Neighborhood Watch

The Los Altos Neighborhood Watch Program supports strengthening neighborhoods to reduce crime. A cooperative program between Los Altos residents and the Police Department, Neighborhood Watch encourages individual neighborhoods to unite and form their own Neighborhood Watch Groups. Each Group will have a Block Captain to connect the neighbors and the Police Department and to share information on crime trends and prevention tips. Click here to see more about the responsibilities of a Neighborhood Watch Block Captain.

Interested in joining the Los Altos Neighborhood Watch Program? Submit a Neighborhood Watch Registration Form and email the form to police@losaltosca.gov. Los Altos Police Department will work with you to create a new Neighborhood Watch Group or connect you with your Block Captain if a group already exists.

Since you’re interested in helping to make your neighborhood an even better place to live, you may also want to register your neighborhood as a Block Action Team and learn how to work with your neighbors to “Connect, Care and Prepare”. Visit losaltosbat.org to learn more about the Block Action Team program and to sign up.

Crime Prevention Tips

Burglaries are often random crimes of opportunity. Below are a few tips to help you prevent crime in your neighborhood:

Always lock up your home and vehicles: An unlocked door or window is an open invitation to a thief. Most homes are unlawfully entered through an unlocked door or window. Since thieves often target unlocked vehicles, be sure to lock them up. Remove all personal belongings along with garage door openers from inside your vehicle when parked outside.
Report suspicious activity: Many criminals case neighborhoods looking for residents’ patterns of activity. If you see suspicious people or vehicles in your neighborhood, report your observations of suspicious behavior to the Police Department right away.
Daytime occurrences: Professional thieves know most people work during the day, so most break-ins occur during daytime hours.
Get to know your neighbors: The most valuable tool is a good neighbor who notices when something is awry. Consider becoming a Block Action Team Leader to help your neighbors get to know each other; see www.losaltosbat.org.
Use anti-theft devices and light your home: Alarms, video surveillance cameras, dogs, lighting, and defensible plants, such as roses and citrus bushes, are a deterrent to criminals. Be sure you have good lighting surrounding the exterior of your home and use timers on inside lighting when you are not home.
Inventory your valuables: Make a list of your valuables with the make and serial number and take photos of each item. Mark your valuables with your name or an id number to help recovery.