Has anyone installed a video surveillance system on their homes? They are not that expensive or hard to install. I saw one at Fry’s a year ago that was a complete kit with four B&W cameras and a system to record to hard disk or DVD for $250. Find a spot to drop the central unit, like the garage or back room, mount the cameras, string the cables, and you and your neighbors are MUCH more secure. One camera could cover each side of your house. The police would get a LOT of information from that footage, and you might even pick up action at your neighbor’s house before they get around to breaking into yours. Please consider doing this.

"Palo Alto police are investigating several unconnected burglaries carried out earlier this week, a crime police say has increased in the city since last year."

REALLY?! Wow, thanks PAPD for telling the citizens something that we didn't already know.

Logitech's WiLife has a camera system which uses the existing
110 wiring in your home to feed the information.
It's worth checking out.

What the paper also fails to report is a person was doing something in a backyard on Hamilton Avenue on Saturday. When the homeowner challenged him, he fled. Police stopped him a few blocks away. While being questioned he took off again. He was caught, arrested. He had warrants. Also, on Friday I believe, four suspects made off with $1800 worth of merchandise from the optometry shop on California. You will not see these crimes in the paper anymore because after Sundays march and Mayor Kliens Royal Decree the people whom allegedly committed the above acts can no longer be described as anything other than 'Homo Sapiens'. Yanno, unless they are white. What you also will not see in this paper is this comment, of which the foregoing is true under Penalty of Perjury to the best of my knowledge under the laws of the State of California and should ALSO be covered under my right to Freedom of Speech, for much longer because it is critical of this papers revised reporting techniques and of course, the Mayor and his Posse, The Palo Alto City Council. So, it will be deleted or they will leave the camera part. We are entitled to this information to keep ourselves safe!

And yes I purchased a hardwired camera because of the interferences to the wireless kind due to wireless routers and cordless phones. I also bought a stun gun apiece for my OLDER girls (these are not for children) and pepper spray. Have some dogs, a baseball bat AND a pretty sour disposition now due to all that's been going on in our once amazing City.

As the economy worsens, crimes go up. So expect more. Do we hire more police? What about hiring lots of security guards in neighborhoods? Maybe neighborhood organizations of rotating watchers? Crimes will increase. So what to do?

Crime will go up in palo alto because the police will not be proactive anymore. Proactivity will be completely banned because anyone who is stopped by the police will bring up racial profiling and file a complaint. If I was a cop, I'd sit back and do nothing. Why take on all that grief from people who challenge you while you're just doing your job and call you a racist?

So where do you get stun guns and pepper spray ?

Police can't be everywhere at once. Certainly not in our backyards. I know of someone who transversed an entire block by jumping backyard fences. Security guards, unless privately hired, won't be hanging out back either. And, who pays for them? The economy has hit these agencies as well as private citizens. We have effectively handcuffed our Police Department so now I guess, the ultimate responsibility is up to us to make a Fortress out of our homes.

Pepper spray: Frys. Stun guns: Target Masters, Milpitas. Please demonstrate responsibility with these items. They are NOT for children or immature teens.

With the Weekly's continued support for criminals (Children's Theater, and now trying to get rid of the Police Chief), is there any wonder that criminals are not targeting Palo Alto even more than before.

This paper is a disgrace.

> Ryan said police have not determined how the suspect entered
> the school building, but there were no forced signs of entry.
> The person may have had a key or the door may have been left
> unsecured, he said

Within recent memory, School Board Trustee Camille Townsend was opposed to installing security cameras at the schools. To make matters worse, the voters approved hundreds of millions of dollars for Measure A in June--which contained line items for security equipment. So -- where is this equipment. Measure A provided millions and millions of dollars for new computers. Why is the School Board so indifferent about protecting the taxpayers money?

Astounding that a door to one of the buildings might have been left open, in this day and age. We have the school board, and detached school principals, to thank for this--in addition to the "perps".

Another thing. I am copying and pasting these comments to my email, later to review the 'deleted by paloaltoonline staff' to what was posted there. I am keeping these posts in a file. It is the papers responsibility to inform us of what is happening in our City. If the police department is restricted from doing so, and the paper WON'T, then we must report what we KNOW (not conjecture) and protect one another. An on line neighborhood watch so to speak.

