I will be back in the office tomorrow afternoon and can check then.
 
Thanks,
 
Brian

We just spoke to Capt. Coker of the Hoover PD.  We'll post what he said shortly regarding the burglaries, but first, here is the post from Hoover PD from their Facebook page:
 
"There have been nine burglaries in the Bluff Park area recently. They have occurred primarily during daytime hours on the following streets; Alford Avenue, Bluff Road, Capri Drive, Shadybrook Lane, Shades Crest Road , and Tyler Road. Cri
minals have been prying doors, breaking windows, or kicking in doors primarily on the rear or side of unoccupied residences. Items stolen include lawn mowers, silverware, jewelry, home electronics, and firearms. Investigators are following several leads but there is no definitive suspect information to provide at this time. What can you do?
 
First, if you see any situation, person, or vehicle that appears suspicious call Hoover Police immediately at 911 or (205) 822-5300. Don’t wait or assume someone else will call. We need you to call and provide the best information you can about vehicles, tag numbers, suspect descriptions, direction of travel, and anything else you consider useful. Remember; NEVER PUT YOURSELF IN DANGER TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION! Photos or video from a cell phone can be very helpful as well.
 
Second, evaluate your home with this Home Security Inspection Checklist and consider the recommendations it includes: http://www.hooverpd.com/ftpupload/upload/homesecuritychecklist.pdf
 
Third, participate in Operation Identification so that if you have items stolen, you can provide identifying information to us and improve the chance of recovering your property and prosecuting criminals: http://www.hooverpd.com/ftpupload/upload/operationid.pdf
 
Finally, if you don’t have a Neighborhood Watch in your area contact Officer Brian Foreman at (205) 739-6870 or foremanr@ci.hoover.al.us to start one. A Neighborhood Watch is proven to one of the most effective ways to reduce crime in any residential area."

Capt. Coker also indicated that additional patrols will be taking place in Bluff Park.
 
He also mentioned Neighborhood Watch.  Let's be honest here...we want more police patrol, but we could have every police vehicle that HPD has patrolling Bluff Park, there would still be spots where they couldn't be.  Yet the residents - you - are there.
 
Ofc. Foreman's post tells you how to get a Neighborhood Watch program started.  It's free and it's effective.  But even if you don't have one for your block right now, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, CALL 911.  It may turn out to be nothing.  But it may turn out to be these burglars.  But they can't be caught if you don't call.  HPD would rather come out and find nothing than not come out and then take a burglary report later on.
 

By the way, BluffParkAL.org also has a Neighborhood Watch page that has all the information you will need to get started in getting your block organized in the program(of course, Step 1 is to call Ofc. Foreman):
 
http://www.bluffparkal.org/neighborhood_watch.htm
 

We just received a call from Capt. Coker, Hoover PD.  He advised that Vestavia PD has a subject in custody for burglary that has admitted to the burglaries in Bluff Park.  Hoover PD plans to serve him with warrants.
 
Capt. Coker wanted us to remind the residents of Bluff Park to continue being vigilant and report any suspicious activity.  If you see something suspicious call 911.
 
More details as they become available.

Hello everyone,
     I just posted the following on the Hoover PD Facebook page:
 
     On 8/29/2012 Vestavia Police received a call from a home owner in their City reporting that a burglary suspect had just kicked in the rear door to her residence.  The suspect ran off when he realized the home was occupied and the victim provided good information to Vestavia Dispatch.  Vestavia PD did a great job looking out for the suspect vehicle and they were able to take him into custody.  The suspect, Keith Henderson, is a resident of the Bluff Park area of Hoover.
 
     Our Detectives interviewed Henderson and were able to determine he was the primary suspect for the recent Bluff Park burglaries.  Our Detectives plan to obtain warrants next week and may close as many as one dozen cases.  We should have a formal release sometime next week.  Remember to be observant and expect that there will always be other criminals to replace the ones who are caught.  If you haven’t formed a Neighborhood Watch yet, please contact Officer Brian Foreman at (205) 739-6870 to do so.
 
     Here is a link to the Vestavia Police Department release:  http://www.hooverpd.com/ftpupload/upload/vestaviarelease.pdf  

These burglaries, and the subsequent arrest of a suspect, show in great detail how the effectiveness of the Neighborhood Watch program could have helped prevent some of the burglaries.  
 
We'd like to point out some of the parts of the press release, which Ofc. Foreman transcribed in one of the previous posts, and then share an e-mail that we received from a Bluff Park resident, and our responses to the e-mail (no names will be used).
 
First the part of the press release that's important:
 
On 8/29/12, at approximately 1:45pm, VHPD responded to a report of a residential burglary in progress in the 1500 blk. of Badham Dr. The victim reported that an unknown, white male suspect had repeatedly rang her doorbell and then proceeded to the rear door of the home where he forced entry into the residence by kicking in the door. The suspect became aware that the home was occupied and immediately fled.  
 The victim provided VHPD with a physical, clothing and vehicle description of the suspect. A VHPD Motor-Scout spotted a suspect and vehicle matching the provided description travelling north on Badham Dr. He conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle and a subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of Keith A. Henderson, 37, of Hoover, for Burglary 2nd degree. The information provided by the victim was extremely helpful in VHPD’s efforts to apprehend the suspect.
 
A resident provided a description of the suspect.  Although in this case it was the victim, it doesn't have to be.  It can be anyone who sees something suspicious.  Because of the excellent description, VHPD was able to stop the suspect quickly.
 
