to stop such crimes from occurring.
Residents should ensure their vehicles are locked, and put a "club" anti-theft device on the steering wheel, Landsman told them. Owners also should not leave anything valuable in plain sight in the vehicle, he added.
He also encouraged people to contact 911 if they see someone behaving suspiciously. Very few good reasons exist for someone to be out in the middle of the night, Landsman said, adding that if a resident hears glass breaking, or sees someone with a flashlight looking into cars, that person should call 911.
"Get [the criminals] scrambling; that's what it's all about," Landsman added.
Fink also promoted the Citizens on Patrol Program, through which residents watch for signs of criminal activity in their neighborhoods.
"Everybody in this room can be a citizen on patrol," he added.
Some residents said they came to ask questions and show support for the community, although they hadn't been the victim of a crime.
"I love this neighborhood," resident Ian Haupt said, adding that he hoped to illustrate how strong the Loch Raven area is.
For more information on Towson Area Citizens on Patrol, the local Citizens on Patrol group, go to www.towsonareacop.wordpress.com.
An earlier version of this story contained an incorrect spelling of the name of the Ridgeleigh community.