Information on a Serious Crime in Southwind

The purpose of this article is to let residents know about the serious crime that was committed last week in Southwind, the current status of that incident, and to discuss what crime prevention techniques we can use to prevent future criminal events.

The Southwind Board met with Cliff Wright, who is the Neighborhood/Crime watch lead for our community. Cliff is also a member of the Arlington Police Department and is a patrol officer for the East Arlington area (actually north of us between Abrams and Mayfield). As a police officer, Cliff cannot release certain specifics concerning the crime. But since there is not much information available publicly, we wanted to share what we know.

On Thursday, 2 April during the daytime, an assault/burglary/home invasion occurred on Denali Dr. in the northern part of Southwind. The perpetrator was a light skinned Black/Hispanic or white person wearing a black mask, t-shirt, and jeans. The criminal entered through an unlocked front door, assaulted the resident, and then fled on foot. This person has not been apprehended. The perpetrator had a noticeable foul odor, possibly indicating he was homeless. The police are looking at a tie to a previous incident in East Arlington prior to this that may have been committed by the same person. The residence had both the front door and garage open throughout the day and this may have attracted the criminal.

Cliff will continue to monitor the situation and keep us appraised of any progress in the case. He did offer a number of crime prevention tips that may help ward off similar incidents from happening.

If you see any individual or vehicle in the neighborhood that seems out of place or suspicious, don't hesitate to call 911. The City of Arlington does not have a non-emergency number so it is appropriate to call 911 for these concerns. Also, as safe as can possibly be done, you should let the strange person or vehicle be aware that you are noticing them, as this type of attention is a good deterrent.

Ensure that you keep your entry doors and garage doors locked when possible to avoid unwanted entry. Also, as you leave or return from your home, be aware of your surrounding for anything out of the ordinary. A spot check of our neighborhood conducted a few nights ago found three houses with their garage doors open.

The more calls made to 911 will result in additional attention and increase patrols by Arlington PD.

If you are going to be away from your residence, have recently been a victim of a crime, or believe the police department needs to watch a residence or area because crime activity is occurring there, you can contact the Police Department and request a “close patrol” on the property. Officers will check the address/area submitted for a period of time.

All solicitors must have and display a permit from the City to solicit. If they do not have this, call 911 and an officer will be sent.

The Southwind Neighborhood/Crime Watch committee is still in the process of getting started. Currently there are 9 members, but at least 20-25 are needed to operate effectively. Volunteers are simply additional eyes and ears to spot suspicious activities within our community and keep our community safe. Please contact Cliff Wright through Nextdoor or through the contact us page on the www.southwindhoa.com website to volunteer. Cliff also posted information on Nextdoor concerning the Citizens On Patrol program the City of Arlington has. We would like to get this program up and going for Southwind as well; if you are interested in volunteering for this please let us know.

At the next Southwind Community Association Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 20 May, we have placed this topic on the agenda for further discussion with the community. Neighborhood/Crime Watch committee members will be in attendance and available to address your comments and concerns.