DEARBORN HEIGHTS — Last Tuesday, the Dearborn Heights Police Department held a public meeting at their police department in order to bring the city’s neighborhoods together to help reduce a recent string of robberies targeting vacant homes.

Police Corporal Mark Parrinello organized the meeting in an effort to pump some new momentum into the city’s community awareness program, which in the past has been successful in collaborating neighborhood watch groups with the city’s emergency response team. 

Parrinello urged residents and neighborhood watch leaders to be more alert, as thieves have gotten comfortable hitting the same areas repeatedly. Vacant homes have become a big target, especially in the city’s Northeast section off of Joy Rd, Hazelton, Ann Arbor Trail and Telegraph Rd, near the Detroit border. 

Six vacant houses in that area have been broken into in the last month, including one on Riverdale last week. Additionally,  two cars were stolen on the morning of March 11 on the same block of Hazelton. One was recovered that day in Detroit.

“If you take a few days off, they will come right back in,” Parrinello stated at the meeting, telling residents not to get too comfortable or criminals will return. He urged neighborhoods to launch organized efforts so all neighbors are on the same page.  He said it’s important for residents to know their neighbors daily schedules and what vehicles belong on their street in order to spot something out of the ordinary. 

It’s good to know when your neighbors work, what cars they are driving, and when they are dropping off their kids to practice, for example. 

“There are a lot of residents who can be eyes and ears for us. We have no clue what goes on in your neighborhoods, and we try to drive home that fact all the time. As neighbors living in a sub division, people have to take invested interest in their neighborhoods. Then you will see a reduction in crime, you will see property values go up, and you are going to be a lot more stress free,” Parrinello stated. 

At any given time, there are six marked police vehicles patrolling the streets in Dearborn Heights, one in every district of the city. That’s why it is important for residents to help the department when it comes to capturing or stopping criminals who are targeting residential homes and neighborhoods.

The city’s northwest area is the most prone to home invasions. Parrinello stated that 90% of the invasions in that area are front door break ins during the daytime, and the burglars usually try to blend in. He recalled an incident where he was patrolling near John Daly and Wilson when what appeared to be a resident had waved to him as he was walking to a home. Minutes later he learned that individual had broken into the home, and that he had succeeded at making it seem like he lived in the area. 

One resident who lives in the Outer Drive neighborhood, north of Ford Rd has been a great asset in assisting the police department. When a neighbor was luring in drug dealers into their neighborhood, the  resident was able to get the license plates of about 30 drug dealers who were routinely coming and going and forwarded it over to the police department. 

The Police Department is encouraging all Dearborn Heights residents to sign up for their email notification system by emailing Mparrinello@ci.dearborn-heights.mi.us.