San Marin Improvement Association

NPD Chief Kreins' response to San Marin Recent Crime Activities

2011-12-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:47:43 -0000
Subject: Recent Activity
Joseph Kreins, the Chief of Police for the City of Novato, has asked that I forward the following information that he has prepared for your association in response to recent criminal activity occurring in the San Marin area.

Michael Howard, Investigations Sergeant
Novato Police Department
909 Machin Ave., Novato CA 94945
(415) 897-4361

December 20, 2011
San Marin Home Owners Association:

As many in your neighborhood are aware, the Novato Police Department has responded to an increase in burglaries occurring in the Northern Novato area to include the San Marin neighborhoods. This increase has not gone unnoticed by our department, in particular, our patrol officers and our investigators. While thefts from unlocked cars have seemingly been on the rise throughout the City of Novato, and the County of Marin for that matter, the increase in residential burglaries in Novato has primarily been reported in the Northern part of town.

Although both residential and commercial burglaries in Novato are tracking at about the same rate as in 2010, we have in fact noticed a recent surge in residential burglaries over the past month (this is not uncommon for the holiday season). Between November and December 2011, 11 residential burglaries have been reported in Northern Novato. This includes attempted burglaries, unsuccessful for myriad reasons, to interrupted burglaries, and completed burglaries where loss of property resulted. In Northern Novato, 6 burglaries resulted in property loss. The majority of burglaries committed occurred either during the afternoon hours or overnight. In most cases, entry was gained through an unlocked 'portal of entry' to include doors and windows. In 9 of the 11 cases, the burglary was committed while no one was home.

One trend, of note, has been for suspects to attempt to contact homeowners at the front door of the residence. If the door is answered, innocuous questions are asked or some nonsensical statement is made and the suspects go on their way. If the door is not answered, it is assumed the residence is not occupied. The suspects then circle the residence looking for a 'portal of entry' into the residence. Often times, they find one.

On December 8, 2011, the Novato Police Department responded to the report of a homeowner hearing subjects in their residence. Thankfully, the suspects were scared away by the home owner's unexpected presence. To date, these suspects have not been identified or arrested.

On December 14, 2011, the Novato Police Department responded to the report of a juvenile who had come home to find two suspects inside his residence. The suspects, in the act of stealing items from within the residence, fled the scene. Although not captured by responding officers, the suspects were identified by the victim during investigation into the incident. The suspects were later arrested. Investigation is continuing into this matter to determine if the arrested subjects are responsible or are connected in some way to other burglaries in Novato and/or nearby jurisdictions. We have also worked closely with the Marin County Sheriff's Department and the San Rafael Police Department to compare investigative notes, criminal methods of operations and suspect information in a further attempt to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for these crimes.

The aforementioned examples exemplify the danger associated with these types of crimes. Thankfully, none of the reported burglaries have escalated in severity. No home owners have been confronted by burglars nor have there been any acts of aggression or violence directed at homeowners. However, I do not feel comfortable resting on past incidents as the convening authority on how future incidents will unfold. It is this discomfort, in both the community and at the Novato Police Department that is calling us to take further action to keep the community informed. The safety of our citizens and the sanctity of the home are of the utmost importance to the Novato Police Department. We believe an informed community, practicing sound crime prevention techniques, is our best resource in combating this upswing in property crimes.

The crime prevention techniques and ideas discussed below are the foundation of a safe community. Smaller elements, be it streets or blocks, within our Northern Novato neighborhoods already practice some or most of what I am about to discuss:
If there is one, single most, important piece of advice that I would give to a homeowner to enhance the safety of their residence, it is this: Lock your doors (to include garage door) and windows when you are not home. One might even consider locking their doors when they are home. This applies to the car in your driveway or garage as well. Close and lock bathroom and bedroom windows, no matter what level of the residence they are on.

Second, communication between neighbors, extending throughout the neighborhood, should be "the rule" and not "the exception." From personal contact on a daily basis to community meetings or e-mail lists, a neighborhood that communicates empowers the residents to police themselves. Neighbors who communicate with one another begin to develop a deeper sense of what is "normal" within their neighborhood. It is that "neighborhood expertise" that we, the Novato Police Department, tap into when we are investigating an incident.

Finally, we ask that you please report suspicious activity to the Novato Police Department. We cannot do our job without your help. Most calls for service begin with a call from a citizen. You are our "eyes and ears" on the street. If an incident or activity within your neighborhood leads you to consider calling the police, call us. The mere consideration means that what you observed, heard, or otherwise sensed, is not "normal" for your neighborhood and should be investigated further. There is absolutely no need to wait until an incident has resulted in a crime to call for an officer. Prevention of crime is our common goal.

