Welcome to the Kissimmee Neighborhood Watch Website

This website will be the central information point for creating a Neighborhood Watch for your community and for maintaining a existing Neighborhood Watch within the City of Kissimmee.


Our meeting for March 11, 2010 at 7pm will be
held in the 1st floor conference room.


Garage Sale
Downtown Kissimmee - Toho Square
Saturday March 27, 2010
8 am to 12 pm

Furniture - Appliances - Clothing Toys - Antiques
Household Items

Please stop by and support your city Neighborhood Watch program

Our purpose is to prevent crime from happening in our neighborhoods.

Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
Crime Prevention Unit
Lottery Scam/Theft of Cash Funds

In 2009, there have been a total of three incidents involving a group of Hispanic individuals who convince victims they need assistance in cashing a winning lottery ticket and then take off with large amounts of the victim’s money. The latest incident was reported approximately a week ago. Although this scam does not get reported on a frequent basis, the dollar loss is high in addition to the shame experienced by victims too embarrassed to report it to law enforcement. The total amount of cash taken ranges from $900 to $17,000.

Typically, a small group of 2 – 3 Hispanic individuals approach a victim outside a store, at a bus stop, or some other public place. The suspects generally target elderly Hispanic individuals. They then engage the victim and create a story about a winning lottery ticket. These stories are often rather complicated; the suspects convince the victim that they have a winning ticket, but cannot cash the ticket without a large deposit in cash. In some instances, the victim was even placed on the phone with a “lottery employee” and was reassured that the cash deposit is a required part of the procedure to obtain the winning amounts. After successfully convincing the victim to assist, driving to the bank and withdrawing several thousand dollars from the victim’s accounts, one of the subjects with feign ill and ask the victim to run into the store for some medicine. While the victim is inside the store, the suspects depart, typically with an excess of $5,000 in cash. In one instance, the victim was driven home to pick up her ID (which she was told would also be required to access funds) and the suspects departed with the cash while the victim was still inside.

Investigators from the Florida Lottery Division of Security advised these incidents are identical to others throughout the country. The suspects are said to originate out of California, but are traveling throughout the nation. Miami Springs PD has also had several incidents and their suspect information is listed below. It is unknown if these are the same subjects committing these incidents in Seminole County.  If you have been a victim, please report it to law enforcement. Your information may assist law enforcement in solving similar types of crimes.
           
Suspect descriptions reported:
- Hispanic Male 1: 30-40 years of age, 5’06 -5’08, 140lbs, black hair, clean shaven
- Hispanic Male 2: 30-32 years of age, 5’11 – 6’01, black hair, brown eyes, shaved eyebrows, muscular build
- Hispanic Female: 35-40 years of age, 5’03, 120lbs, light skinned, slim build

DON’T SAVE YOUR HOME ADDRESS IN YOUR GPS UNDER THE TITLE HOME .

Recently it seems that thieves are looking for cars with GPS units for several reasons, one of which is to see if your address is listed in the “Home” saved location.  Most GPS devices have a “Home” option where you can store and easily retrieve your home address without having to retype it every time.  Potential burglars figure if they find your car far enough away from your home, then you’re away from home as well making you that much more of a potential target. Instead of saving your address under the title “Home”, save it under a random name that still points you to your home. Then for “Home” you could put the address of your local law enforcement agency.

Please observe the MOVE OVER law. Click here to see the MOVE OVER video

Motorists oftentimes do not see emergency vehicles, and fail to avoid closed lanes or emergency workers on or near the roadway. In some cases, weather and road conditions can reduce a motorist's ability to see law enforcement officers, fire fighters and medical personnel working the scene of a crash. However, motorists need to pay attention to vehicles parked on the side of roadways, especially emergency vehicles with flashing lights, and react in accordance with the Move Over Law and use basic common sense.

Law requires you to vacate the lane closest to the EMERGENCY VEHICLE or WRECKER (TOW TRUCK).  If you cannot, you must slow to a speed 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit.  If the speed limit is 20mph or less you must slow to 5 mph.

What is ICE? In Case of Emergency - Take the time to read this article about I.C.E. Click here for details

Tips for Reporting Graffiti

Reporting graffiti to the police is important for intelligence gathering purpose but it is also equally important to report graffiti to Code Enforcement who can require the owner of the property to remove it within 24 to 48 hours. Attached is a copy of important city department phone numbers.

The Osceola County Sheriff Office has also started a new graffiti abatement program. They will be going out two Fridays a month to paint over graffiti in the city and county. If you locate any graffiti call 321-697-4374 (please put this number on your web-site) with the location. They will not respond to painted street signs and items like that.

Click here for details

JambBrace The Door Reinforcer

Developed by veteran home builders and supported by law enforcement agencies and insurance companies, the JambBrace  was designed with homeowners in mind.

JambBrace is a heavy-duty aluminum insert that strengthens the weakest part of a door - its frame. Completely concealed within the door trim, the JambBrace is unseen. The preferred installation of the JambBrace is to use it with a Kwikset Titan dead bolt and a    U-shaped door edge protector. This "door reinforcer" makes it virtually impossible to break-in the door using physical force.

With just a few tools and detailed instructions that accompany your JambBrace, within an hour you can feel the same confidence and security that thousands of other JambBrace users feel knowing their home is more safe.

Don't want to do it yourself, we offer expert installation.
View more info and see news videos on line at www.IDisMine.com

KNW News News from the Kissimmee Neighborhood Watch Group
KPD Info Kissimmee Police Tips to Fight Crime
KNW Events Kissimmee Neighborhood Watch Events
KNW About Learn how to start Neighborhood Watch Program
Contacts KNW Contact information
Links Helpful Links


Participating Kissimmee Neighborhoods:

Florida Palms Liberty Village The Oaks Alma Street
Weston Reserve West Verona St Lakeside Orange Gardens
Country Creek Est Oak Grove Kissimmee Gardens Eagles Reserve
Country Club Village Venture Motel Wellington Woods Eagle Point
Lake Tivoli Apartments Whistler's Park Pebble Creek Apt Vinyards Apt
Venetian Bay Villas Victoria Park Cypress Reserve Cypress Bay Twn
Polo Run Apt Reef Club Apt Caribbean Villas
Kensington Apt Arrow Ridge Apt Shadow Bay


New! KNW Merchandise at Cafe Press

Please click on this link to see the various items you can buy with the Kissimmee Neighborhood Watch logo

The mark-up on this merchandise goes directly to Kissimmee Neighborhood Watch, Inc.

We are looking for sponsors for our organization please contact us at craig@kissimmeeneighborhooodwatch.org

Kissimmee Neighborhood Watch, Inc.
A non-profit 105-C3 Organization
Copyright 2006