Neighbors Gang Up on Thieves

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Story Published: Jan 29, 2010 at 5:46 PM PST

By David Klugh

YAKIMA -- No one is really prepared to become a victim. The feelings of vulnerability, invasion, the mega dose of disrespect. They can be overwhelming. Roger Bault knows.

"We always felt kinda comfortable here on this corner here. You know we're pretty visible here."

They busted in his West Valley home, went after his most valuable possessions. But then, something else.

As one of the crooks was removing the Roger's stuff, Steve McLean was driving by... Something didn't look right. When a strange car then pulled into the drive... Steve had to take action. He spun around and pulled into the Bault's driveway and blocked the thieves' car. He'd had enough of the crime out here.

"Had two neighbors that have been broken into last week and my mother's 5 or 6 times."

The burglars scattered. And then it was like the entire neighborhood sprang into action.
A couple blocks away, Joe Mason was cleaning out his RV when one of the bad guys came out from behind Joe's shed. Deputies had already caught two, and didn't even know about a third.

"You know you got a boy up here. He says no, we got the two. I says I think you got three. So he went back and talked to him and he admitted there was another one."

Another crook went under Ron Warner's place...

"His eyes got about as big as mine and I said you might as well come out of there 'cause I'm going in the house and get my gun and my phone."

The Sheriff's Office will be the first to admit this kind of neighborhood collaboration just doesn't happen enough.

Sgt. George Town was at the scene. "All these neighbors coming together out there. It's almost classic block watch."

Local cops would love to be able to use this as an example of just how effective neighborhood watch groups are. And they are. But there's no neighborhood watch here… just neighbors watching.

Back at Roger Bault's place, a family counting its blessings.

"I just praise God that he had all our neighbors in position to do what they did."

For now, those neighbors are getting back to their lives, knowing full well the chances another being targeted by thieves are pretty good. They just hope they are once again, in a position to foil.

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