In addition to the above actions, there are additional steps that should be taken to enhance your security and reduce the chances that you will become the victim of a crime:

First, steps to increase security in and around the home should be undertaken. A concept called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) was developed in the 1960's in response to escalating crime. This concept has grown from addressing specific neighborhood issues, to addressing all facets of property protection be it commercial, industrial, or residential. CPTED strategies rely upon the ability to influence offender decisions that precede criminal acts. Research into criminal behavior shows that the decision to offend or not to offend is more influenced by cues to the perceived risk of being caught than by cues to reward or ease of entry. Consistent with this research, CPTED based strategies emphasize enhancing the perceived risk of detection and apprehension. I encourage each homeowner to research this concept further. Each home has distinct strengths and weaknesses in regards to what can be altered or improved to increase security. There are four overlapping CPTED strategies to be considered:

• Natural Surveillance
• Natural Access Control
• Territorial Reinforcement
• Maintenance

The following has been borrowed from "A guide to safe environments in Prince William County, Virginia" (http://www.pwcgov.org/docLibrary/PDF/002035.pdf).

Natural Surveillance - The placement of physical features, activities and people in a way that maximizes visibility is one concept directed toward keeping intruders easily observable, and therefore less likely to commit criminal acts. Features that maximize the visibility of people, parking areas and building entrances are unobstructed doors and windows, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and streets, front porches and appropriate nighttime lighting.

Natural Access Control - Natural Access Control is another design concept directed primarily at decreasing crime opportunity by denying access to crime targets and creating a perception of risk for offenders. People are physically guided through a space by the strategic design of streets, sidewalks, building entrances, landscaping and neighborhood gateways. Design elements are very useful tools to clearly indicate public routes and discourage access to private areas.

Territorial Reinforcement - Physical design can also create or extend a sphere of influence. Users are encouraged to develop a sense of territorial control, while potential offenders, perceiving this control, are discouraged. This concept includes features that define property lines and distinguish between private and public spaces using landscape plantings, pavement designs, gateway treatments, appropriate signage and "open" fences.

Maintenance - Lastly, care and maintenance enable continued use of a space for its intended purpose. Deterioration and blight indicate less concern and control by the intended users of a site and indicate a greater tolerance of disorder. Proper maintenance prevents reduced visibility due to plant overgrowth and obstructed, or inoperative, lighting, while serving as an additional expression of territoriality and ownership.

In closing, I would like to thank the community for not remaining silent about the issues that are affecting our neighborhoods. We want to "catch the bad guys" as much as you do. Through timely reporting of suspicious activity and crime, we are able to work towards prevention of future incidents before the problems grow versus reacting to a problem that has grown out of control. We, the community and the Novato Police Department, are still in a position to maintain our safety and low crime rates while at the same time proactively reducing crime, identifying those who wish to cause us harm and holding those individuals accountable for their actions. We are here 24 hours each day and seven days each week to assist you in any way we can. We also have the resources and expertise to assist you with additional crime prevention information and we are willing to meet with you at any time to further address your needs or concerns.

Yours Truly,
Joseph M. Kreins
Chief of Police
415-897-4361

http://www.pwcgov.org/docLibrary/PDF/002035.pdf

www.pwcgov.org

SMIA Halloween Parade, Sunday, October 30th - 11AM

2011-10-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Gather your goblins, gather your princesses, and your pirates… it's time for our annual neighborhood Halloween Parade! This year the parade will be on Sunday, October 30th at 11am sharp. The parade starts at the corner of San Andreas Dr and San Carlos Dr. (Sign in will begin at 10.30am).

Once again, we will have different categories (0-2), (3-5), (6-8), (9-12), (families) & (dogs). (Dogs must be leashed and in costume, of course!). The parade will follow our local fire truck and will end at All Saints Lutheran Church (corner of San Carlos & San Marin Dr). We will have our annual awards ceremony on the church lawn. In addition, this year All Saints will be selling hotdogs, chips and a drink for $3.00 as a fundraiser for their youth program.

SMIA Meeting - San Marin City Council Candidates Information Session

2011-10-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Come and meet the two San Marin residents that are running for City Council in November: incumbent Mayor Madeline Kellner and former school board member Leslie Peterson Schwarze.

We will have an informal discussion with the candidates and it is your chance to ask questions.

