Crime In The Heights

[EMME]

Personally, I haven't heard of any sightings as of late. I do know that from the Woodland Heights forum, the person spearheading the project wrote that BARC is now coming in to do general sweeps of the area with animal control officers . They are writing out large quantities of citations for pet code violations.

swamplot.com had a thread about BARC not picking up animals to help with that prooblem and I forwarded it to Gerry Fusco, the BARC change agent. Sounds like he paid attention.

[LTAWACS]

Personally, I haven't heard of any sightings as of late. I do know that from the Woodland Heights forum, the person spearheading the project wrote that BARC is now coming in to do general sweeps of the area with animal control officers . They are writing out large quantities of citations for pet code violations.

So if one had issues with dogs running around who would one call?

[kat_zor]

So if one had issues with dogs running around who would one call?

According to the Woodland Heights board (whose neighborhood association and members hired the trapper):

Real-time 24 hour phone number to report pack activity is 281-782-8686.

[heights_yankee]

i'm an animal lover and dog owner, but i hope this curbs the unleashed dogs in the area.

2 days ago i was walking with my sons (4 mos and 2.5 years) carrying the baby and the toddler was on his scooter. on the norhill esplanade a woman had 2 very large dogs (pooping. she did pick it up, to her credit) that were not on leashes. my son was very disappointed that we couldn't go over and toss the ball as planned but with a baby strapped to me in a sling, i can't take the chance that a 50+ lb dog will chase the same ball my son is chasing or not appreciate the beauty of his high pitched toddler screams and have it end with a boy being hurt and a dog being euthanized.

leash your dogs, people!!

Edited September 18, 2009 by heights_yankee

[Scott08]

If you're referring to the Norhill esplanade between 14th and 16th, that's become a defacto neighborhood "dog park." I live a couple blocks north and ride my bike by it at least a couple times a week and there's always people out there with their unleashed dogs. For better or worse, I don't expect it to change.

PS. Maybe I'm a unique kind of pet owner, but I've never taken any of my dogs to a leashless dog park before. I have a fenced yard where they are allowed to run free, they get to come in the house at night and when I'm home, and I walk them around the hood on a leash in the evenings. My current dog is pretty well behaved and I don't worry about him running off, but I just don't want to take the chance of something weird happening with him and another dog or human.

[EMME]

For particular loose dogs, unless they have bitten a human, nobody will come to get them, but if you call BARC and tell them you have a problem with loose dogs in your area, they will send officers to do a sweep. DOn't expect to see them immediately though. BARC doesn't have the budget to provide the man power to respond to particular loose dogs, there are so many.

The Norhill esplanade has been a "defacto" dog park for at least 10, if not 15 years, so I would also not expect it to change. Perhaps Woodland Heights could be petitioned to put up signs indicating there is a mostly fenced dog park in the area and also that all dogs must be on leash. But probably easier for you to find another place to run your kids. I don't run my dogs in kid parks, even though they may be more convenient to me.

I love to take my dogs to the fenced dog parks with swimming ponds. It gives them a safe environment to be a pack animal for a little bit, which dogs need. My dogs love to run and swim with others.

Also, if I see a petowner walking wiht their dog without a leash with the exception of the above mentioned type places, I will ask them to put their dog on a leash. But I am pretty bold, too. If I see an unneutererd male, I also mention that it might be time for a snip.

[heights_yankee]

i am talking about the norhill esplanade between temple and melwood, which is not a defacto dog park. as far as the other area, i understand that it has been that way for a long time and we always enjoy walking up there to see all the dogs. however, a medium sized dog from the esplanade got in to it with a large dog on a leash a few weeks ago, yanking the woman who was walking the large dog on to the ground. the dogs didn't actually fight but it could have gotten messy with only slightly different temperments. i would hate to see a dog get in trouble because its owners are not paying proper attention.

i do think the heights is ripe for a BARC park (which could be a whole other thread) but i almost think the city would never do it because there is enough outdoor space here vs somewhere like the one by the galleria...

[Heightsite]

Dang! As if the Heights area hasn't been undersiege enough already, here's a post from a neighborhood website that's even more alarming:

Woman home alone at night with kiddo, husband working, awoke to police at her door about 1:30a Wed, 9/16. Neighbor across street happened out on his porch to smoke and saw intruder get out of small silver nissan truck with back windows broken out and flying a flag, parked next door to this woman's house, and take out bolt cutters, 10" butcher knife and latex gloves. Neighbor called police, who probably due to all those fires, responded immediately. Intruder cut lock on perimeter fence, walked up on her porch, looked through door, then went around to the back. That is where police found and caught him. They told woman he's a 45 yr old white man who lives on Merrill. Officers told her he's probably been watching her and was aware husband's vehicle was not home. Horrors !!! Anyone heard about this ??? Be careful !

Be vigilant **Be safe** Be a good neighbor and keep alert

[Highway6]

and they say smoking is bad for ya... give that neighbor a medal !!

[barracuda]

One could also look at this as an example of why the Heights is safer. When this kind of thing happens in Sugar Land or the Woodlands, neighbors aren't likely to be sitting on front porches watching out for each other.

[heights_yankee]

^^^ i think there really is something to be said for that. my block has some pretty irregular hours between the married ballet dancers, the guy who photographs bands, the DEA agent, and the young couples who still have a social life. in large part, these comings and goings are why i feel very safe on my street.

[Porchman]

I heard an interesting tip that seems to be relevant. Look out your window when your up - from bed or the couch - to go to the bathroom. There could be a catchy phrase to this like "see what you can see..." or "get the scoop...". It seems like a good opportunity for people to engage in neighborhood watch without really committing more than a few extra seconds on their potty trips.