I have heard from several people there was a three hour long segment on KGO about this issue ending in a general consensus that the Chief should be fired.

Can anyone say: Salem Witch Trials?

Gettin' the same feeling here.

We all need to be vigilant. At my apartment complex, some surly types have hung around twice. I stand in the courtyard and give them the Evil Eye.(Family says I resemble Clint Eastwood when doing so.) It works wonders. They scatter and don't come back. We can all do easy things like this to keep our fellow citizens safe.

Clint Eastwood in Manolo's. Be careful Palo Alto mom. You are better off taking pics of these people from your window (don't let them see you) and calling the police.

The police may not be allowed to DO anything anymore but the appearance of a police car may chase 'em off.

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

Whoa, that nanny still have a job?!

OMG! Wow! I just re-read the story after reading 'hmm's comment. Notice anything?

IN EACH CRIME REPORTED they victimized the VICTIM! Read it again. 'Someone left a door open'. 'The nanny left the garage door open'. 'The redidents were not sure if they left a window open'.

Yeah, we are all responsible for adequate safety measures, but I guess Palo Alto's New World Order dictates the victims were ASKING for it!

I find the school robbery interesting. This is the second time in the past month and both times there was no evidence of a "break in". I think one would also have to have a pretty good idea where the laptops are kept.

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

stop drinking the kool-aid. Lynn Johnson TRIED to do her job and put the precinct on alert but noooooooo....everyone had to get all emotional and hyped up and organize some stupid ass march. In turn, it sent a message to these criminals that they will NOT be watched or questioned. YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE PEOPLE!!!!

Its pretty sad when you can't just run across the street without making SURE your house is locked up like Ft. Knox.
I grew up in a suburb of Chicago, and we bordered on one of the rougher parts of the city. In our town, you could NOT leave your garage open for more than a minute without having a bike stolen. In the summer, there were groups of kids that would ride around on bikes - 2 kids on 1 bike, see open garages, grab a bike and ride away. You'd see these packs of kids riding around town and know what they were up to. There's a real sad racial component to this story as you can imagine. At least it was seasonal! You find that most criminals aren't dedicated enough to prowl around for open garages when its 10 below zero, and windchills down to -30.

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

I say we march in SUPPORT of PAPD doing their job. YAY!!! I'll organize a group of old haggard ladies in big ugly hats to sing stupid folk songs. I'm tired of being discriminated against as a possible victim of crime coming from EPA.

LookAgain! I suppose you could read into the story a paranoid victimization, but I interpreted the additional details as an important distinction to be informed of. These were not strong-arm robberies occurring while the victims were home. The details tell me that those criminals were looking for - and found - easy entry targets. If we diligently close and lock our windows and doors our safety increases somewhat, at least with this particular set of criminals.
I fault the PA Weekly and Jay Thorwaldson for suggesting that Lynne Johnson should step down, but I don't fault them for providing whatever details they know. If more details are good for the police, likewise they must be good for the public.

Interptetation: upon first reading, I took from it what you took from it. I addressed that in saying that we DO have personal responsibility not to make ourselves easy targets.

But, that story is broken down by event and victim liability. I believe that after the events of the weekend we now will have no MORE than that for information. No there were not strong arm robberies but people ARE still encountering thugs in their homes and on their properties.

It's coming from EPA. End of story. Don't care who I offend. Palo Alto Weekly keeps deleting comments that state the obvious. BIASED MEDIA NEVER WORKS. It is SOOOO obvious that the PA Weekley has an agenda to bury the truth and to wrong Lynn Johnson. SICK SICK SICK.

Folks,

Three of you are posting under 10 different names on this topic, deceiving others who are using Town Square into thinking there are more commenters than there are and violating our Terms of Use. If you don't start posting under a single name will begin deleting all of your future posts. Thanks for your cooperation.

For those following this topic, the following names are actually the same person: YouShouldKnow; Won't Work; Witch Hunt

And: Look Again; ha!; bah

And: Well worth; Ban PA Weekly; You Stupid Liberals; Dark Robberies

Well Well, you're right - we should have a march to support the PAPD. The irony in life is that people like us who do support the cops and want a safe community are too busy responsibly raising our kids, working, paying taxes, attending religious services or family obligations to have a march.
I had that thought about the RGOP having some king of quilting party by the USMC recruiting office. If you have that much time on your hands how about doing something useful - charity fundraising? tutoring? meals on wheels?
Same thing with this EPA protest. It took a few hours - how valuable would those hours been at boy & girls clubs, church-related charities, tutoring and mentoring etc.

