Not that we want to alarm anyone, but the St. Joseph Police Department has made clear it believes several groups of burglars have been at work in the community since late summer.

The police have seen everything: Forced entry, often through back doors. Entry through unlocked garages, doors and windows. Thefts of items left in plain sight. Break-ins in broad daylight. Repeated thefts of high-end electronics, game systems and guns.

As the calls kept coming, as August became September and then October, officers recognized they were dealing with something unusual. “There is more than one group here,” said Kevin Castle, police spokesman. “And it is really affecting the community.”

The News-Press, along with law enforcement officers and various neighborhood groups, repeatedly has passed along advice on how not to become a victim of a burglary. There is a certain sameness to this message but it is not one we can improve on:

n Know your neighbors. Get to know each other’s routines.

n Lock your doors and windows. Use deadbolts if you have them.

n Make your home more secure. Consider using security alarms. Trim bushes that might conceal an intruder.

n Keep records and photos of your valuables.

n Be alert to strangers in your neighborhood, especially those going door to door.

n Be prepared to immediately report anything suspicious – call 911 for an emergency or 271-4777 for a non-emergency.

Pressed to choose one proactive step over another, many officers would encourage residents to look out for one another and to develop true interdependent relationships, one neighbor to another.

We see the value here, not only in sharing tasks such as watching out for strangers, picking up newspapers and the mail, and checking on open doors. We like the idea that a threat from crime, however big or small, can bring us together and build and strengthen friendships we might never have had.

To explore the further step of forming a Neighborhood Watch Program in your area, call 271-4882 or 236-1473.