HOLLYWOOD | CRIME WATCH

Hollywood neighbors unite at Crime Watch block party
Hollywood neighbors threw a block party to mark unity against crime.

Four months ago, homeowners in Hollywood's North and South Lake communities rallied to halt a rash of neighborhood burglaries.

Last week, they partied in the street to celebrate success.

''Tonight we have kids, parents, neighbors together for a fun night. It's my first Crime Watch party,'' said resident Ken Gottlieb, former state representative and current state Senate candidate.

About 150 neighbors turned out Jan. 25 for the potluck party at dusk outside Gottlieb's home. Children played, dogs sniffed about, adults told jokes and laughed amid a smorgasbord of baked casseroles, homemade salads, dips, chips, soda and wine.

Crime Watch street captain Jeff Barrett flipped burgers on a grill while Hollywood Police Chief Chad Wagner mingled.

But the scene inside the Gottlieb home was different in October 2007, when many from the same group gathered with police and city leaders to complain about 18 car burglaries and eight home burglaries within five weeks.

Residents demanded answers. Police and city representatives asked for help.

What happened, Wagner said, was ''a police chief's dream.'' The community banded together, calling in suspicious activity and sharing information about unusual occurrences.

''Police can drive around your neighborhood all day long but we won't see what you see when you step out of your own front door,'' Wagner said.

Tips from neighbors and increased effort by the department's detective bureau and street crimes unit led to nine arrests of suspects from three theft gangs.

Ann Ralston, a 23-year resident, said she is a living example of how neighbors help neighbors. One day in 2006, she chased a burglar down the street while dialing 911. Ralston said she was walking door to door campaigning for Gottlieb's wife, School Board member Jennifer Gottlieb, when she saw a young man with an empty cloth bag enter a house.

'I kept my eyes on the house and when he came out running, I jumped into action. I said, `You're not getting away with this,' '' Ralston said.

Cops caught him in minutes with the stolen items.

Rene Barrett, wife of Jeff Barrett, said the block party was a way of reminding neighbors to come together in good times and bad.

''We live in our houses but forget to go outside and meet our neighbors. Sometimes prevention starts when you show up at a neighbor's door with a cake in your hand,'' she said.