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Crime Report

T he Austin Police Department (APD) needs your help in nabbing a white, thinly built male who entered three separate apartments and fondled women while they slept. Each of the female victims awoke to see a strange man touching them or undressing himself next to their beds. The perpetrator, who asks for "Jessica," leaves upon learning that Jessica does not live there. In all cases, the front doors of the apartments had been left unlocked.

    Officer Ricardo Vargas, the Hyde Park district representative, urges everyone to always keep their doors locked. Intruders, it seems, are willing to walk into a home, and are not deterred if someone is at home, he said.

    APD describes the perpetrator as a white male in his early 20s, who is 5'7" to 5'9" tall, of slender build, and has short brown hair. Anyone with information is urged to call the department at 974-5000 or contact Officer Vargas at 974-5801.

    With the recent wave of vandalism, scams and the above listed crimes, residents are fed up with crime. The comments from victims and concerned citizens have begun to regularly appear in the Hyde Park Yahoo Group Digest. One resident even commented that at 2 a.m. he discovered a Hispanic male in his late 20s hanging around in his front yard. The suspect ran across the man's lawn and headed to the post office on Speedway, where "he pretended to conduct business at the mailboxes," commented the complainant. It was in response to such concerns that years ago APD developed the Neighborhood Watch Program.

    The Neighborhood Watch Program is designed to give residents tools on how to guard against personal and property damage. Those desiring such a program for their block are urged to solicit the support of one's immediate neighbors before approaching APD. Once you have support from your neighbors, contact APD to set up a meeting. The police department prefers that at least 50% of interested residents in any given block attend one of three organizing meetings. At these meetings, such useful information as how to reduce the chances of being a victim of crime is discussed. To start a Neighborhood Watch Program in your block, call APD at 974-4736 or Officer Ricardo Vargas,