Eugene Police go door to door after spike in property crimes
EUGENE, Ore. - For the past few days, Margaret Mazzotta has been walking the streets of West Eugene.
"I have knocked on a bunch of doors," she said while walking down Royal Avenue. "I did about a hundred yesterday and I don't know how many the previous days."
Mazzotta, a Eugene Police Crime Prevention Officer, is knocking with a very specific purpose.
"We've had an increase in crime in the area and so we're just letting everyone be aware of that," she said as she talked to a neighbor.
Eugene Police said over the past several weeks, property crimes, including car break-ins and home burglaries have spiked in West Eugene.
"From Roosevelt to Barger, Highway 99 to about North Terry," said Sargent Lisa Barrong.
Barrong said the data-led policing strategy includes officers going door to door notifying neighbors and increased patrols of the neighborhood.
"If we can have the opportunity to visit with people about heightening their awareness that crimes are on the increase in their area and then teaching them what to do to protect themselves, we can really have an impact," said Barrong.
A lot of the property crime in the area is happening because people make simple mistakes like leaving their car window rolled down or their backpack or their purse on the seat of their car.
"We have case after case of car break-ins where we can actually show that criminals looked in the car before breaking in it and they broke into the ones where stuff was visible."
And the most common property stolen? Things like laptops, TVs and jewelry.
"As far as why, we don't know," said Barrong "For now we have to just attack it and you know address it."
Eugene Police will be hosting a community crime prevention meeting on Wednesday, October 3.
It will be held at Fairfield Elementary School on Royal Avenue in Eugene.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. and everyone is welcome to attend.
I wonder why crime has gone up?...maybe it's the economy, and the mindset of the poor...entitled to your stuff.
Won't be coming to my house. Â The thieves, not the cops. Â I just chased a guy away from my house a 3 in the morning with my shotgun. Â No doubt word has spread!
What does this police officer do when one of the residents that she is warning about property crime opens their door and she smells marijuana?
As for the âWHYâ itâs simple: they want it and you have it. Easy money, or easy stuff.
Another âWHYâ is that they KNOW that nothing will happen except perhaps a free bed and meal at the expense of others, meaning you and me, the taxpayer, and then freedom to do it all over again.
Crime WILL continue until things seriously change. And that means REAL TIME, and not in a free facility that you and I pay for, but one that is tough without ANY frills: the basics: bed, food, water. Where they can either learn a real trade, and have to pay to be there so you and I donât have to foot the bill via taxes.
Filthy crackheads, worse than pocket lent.
 @For_Richard_or_For_Pryor Pocket lent. It's like regular lent but 3 weeks instead of 6.