European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday August 12, 1993 the stars and stripes Page 3 keeping neighbourly Eye on crime americans in England watch out for each other Jay Nancy l. Torner . Bureau Eriswell England when Shelby Dill s car Ste Reo was stolen two years ago in front of her Home she installed better locks on the vehicle s doors. When the american s car was broken into again in june 1992, she replaced the second stolen sound sys tem with one that had removable parts and was sup posed to deter thieves. When her car was broken into a third time last january she installed a car alarm that Cost More than $200. And when her neighbor s car was broken into in february Dill organized a neighbourhood watch program for Ner Anglo american housing area near Raf Lakenheath. The watch area includes is properties on dead end Street called a close in England. I think a lot of it is Opportunity crime Dill who works at the Raf Lakenheath education office said in a recent interview referring to the break ins. Forming a neighbourhood watch program has made people on her Street Ash close feel More secure she said. It s brought our close together a Little better Dill said. We re More interested in taking care of other people s  the British neighbourhood watch program is similar to the one in the United states said Phil Reed the crime prevention officer at the Newmarket police Sta Tion who helped Dill organize the program. Its Success depends on residents who Are encouraged to look out for anything unusual in their neighbourhoods and to Alert police and each other of anything suspicious. Program participants Are urged to know one another so that strangers can be identified to Exchange Tele phone numbers so they can Alert each other and to pay extra attention to the Homes of vacationing neighbors. It is a teamwork approach Reed said. Brenda Shepherd an american and a member of the Ash close watch program said she and her neighbors had become More aware since joining neighbourhood watch. Shepherd is a family member whose husband works at Raf Mildenhall. When we hear a noise now we go and look she said. Shepherd lost two car stereo systems and a camera when Ner car was broken into in february and again in april. She plans to install a car alarm system to deter further thefts which she said were frustrating and  police recently recovered Shepherd s camera and arrested a Lakenheath resident suspected of committing More than 30 car break ins in the area. The suspect is out on bail while awaiting trial. Although the suspect was caught without the help of the watch program residents feel their close ties with British police Nave helped make officers More aware of crime in their neighbourhood. Raf Lakenheath Security police also have begun to patrol the area periodically Dill said. Reed said he did not have crime statistics for specific neighbourhoods such As the Eriswell housing area which is leased by the . Military. However he said Eriswell is experiencing car thefts and break ins As is another housing area in the Village of Lakenheath that also is leased by the . Air Force. Despite sending literature to All Homes in those areas Only Ash close has formed a watch program. In the last six months there have been quite serious problems with car crime in these housing areas Reed said. We would love to encourage other areas to join their Ash close s  two other neighbourhood watch programs involving americans exist in stud lands Park a housing area leased by the air Force in Newmarket Reed said. One was formed on Royal Palace close in 1989, and the other was formed on Detingo close last january. Car thefts and break ins Are relatively minor prob lems in the . Areas of stud lands Park because Park ing areas can be seen from the Homes Reed said. How Ever British housing areas in stud lands Park Are experiencing considerable crime because the parking spots Are out of sight he said. Local British participation in neighbourhood watch is Strong but police feel. It is important that the program include areas populated by american families. Dill said one of the hardest things about forming watch programs in american housing areas is that Resi dents tend to move frequently. Now that Ash close has a program in place Dill plans to bring newcomers into it As soon As they move in. Each neighbourhood Natch area has a coordinator who serves As a Liaison with police but residents deter mine their own level of involvement in the program Reed said. Some neighbourhoods hold regular meetings while others do not. Each participant is issued a neighbourhood watch sticker for display in Home windows As a deterrent to criminals. Optional neighbourhood watch Street signs also arc available for 23 pounds about $35 if they Are posted on Public property and 6.50 pounds about $10 if posted on private property. Americans in Croatia receive . Medallion Zagreb Croatia is american serv ice members who deployed to Croatia for opera Tion provide Promise will have More than their . Blue Beret to flaunt when they leave the Balkans. More than 200 . Service members received a Bronze medallion Friday bearing the Emblem of the United nations on the front and the inscription in the service of peace on the Back. Individuals must Complete 90 consecutive Days of service with the United nations to be eligible for the medal. Nominees also must not have been convicted of serious misconduct during their service with the United nations. Group raises death toll at e. German Borders Berlin a the number of people killed along former East Germany s Borders was far higher than previously believed a human rights group said tuesday. The August 13th working group said that at least 568 people lost their lives there starting in 1949. Most were East germans dashing to Freedom at the berm Wall and along the country s Frontier with West Germany. The two Germany United in 1990. Victims included 31 children and teen agers the group said four years ago Bonn officials said that about 200 people died in escape attempts but later raised the toll to372 East German Border guards shot at fellow citizens racing toward the West. Mines and automatic shooting de vices killed others seeking to flee from the hard line re Gime. You reentering a is Dave Dudlo Shelby Dill stands at the doorway of her Home in the Eriswell housing area near Raf Lakenheath England. 11 marching marines injured when pickup swerves off Road fort Indiantown Gap a. A a pickup truck veered off a Road and slowed into a group of marching marines injuring 11 of them state police said wednesday. The truck s Driver a juvenile was questioned but not charged state trooper Kevin Frey said. Police were investigating. Three of the marines remained hospitalized wednesday at Hershey medical Center and at least one was in critical condition a nursing supervisor said. Eight others were treated at Good Samaritan Hospi Tal in Lebanon and released after tuesday night s Acci Dent officials said. The marines members of the 25th Marine regt at fort Indiantown Gap were marching on the shoulder of a Street when the Accident occurred just before 9 . Tuesday Frey said. Police were unsure How Many marines were marching. Officials at the fort could not be reached for com ment. The truck was driving West on the Avenue when it swerved right striking at least seven marines Frey said. Other service members were Hurt falling onto the pavement while trying to get out of the truck s Way he said. Police would not release the names of the injured or the truck Driver. Indiantown Gap is in Lebanon county about 75 Miles West of Philadelphia. Sailor in Sardinia reportedly electrocuted la Maddalena Sardinia is a . Sailor stationed at la Maddalena was apparently electrocuted july 23 near a scuba equipment shop according to police and news reports. Local police confirmed tuesday that Seaman apprentice Oliver t. Sermsri was killed when he used a pair of no insulated wire cutters to snip an electrical Cable in the Village of valour on Santo Stefano Island. According to a report by la Nova Sardinia s daily newspaper the Cable was attached to the shop s alarm system. The newspaper also reported that authorities found an abandoned Motorboat near the site. The shop is frequented by americans its owner told the newspaper. Sermsri s body was found at about 1 . By tourists from valour. The 19-year-old was assigned to the submarine ten Der Simon Lake located at the submarine refitting site on the Island. About half the Island is unde nato auspices. The rest is Home to several tourist resorts. Officials with the 6th Heel said tuesday that they could not confirm the circumstances surrounding Serm Sai s death stating that the incident is still under investigation