What: SMIA October Monthly Meeting
Time: 7:00pm, Monday, October 3rd
Location: All Saints Lutheran Church (corner of San Marin and Novato Blvd)

Annual San Marin Garage Sale set for Saturday, Sept 17th., from 9AM to 2PM

2011-08-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

The annual San Marin Garage Sale is set for Saturday, Sept 17th., from 9AM to 2PM. (please note the new date)

As is in the past years, please email Sylvia@SylviaBarryRE.com to list your garage sale on http://www.sanmaringaragesale.com/ and to be included on the San Marin Garage Sale Map.

5th Annual SMIA Classic Car Exposition ~ May 14th

2011-05-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Start your engines! Dust off those fancy vehicles hiding away in your garage… come on down and show it off at the 5^th Annual SMIA Classic Car Exposition on Saturday, May 14^th from 10.00am – 2.00pm at All Saints Church (corner of San Marin and Novato Blvd).

This event is free to the public ~ bring your family and check out some unique, fancy, and sometimes funky classic cars!

All Saints Church will be selling hotdogs and drinks as a fundraiser for their church.

Andrew (our volunteer event manager) will be bringing his fully-electric Nissan Leaf to display. He is also seeking some 'alternative' vehicles this year...if you have a micro car, a fully electric, plug-in hybrid or alternative-fuel powered vehicle or motorcycle, we would love to see it at the show…

There is a $20 donation for each vehicle entered. The “gates open” at 9:00am for all participating vehicles. If you would like to enter your car, please contact Andrew at 415-225-3792 or smiamail@gmail.com. You may register the day of the event as well. Works-in-progress are welcome.

See below for 2010 SMIA Classic Car Exposition

Annual Easter Egg Hunt & Neighborhood BBQ Saturday April 23rd ~ 11am ~ All Saints Church

2011-04-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny is coming to All Saints Lutheran Church (new location!) on Saturday, April 23rd at 11am. Gather the kids and come hunt for eggs and candy in the grass, followed by games and a BBQ. The Easter Bunny will be there hopping around looking for photo-ops, so bring your cameras!

The BBQ will begin immediately after the Easter Egg Hunt. The BBQ is for all San Marin residents, whether you have kids or not.. It’s a place to come meet your neighbors or socialize with the regulars. We will be cooking up sausages and hotdogs, with chips and a drink. . Come enjoy a family day full of fun! (Miwok Park was already booked this year so we had to change our venue. Thank you to All Saints Church for allowing us on their property!) This year the San Marin Compatible Housing Committee will be selling coffee and baked goods prior to the Easter Egg Hunt. They will have current information about proposed affordable housing sites in our San Marin neighborhood. Stop by their table, get a cup of coffee and get informed!

Volunteers are needed as usual! If you would like to help, please contact us at mailto:smia@gmail.com.

New Street Lighting Information Meeting

2011-02-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

Please attend the Monday SMIA meeting at 7pm, February 7th.

Many residents were confused about the NEW LIGHTING on street lights in San Marin - the City is changing the light bulbs throughout the City including San Marin.

The City Public Works Director will come present to the SMIA on Monday and explain exactly how the lighting will change in San Marin. Please attend.

7pm - All Saints Church

Santa is Coming - Saturday, December 18th - 9am

2010-12-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

Update on 12/17 - The forecast is looking grim for Santa and his carriage ride this year.. If there is rain tomorrow, Santa and his Elf have arranged to be at Rolling Hills from 10.30am-12pm awaiting children..You do not need to be a SMIA member to see Santa! (If it is not raining, Santa will ride through the neighborhood as usual starting at 9am - see note below). Ho Ho Ho

Ho Ho Ho… Guess who is coming to San Marin once again on his famous horse & carriage…. Santa!! Oh, and don’t forget his loyal elf who hands out candy canes and helps children on and off the carriage.

Santa & elf will be trotting by carriage through our neighborhood on Saturday, December 18th from 9am-12:30pm. Children who wave to Santa from the sidewalk will be able to sit on his lap and express their wishes and maybe even get a candy cane!

If you are unable to find Santa in the neighborhood, then head on over to the Rolling Hills Club at 11:30 where Santa will end his journey. The Club will provide cookies and cocoa for all the patient children.

In addition, the fabulous San Marin Choir will keep everyone entertained with their wonderful caroling. Santa must head back to the North Pole at 12.30pm. Don’t miss out on the holiday spirit!

Santa will begin his journey from Novato Blvd. down San Miguel Way, turn onto Feliz Dr., then left on San Luis. He will then take a left on San Carlos and head west to Clemente Ct., where he will make his rounds. He will then head back onto San Carlos, and eventually turn right on San Ramon Dr. He will then head towards Rolling Hills Club.