Now the e-mail exchange which began on 8/27/12 (again, all names are removed):
 
Hello,
 
There have been two break-ins in Bluff Park in the last couple few days. Last week, there was one off of Sherrlyn and just yesterday one on Capri in broad daylight.
 
I feel like people need to be alert to this. There are a lot of elderly people in my neighborhood and they have no clue. Also...people don't think this can happen to them. People need to be alert and watch out for neighbors, report strange cars, etc.
 
Can this be reported on the Bluff Park Website?
 
Sincerely,
 
Our response:
 
xxxx,
Yes, we have a section on the Bluff Park Forum called Neighborhood Watch:
http://bluffparkal.org/bpforum/YaBB.pl?board=neighborhood_watch
 
You do have to be a member in order to post on the forum, so if you're not signed up, please follow these instructions:
http://bluffparkal.org/bpforum/YaBB.pl?num=1319420870/0#0
 
Regarding the burglaries, there is a current thread on the Neighborhood Watch section that talks about them.  I've e-mailed Ofc. Foreman (in charge of the Neighborhood Watch program for Hoover PD) to give us some more information, which he said he'll post on the forum as soon as he knows more.
 
Keep an eye on the forum for updates.
 
Thanks,
 
Their response:
 
Just wondering what I could do to help warn people in Bluff Park to lock doors, be aware, etc. Could I post something at Bluff Park Piggly Wiggly? I am very concerned for the elderly and the folks who are not aware that this is going on.
 
I think a lot of people think it will not happen to them....and have a false sense of security.
 
I have thought about printing up flyers (small ones) and passing them out in the neighborhoods but this seems like a monumental task.
 
Do you have any ideas for me? I have lived in Bluff Park for over twenty years and love my neighborhood. I hate to think that the people that live around here are at risk and many are unaware.
 
Thank you for any ideas, suggestions.
 
Our response:
 
xxxx,
 
A flyer is the reason that BluffParkAL.org exists.  Not because it started as such, but that a flyer doesn't cover enough ground.  If you'll go to the bottom of the Neighborhood Updates page:
http://www.bluffparkal.org/neighborhood_updates.htm
you'll see how it all began and where we are today.  
 
That having been said, our biggest issue is lack of community involvement when it comes to crime prevention.  Although I am a firm believer that we need more police presence in Bluff Park (my number one pet peeve with the city council, and they know it), I am also one that believes that we need to be proactive about our community.  Because of this, I am a firm believe in each block in Bluff Park being covered by a Neighborhood Watch group.  All of our eyes combined are better than a pair of eyes belonging to a police officer who cruises through Bluff Park maybe once every 4 hours.
 
Countless stories have been printed and broadcast as to the effectiveness of Neighborhood Watch groups, yet most people don't want to start one.  It has been shown to be more effective than an alarm system.  Why don't people want to start one?  Because they don't know how, and may be a little apprehensive.  This is why Officer Brian Foreman is there to assist.
 
We have entire page dedicated to Neighborhood Watch groups:
 
http://www.bluffparkal.org/neighborhood_watch.htm
 
The best thing you can do is to spread the word about forming a Neighborhood Watch group (after having your block setup, of course).  The more blocks are setup, the less ground the "bad guys" will have to do their thing.
 
Once you have looked at the above, call Ofc. Foreman (his contact info is on the Neighborhood Watch page) and arrange to have a meeting.  It's no charge and he'll be happy to set everything up.
 
Let me know if you have any other questions.
 
Thanks,

 
 
Their response:
 
Thank you for your reply. I am starting to get the picture! I am starting to change my view of Neighborhood Watch. When I used to see the signs, I must admit, I thought it was a little silly and thought it really didn't do much good. Now that I am more informed, I see the importance of being part of a group and am considering starting one in my area.  
 
I will read more and will seriously consider getting involved.
 
Thanks again and have a great day!
 
We've spent the last six years providing a community web site which has been well received.  One tof the things we emphasize is the importance of the Neighborhood Watch program.  
 
Bluff Park is not exactly a huge area, but regardless of how many police officers we put out there (and we have one covering Bluff Park, with a floater for backup), they will NEVER match the number of eyes that we have in Bluff Park.  
 
When we have a rash of burglaries, the first ones to get the blame are Hoover PD.  "Where are they?" "Why don't we have more cops patrolling?" and a few other comments.  Yes, we need more police officers to patrol.  The city council and the mayor a fully aware of this, but we need more involvement from the community as well.  
 
Is Bluff Park going to be like everyone else and be reactive to crime?  Or are we going to be proactive and try to do something about it?  
 
I like the part of the e-mail exchange where the writer says "When I used to see the signs, I must admit, I thought it was a little silly and thought it really didn't do much good."  A good Neighborhood Watch program has residents looking out for each other, but it's not a monumental task.  See something suspicious, pick up the phone and call HPD.  Is that car sitting in your neighbor's driveway not familiar to you?  Pick up the phone and call HPD.  
 
Friday I had the opportunity to speak to the officer who patrols Bluff Park in the evenings and the one who took the majority of the reports about the burglaries.  Given the option, do you think he'd rather come out to check out what turns out to be nothing, or do you think he'd rather take a burglary report because someone saw something but decided "not to call - don't want to get involved - don't think it's anything"?  I think we all know the answer to that question.
 
Hopefully something good can come out of these burglaries in that more people sign up for Neighborhood Watch and perhaps someday we won't need the extra patrol vehicles because burglars know...in Bluff Park the people are watching out for each other.
 

Here is a link to the official release concerning the second suspect:  http://www.hooverpd.com/ftpupload/upload/Coxarrest.pdf