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NewsChannel 3 takes action to help woman who’s concerned about Norfolk crime

Posted at 5:43 PM, Oct 29, 2014
and last updated 2014-10-30 08:16:47-04

Norfolk, Va. - Deborah Mapp, 66, considers herself to be the "watch dog" of her Broad Creek neighborhood.

"I come out here when I see them. I let them know I`m not afraid of you. I can identify to you if I have to and I will identify you! You`re not commit crime in my neighborhood," she told NewsChannel 3.

After a rash of crime near her home, she contacted NewsChannel 3 to do something about it.

Less than 24 hours after we got her email, we were sitting on her front porch ready to take action.

"I`d like to thank NewsChannel 3 for staying on top of all of the news and I`d really do appreciate responding in such a timely manner. We don`t want to feel like prisoners in our own home," she said.

We contacted police and got the statistics. In the past month, there's been two burglaries, two car larcenies, three vandalism reports, two stolen cars, and two larcenies in Broad Creek.

Arzim Azim lives down the street from Mapp. Just two nights ago, he and his neighbors doors were kicked in, and thieves stole his two TVs.

"If I would have been in the house it would have been a different result. Someone would have went to the hospital and I definitely don`t think it would have been me, Azim said.

After hearing his story and Mapp's concerns, we contacted the Broad Creek Homeowner Association. The president of the association just so happens to be Norfolk treasurer, Anthony Burfoot.

He says since the recent outbreak of crime, he's asked for more police patrol in the neighborhood, he's looking into a security guard, and is working to set up a meeting with residents to discuss what they can do to stay safe.

NewsChannel 3 will be checking up on in a few weeks to make sure Mapp and her neighbors feel safer.

"I have sent letters elsewhere never gotten any response on it so I`d like to say you guys are number one in my book," she said.