By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
The irony of the headline quote could actually be hilarious except for the fact that our crime wave is a serious matter. We have been covering this story since postings on Jan 12 and 13 when we received comments from 26 Ocean Grovers reporting crimes and expressing anger and fear. Yet none of our elected officials responded on Blogfinger to our readers. This web site offers a public forum, but the Township and the Police Commissioner will not participate in our discussions. However, they will say things in an article in today’s Coaster,* because no one can answer them back at that venue.
One of our citizens made a formal request for crime stats 12 days ago when he contacted Mr. Michael Bascom, the Neptune Township Commissioner of Police, who promised to get back to him. That has yet to occur.
Today, in the Coaster, we find quotes from those parties and others who would rather talk to a reporter than to the people. Most of their remarks sound like an attempt to blame Ocean Grovers for the failure to solve this crime wave.
Mr. Bascom said (from the Coaster) …”residents should be mindful not to provide criminals with opportunities to commit crimes.”
He said, “These are crimes of opportunity with many residences having open windows, unlocked doors, and no lights on. If people just take simple protective measures and report suspicious activities it could make a big dent and possibly help us catch the perpetrators. When they enter a house it is sometimes as easy as opening a door and walking in.”
Anne Horan of the OGHOA said “she would like to see the Neighborhood Watches get into action, especially in the winter when the population in Ocean Grove drops, and that she would like residents to be more wary of what is going on around them. People need to make sure they keep their lights on and keep an eye out for what’s going on around them.”
This is pathetic. The OGHOA has done absolutely nothing about this problem and now the President is asking for help from Neighborhood Watch, another feeble and nearly invisible OG crime-fighting organization. Maybe the N. Watchers should become a subcommittee of the OGHOA.
In addition, why didn’t any of these officials say that many of the burglarized homes were locked and that sometimes people were at home when the break-ins occurred?
Randy Bishop, another Committeeman who has been silent, did make a comment to the Coaster. He said “Residents should heed the warning of police and secure their properties.” Is this the most enthusiasm he can muster up on behalf of the citizens ?
Police Chief Hunt said that he has a greater police presence in the Grove. He stated that he is using marked and unmarked vehicles as well as undercover police. You can read his and others’ full comments via the Coaster link below.*
We have heard that a suspect in the robberies was arrested last night by the NTPD. But we have received no official word on this news. A report has been posted at the Coaster web site.
Ken: Maybe the HOA could do a better job of getting its message out if its web site were functional.
The OGHOA is neither a private club (any OG homeowner may join) nor is it a public service group; it is an Association of unpaid volunteers doing the best they can as their mission is: “to work for the improvement of …..conditions in Ocean Grove,..encourage and promote friendly relations with OG residents, study OG’s problems and hold meetings to discuss the same, and promote civic and social activities.”
There is never enough help to do it all, but it is not from lack of trying. Any who are not satisfied with the results are most welcome to improve things by volunteering for a particular Committee of their interest OR run for election to the Board of Trustees in order to influence positively the direction they believe would be more productive. I got involved to help with the fight against the storage of the deinstitutionalized into Ocean Grove by the State. We WON!
Later when I could not in good conscience go along with decisions I deeply felt were wrong…I Resigned. But then found no other group even trying to improve the homeowner’s plight so I ran for a seat on the board to influence decisions.
Get involved, criticism from within is always more productive than carping (some unfounded) about a perceived lack of action.
Respectfully,
ken.
The doors and windows were locked at both of my neighbors houses that were broken into. The perpetrator passed thru a yard of another neighbor who owns a fancy alarm and surveillance system. The police were told this but they have YET to ask this homeowner if they can review the stored video recordings.
When the officials tell the reporters that homeowners need to lock their homes up they are covering up for something. I have yet to hear anyone say their home was unlocked when they were violated.
Sorry, but I am too much of a “Person of Interest” fan to ever advocate putting surveillance cameras all over town. Besides, it’s obvious the thieves are smarter than we are, covering their faces or turning away from the cameras.
$500 per house is significant, plus the monitoring fees would be prohibitive and impossible to collect. What about raising a fund for a reward and posting flyers around town offering cash for leads that result in arrests?
Money talks to these individuals- they would probably turn in their brothers for cash.
D.T. My point is simply that OG residents cannot call upon a volunteer organization such as the HOA just because they are here.
$10 per family / household barely covers the cost of administration. What it DOES show is some level of involvement/ commitment by the members. If you would rather spend that $10 on lighting and not be neighborly by socializing one Saturday a month that’s your choice.
BTW, I am not “complaining”, I was making suggestions.
Sal: You said, “The HOA is member supported thru annual dues. If you aren’t a registered member please don’t look to Ms. Horan for your answers.”
Aside from the fact that I would not look to Ms. Horan for answers under any circumstances, can you tell us if the HOA is a private club or is it a public service group? If it is a public service group, which I believe it is, then it should try to work for the benefit of all homeowners in town and not just for those who are paid members.