Over the years, just listening to TV news and reading the paper, I have had the sense of extreme laxity in public school security of property, including valuable property.

I find the robbery of school property (laptops, in this recent local case)should be able to be minimized in today's day and age. These items should be inventoried and etched/labeled and secured AND school buildings should be fully locked and secured and well-lit at night.
BTW, in past there have been repeated robberies at the same schools (I am going back some years and don't know recent trends) -- but if there ARE trends I feel it would be good management on the part of the school district to hire security to stake out whatever school is being targeted. Otherwise, you do get repeats and this is a loss to the taxpayer.
Nobody was hurt, thankfully, but we need to prevent the loss of publicly owned property, too, as well as minimize attack-type robberies on citizens around here.

PaloAltoOnLine: I appreciate your post. It was fair and classy. I will do as you asked.

> For those following this topic, the following names are
> actually the same person:

A trick that has been taken to an art form by [portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.] If it works for him, why not others?

Who's-Who: Similar steps have been taken with others. Now that we can efficiently track IP addresses, we hope to eliminate this problem.

Greetings from Colorado Springs
As a former resident of Palo Alto I say hey guys,
WE will gladly take your chief of police, thanks. We are short police in our city and far as I know when a dirtbag robs somebody HERE, our police can describe them as what they are: black, white, pink, yellow, and/or scumbag. I don't think our cops are censored, HOW THE HELL do you expect them to do their job, you idiots?
We just don't have enough of them (police)here and I bet our city would welcome your chief, just ask.
Hey City of Palo Alto- looks like we women of Colorado Springs have more cujones than your politicians. pathetic.

Support the PAPD chief and her suggestion to genially engage people who match descriptions of suspects. In the old days (I'm 3rd generation PA resident) the cops would cover the likely escape routes from the city (the bridges) if they were notified of a crime that had just occurred, and stop the suspicious. If it worked then, it should work now.

I do feel I should clear up one thing. The multiple postings were not to appear there werwe more people posting on the topic, that thought didn't occur.

It was more to evade deletions due to multiple postings as a result of a back and forth discussion. Seen that happen before,

Lesley, MOVE BACK HERE!! We need your voice!

THIS JUST IN:

A larg-ish sea animal was seen breaking into a Palo Alto Seafood Restaurant
dumpster last night. The animal, described as 'manatee-like' was seen gulping down scallop scraps.

THIS JUST IN: Manatee Anti-Defamation League decends on the City of Palo Alto.
"How dare they insinuate we are dumpster divers!" yelled one protestor.
The attorneys for the 'sea pigs' are filing a $3,000,000,000,000 lawsuit against the City of Palo for insulting his clients and damaging their self esteem.

THIS JUST IN: the Palo Alto City reporter of the above dumpster diving break-in story has been fired and is now being named as a co-defendant in the defamation suit by MAD (Manatee anti-defamation league). All future references to sea cows must be approved by the attorneys for MAD.

THIS JUST IN: The Palo Alto City replacement reporter for the abovementioned reporter update has been arrested and is being detained by the MAD members in their Gauntanamo Manatee Rights anti-terrorism pond where waterboarding is the entertainment of choice.

I support Chief Lynne Johnson's work to try to reduce the frightening crimes in our community. I consider myself fairly liberal, but I can also logically see that using skin color (as well as dress, age and behavior) to help identify criminals and prevent crime is a reasonable thing to do. The stats will show that most (not all) of these crimes were indeed committed by those who cannot be described as white (and who are in their early 20s or younger, who don't dress well, and who behave erratically). It would be nice if this weren't the case, but that's the way it actually is. Why should Chief Johnson ignore any of these data points and ask the police to be blindfolded while they attempt to improve our safety? Let's get real. The moment the reality of who is committing the crimes changes, that's the moment the police should stop looking at skin color. Sadly, that's not today's reality. The chief does indeed deserve our support if we value our safety.

Can't the first poster read. They are stealing DVD player and this thief would have stolen the DVD recorder attached to the Camera.

Once the cameras are connected to your computer,
it is possible to watch from a remote location.
Plus, they can be "motion activated".