See you on the 18th! (Heavy rain cancels.)

THANKS to OUR SPONSORS!!!

We want to thank our generous San Marin residents who graciously donated to Santa's Carriage ride! Please support your sponsors for this event!

Rolling Hills Club; AAA Insurance, Judy Avila, John Cover, Rafael Ruano, Patti Vandisb; Frank Howard Allen Realtors - Sylvia Barry, John Hammer; Roto Rooter Plumbing; State Farm Agents - Dennis Hagerty, Tim Long, Geoff Shepherd and Rick Wernick

Halloween Parade CANCELED

2010-10-18T16:21:00.000-07:00

Due to the lack of volunteers for this year's Halloween Parade, we must unfortunately cancel the parade which was scheduled for Saturday, Oct 30th.

If you would like to help with next year's Halloween Parade, please contact the SMIA. Thank you.

San Marin Neighborhood Garage Sale Scheduled for Saturday, 09/25

2010-08-16T22:43:00.000-07:00

The annual San Marin Garage Sales are set for Saturday, Sept 25th., from 9AM to 2PM. (please note the new date)

As is in the past years, please email Sylvia@SylviaBarryRE.com to list your garage sale on http://www.sanmaringaragesale.com/ and to be included on the San Marin Garage Sale Map.

Click to see Novato Disposal Flyer on Novato Fall Community Cleanup, September 27-October 1, 2010

4th Annual SMIA Classic Car Exposition - May 22nd 9:30am-2:00pm

2010-04-04T18:29:00.000-07:00

Start your engines! Dust off those fancy vehicles hiding away in your garage… come on down and show it off at the 4th Annual SMIA Classic Car Exposition on Saturday, May 22nd from 9.30am – 2.00pm at All Saints Church (corner of San Marin and Novato Blvd). This event is free to the public ~ bring your family and check out some unique, fancy, and sometimes funky classic cars! All Saints Church will be selling hotdogs and drinks as a fundraiser for their church.

Andrew (our volunteer event manager) is also looking to feature some 'alternative' vehicles this year...if you have a micro car, a fully electric, plug-in hybrid or alternative-fuel powered vehicle or motorcycle, we would love to see it at the show…

There is a $20 donation for each car entered. The “gates open” at 9:00am for all participating vehicles. If you would like to enter your car, please enter online below or just show up! - we promise we will have room for you! Works-in-progress are very welcome.

To register, show up the day of the show or pay here using PayPal to pre-register:

Annual Easter Egg Hunt & Neighborhood BBQ Saturday April 3rd

2010-03-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny is coming to San Marin on Saturday, April 3rd at 11am to Miwok Park. Gather the kids and come hunt for eggs and candy in the grass, followed by games and a BBQ. The Easter Bunny will be there hopping around looking for photo-ops, so bring your cameras!

The BBQ will begin immediately after the Easter Egg Hunt. The SMIA will be cooking up sausages and hotdogs, with chips and a drink. SMIA members cost is $3.00, non-members $5.00. Come enjoy a family day at the park!

Twisters Self Serve Frozen Yogurt is helping in sponsoring the Easter Egg Hunt prizes this year! They will also be giving out coupons for frozen yogurt…

SMIA 2008 Halloween Parade

2008-10-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

2008-01-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

What your Dues Support:

If you have not sent in your dues ($15), then you have received your last newsletter. We hope that you will continue the community spirit and send in your dues. And thank you to the hundreds who have already sent in their dues, and to those of you who sent us more than $15 - we truly appreciate it!
The dues are spent on building community relationships amongst neighbors through social events such as:

San Marin Neighborhood Social
Easter Egg Hunt & Community Picnic
San Marin Neighborhood Social
Community Garage Sales
Halloween Parade
Santa by Sleigh

DUES Dues Dues! ...Please send $15 with your name and address to:

The San Marin Improvement Association,

PMB 329, 936B Seventh Street, Novato, CA 94945-3000

(Be sure the PMB is on your envelope, or it will be returned)...Thanks in advance for your dues!

Advertising with SMIA

2008-01-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

The SMIA mails our bi-monthly newsletter to hundreds of households in the San Marin area. If you would like to harness the power of this exposure for your business, we charge $50 for each business-card size advertisement placed. Please click here to read the guidelines for advertisements. If you decide you would like to advertise with us, please email us at smiamail@gmail.com and we will let you know when the deadline for that particular month is. Thank you.