Sterling Residents Urged To Partner Against Crime

Community Meeting Addresses Recent Wave of Incidents

By Kafia A. Hosh

Friday, January 16, 2009

Sterling resident Carolyn Chandler sometimes has felt reluctant to contact police about suspicious activities in her community. She said she has often thought: "I shouldn't call. It's none of my business."

Chandler is not alone. Loudoun County law enforcement officials say many people are hesitant to report incidents close to home. But after a wave of violent crimes last year in the Sterling area, county officials said, they need all the information they can get.

"We have never been in such trouble in Sterling Park," Supervisor Eugene A. Delgaudio (R-Sterling) said.

Chandler joined about 150 Sterling residents Thursday at a community meeting on crime awareness that Delgaudio organized. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) and representatives from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies briefed the crowd in the Park View High School auditorium on crime-prevention strategies.

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Sterling Residents Meet About Crime Prevention

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With Sterling residents worried about crime and illegal immigration, Postal Inspector Ronell Parker speaks before an open gathering of local residents at Park View High School to discuss crime prevention and response. (Rich Lipski)

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Congressman Frank Wolf speaks on Thursday night before an open gathering of local residents at Park View High School to discuss crime prevention and response. (Rich Lipski)

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Loudoun Supevisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) speaks during Thursday's meeting at Park View High School in Sterling, which centered around the issue of crime prevention and response. (Rich Lipski)

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Congressman Frank Wolf speaks before an open gathering of local residents at Park View High School to discuss crime prevention and response. (Rich Lipski)

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Their message was clear: Residents should report suspicious activity if they want to thwart crime in Sterling.

Walter Morrison, an assistant special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, said residents are not likely to witness a drug sale but might see other incidents that investigators would want to know about. He asked that residents who witness potential crimes pay attention to places, times, descriptions of people and vehicle tag numbers and forward that information to the sheriff's office.

"Chances are, you're not going to see a hand-to-hand drug deal like you see on television," Morrison said. "The more detailed your information, the more helpful it will be to law enforcement."

Sgt. Alvin Blankenship of the Virginia State Police told the crowd that, when it comes to crime, "it's our job to take the action, it's your job to report it.

"We can't do this without you," he said.

Ricky Frye, a captain with the sheriff's office, asked for the community's help in solving a string of daytime burglaries in the Sterling Park area. He said at least nine houses have been burglarized since early last month, with jewelry and cash taken in most cases.

"It is obviously a pattern," Frye said. "We ask you to be more vigilant. I need you to let us know what's going on with your community."

James Spurlock, a sheriff's deputy, oversees the 17 neighborhood watch programs in Sterling and an additional five that are being developed. He encouraged the audience to get involved with the program, saying it helps people become more confident about reporting crime and teaches participants how to identify criminal activity.

"If I can train you to look at things a little differently, you will pick up the phone and call," he said.

Sterling Park resident Joni Holeman is looking at things differently. She said after the meeting that she has been paying attention to the empty, foreclosed houses that line her neighborhood.

One house was recently broken into, and its front door is still wide open, she said.

"Not even the Realtor has gone in to shut the door," Holeman said.

Bob Grillo, another Sterling Park resident at the meeting, said he is concerned about the rash of daytime burglaries. As a retiree with some time to spare, "I can keep an eye out on what's going on," said Grillo, who has lived in his home since 1967.

After the meeting, Chandler said she felt more comfortable about reporting suspicious activities and planned to get involved with a neighborhood watch program.

She said she moved to Sterling nine years ago for its quiet atmosphere. But times have changed, she said.

"To hear about a lot of crime is just a surprise," Chandler said. "I couldn't believe they were happening."

Tagged: crime, Park View High School, Sterling, Sterling Park, Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio, U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf

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