[houstonranger]

wow,what is the deal with the heights? Seems to be a popular spot for this kind of thing...

[SilverJK]

yeah, its the only place in all of houston stuff like this happens. /sarcasm

I'm just glad this guy got caught.

[20thStDad]

wow,what is the deal with the heights? Seems to be a popular spot for this kind of thing...

No, we're just the only place with enough sense of community to talk about it so we can help each other out.

[push_00]

House burglary foiled this way couple of Thursdays ago. Thief was walking along street at 1:30AM and our dog started growling. I got up to take a look and saw the guy go through neighbor's gate (house is under construction and unoccupied). Cops show up within a few minutes after calling, flush him out, take him down on the street, and load him in the car. Turns out the guy had two full bags by the back door.

Surveying the street from the window doesn't pay off too often but can make a big difference when it does. The easy part is that any stranger you see on the your street after 10PM is most likely up to no good. The validity of this assumption increases as the night progresses. All you have to do is watch and wait for them to make their move.

I heard an interesting tip that seems to be relevant. Look out your window when your up - from bed or the couch - to go to the bathroom. There could be a catchy phrase to this like "see what you can see..." or "get the scoop...". It seems like a good opportunity for people to engage in neighborhood watch without really committing more than a few extra seconds on their potty trips.

[LTAWACS]

No, we're just the only place with enough sense of community to talk about it so we can help each other out.

The only place?

[kylejack]

Surveying the street from the window doesn't pay off too often but can make a big difference when it does. The easy part is that any stranger you see on the your street after 10PM is most likely up to no good. The validity of this assumption increases as the night progresses.

hmmmmmm

[rocketgirl24]

any updates on the pack of dogs?

My husband saw them kill a stray cat on our street the week of Aug 24th, but at the time, we did not know there was a place to report this information, and we have had a terrible experience with BARC, so we did not call them.

[20thStDad]

The only place?

Yes, in the whole universe. It's a magical place!

[Marksmu]

Dang! As if the Heights area hasn't been undersiege enough already, here's a post from a neighborhood website that's even more alarming:

Woman home alone at night with kiddo, husband working, awoke to police at her door about 1:30a Wed, 9/16. Neighbor across street happened out on his porch to smoke and saw intruder get out of small silver nissan truck with back windows broken out and flying a flag, parked next door to this woman's house, and take out bolt cutters, 10" butcher knife and latex gloves. Neighbor called police, who probably due to all those fires, responded immediately. Intruder cut lock on perimeter fence, walked up on her porch, looked through door, then went around to the back. That is where police found and caught him. They told woman he's a 45 yr old white man who lives on Merrill. Officers told her he's probably been watching her and was aware husband's vehicle was not home. Horrors !!! Anyone heard about this ??? Be careful !

Be vigilant **Be safe** Be a good neighbor and keep alert

I also heard from a friend who lives on that block, that the person breaking in was completely wasted, and was pretending that he thought it was his house he was breaking into...not of any consequence, but it was his attempted cover story.

[kat_zor]

any updates on the pack of dogs?

My husband saw them kill a stray cat on our street the week of Aug 24th, but at the time, we did not know there was a place to report this information, and we have had a terrible experience with BARC, so we did not call them.

Yes, I read on the Woodland Heights board that they have caught two of the six-pack. They are still working to track and capture the other four dogs.

[heights_yankee]

I also heard from a friend who lives on that block, that the person breaking in was completely wasted, and was pretending that he thought it was his house he was breaking into...not of any consequence, but it was his attempted cover story.

it amazes me how stupid people are.

[Porchman]

...pretending that he thought it was his house he was breaking into...not of any consequence, but it was his attempted cover story.

It's my house, and live here with my wife...Morgan Fairchild. Yeah, that's the ticket!

[EMME]

I got an email suggestion today to keep car keys next to the bed. If you feel threatened, push the panic button. Neighbors are more likely to hear your car alarm than your home alarm, and also, it might just scare them off altogether.

6:30 last Thursday morning, still dark outside. I happened to be sleeping on the couch in the front room, which I haven't done since Hurricane Ike. I heard a voice speaking louder than a normal speaking voice, but not an angry or yelling voice. I waited for it to keep moving down the street but it did not. Looked out and he was at my neighbor across the street's house. She is a very nice senior woman. She would not open her door, and he was asking for gas or gas money. Particularly odd since he had driven into her driveway. A neighbor next door came and sent him on his way. white guy, baseball cap and a jacket (notable since it is hot outside), beigeish SUV. Come to find out he had done the same to another house around the corner. He saw one guy leave for work and then knocked on the door. The other occupant was there and sent him on his way. The police think they are actually knocking to see if anybody home or possibly to push their way in if the door is opened.

Be careful.

[RedScare]

Yes, I read on the Woodland Heights board that they have caught two of the six-pack. They are still working to track and capture the other four dogs.

I wonder if they are using enhanced interrogation techniques on the two to get them to tell where the others are?

[kylejack]

People ignore car alarms though?

[Porchman]

I wonder if they are using enhanced interrogation techniques on the two to get them to tell where the others are?

No. Scent lineups. They've totally turned the tables on them.

[EMME]

Sometime last night there was a shooting on E 7 1/2 St at Studewood. Someone was shot in the abdomen. Anybody know anything about this?

[Scott08]

I was driving south on Studewood last night around 8 and saw the commotion. Tons of police cars and a couple blocks surrounded in crime-scene tape. When I came back going the other way 15 minutes later the scene was almost cleared. Nothing in the paper about it this morning.