As for the $10 dues, I believe that there are perhaps over 500 individuals who belong to the HOA, so if the HOA has done nothing so far to try to deal with our crime problems, it is doubtful that some more paid members will make any difference.
And finally, going to those HOA meetings is about as conducive to progress and innovation as a citizen going to one of those soporific and tightly wound Neptune Committee meetings.
Instead of complaining about an alleged shortage of dues-paying Grovers, how about telling us how the HOA can help fight crime in OG.
The criminals are not dumb enough to break in when neighbors are around or when the cops are patrolling. Making sure we lock all doors and windows front and back is great, but if they go to the back of the house, and break a window to get in, how can police or the Citizen patrol see that?
DJH: Thank you for your suggestions. Sad that it has come down to this, but you have some very solid suggestions which which we as citizens can act on. This crime spree could be an annual occurrence and having cameras as our eyes when we are not there in the winter would give me a lot of comfort.
Right now i am on pins and needles waiting for something to happen to my house. I am not sure what everyone else will be doing, but I will be taking every precaution outlined here- short of hiring my own security officer- to ensure that my home is protected.
We all have a responsibility here and I plan on going to the OGHOA meeting tomorrow to be a part of the solution. We are all responsible- grass roots people let’s act and catch these criminals!
@Curious: None. Isn’t it strange?
@DJ – In contrast to your statement, we’re VERY organized. We are the largest and longest running Citizen’s Patrol in the state. We’d like to research your application (need your name) and see what the problem was. Sometimes it is out of our hands, as all applications have to be approved by the Neptune Police Department. Please email us at ogcpprez@aol.com. Thank you.
Sherry Sotnikoff, OGCP
What I find disturbing is that you are all,rightfully, ticked off at the town for the lack of respect and services; but Ocean Grove more and more votes the same thing back in again.
What gives?
Sherry, how many volunteers have joined the OGCP since your comment below?
Blogfinger
Your list reads like a proposal for a takeover of Ocean Grove from Neptune’s governance and responsibilities (except maybe the DPW) by an all volunteer Association dependent on its membership dues of just $10 per household to support all it’s current activities.
WOW!
ken
Video cameras are a great deterrent. Whether the town installs them (which they should) or homeowners install them, they work to prevent crime, and solve it afterwards.
Four cameras, if mounted appropriately, could monitor a one block street. The OGHOA could negotiate a deal with a video surveillance company so we get the power of large scale buying. They then could go to the homeowners on a block and say — your block’s homeowners can get together and buy the four wireless HD cameras for $5,000 installed (pretty close to a real price for HD cameras installed) plus you have to pay $300 a year, collectively, for monitoring (which means the video is recorded on DVRs and reviewed only if a crime on that block occurs). $5K divided by 10-12 homes would be only $500 or so per home. This system leaves it to the homeowners to decide if they want to get together to buy this while the OGHOA helps facilitate the process.
I have video cameras at my home in OG, and the house next to mine was broken into. Sure enough, my cameras filmed the intruders. However, whenever they walked near my house or on the sidewalk in front of my house, they turned their heads and raised their hands to cover their faces. Why?—because they knew I had cameras. Deterrence. Of course I shared my video with the police, who imaged my DVR drive.
The first thing people should do is JOIN the OGHOA. Pay the $10 a year to become members and attend the monthly Saturday meeting and participate. If people can’t do that how can they be expected to walk the streets as citizen patrol when its freezing cold out there? The HOA is member supported thru annual dues. If you aren’t a registered member please don’t look to Ms. Horan for your answers.
As for the Township Committee / Administration not responding… is that really news?
I tried to join the Citizen’s Patrol last year, called them a couple of times, finally got called back after around three tries. Got a training ride, then nothing, no one ever called back. I gave up after a couple more calls, then lost interest! Maybe it was me they didn’t like, but they don’t seem very organized!!
Curious: The HOA is the only organization in town that represents the homeowners (aka crime victims). Perhaps you should ask the HOA what they could do. Certainly they ought to be doing something besides giving useless interviews to the Coaster. If this issue is not important enough for the HOA to take some action, then what good are they?
So here’s a few ideas: For starters they should take hold of the Neighborhood Watch and turn it into an effective action group. They should help the Citizen’s Patrol find members. They should pressure our elected officials to do more. They should educate the public regarding better crime prevention. They should go door to door and hand out light bulbs. They should push hard for video cameras around town. They should take a group and go meet with the Police Commissioner. They should organize a letter writing/phone calling campaign aimed at our mayor, who ought to be walking the streets of Ocean Grove to show his concern.
How about some suggestions for the HOA from Grovers…..
I am curious as to just what you think the OGHOA could (should?) do?
Curious.
The Ocean Grove Citizen’s Patrol patrols every night, 7 days a week for four hours or more.. We have had special extra shifts and are keeping our eyes and ears open to anything that looks suspicious in an effort to help our town be more safe. We can always use more volunteers. If you are interested in joining please go to our website: ogcp.org to join or write to ogcpprez@aol.com. with any questions or comments.