Crime increase at Phoenix historical neighborhood has residents worried
Phoenix neighborhood residents upset over crime
People living in Phoenix's Coronado neighborhood say they have been experiencing increased crime in recent months, and the problem is bad enough that some have decided to move away. Now, people are demanding change. FOX 10's Lauren Clark reports.
PHOENIX - Gun shots, bullets, and a park full of criminal activities: that’s what neighbors in an area of the Coronado neighborhood of Phoenix say they’ve been experiencing for several months, and now, they are demanding change.
"We’ve noticed an escalation," said Kelly Rein. "A lot of crime, a lot of gun violence, prostitution in the park, there’s been a lot of drug dealing in the park."
What we know:
Rein said he heard gunshots recently, and his kids are so frightened that he is going to live somewhere else.
"We heard three or four shots go off," Rein said. "We were watching a basketball game in the front room. I grabbed my daughter and we hit the floor."
Rein's front yard camera captured the loud bangs, and a car driving away. He said it's a far cry from what he imagined when he moved into the area two years prior.
The backstory:
Rein said back then, the home off of 13th Street and Palm Lane was like a dream come true.
"A lot of people know each other and interact, so it’s a very fun community to live in," said Rein.
Since June, however, Rein has noticed a lot of changes. Nowadays, bullets and casings are not an uncommon sight to see. Rein's worries are also shared by others in the area.
"We’re all a little bit anxious," said Ron Roedel. "For the last nine months, it’s been a dangerous zone."
Roedel has lived here for 20 years, and he has also heard the gunshots in the street and alley, as well as seeing other nefarious activities across the street in the park.
Residents say they're frustrated by police response times. Meanwhile, neighbors have mounted cameras in their front lawn, and alerted each other about activity on the community Facebook page.
Those still living in the area are calling for change, before it’s too late.
"Don’t let a perfectly lovely neighborhood just continue to sink and continue down the slippery slope to be a neighborhood where a lot of the responsible and friendly people moved out, and it falls into the hands of the people who prefer for it to be chaotic," said Roedel.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Phil Krynsky with the Phoenix Police Department said people can register their home surveillance cameras for Virtual Block Watch. Signing up only takes 10 minutes, and will help officers if there is a crime in the area, in the future.
City of Phoenix Virtual Block Watch
https://www.phoenix.gov/police/virtualblockwatch