Neighborhood bands together to fight crime

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The residents of one metro neighborhood came together after crime plagued their streets.

Resident Harry Meyers coordinated the Linwood Place neighborhood watch program.

"Not too old to do anything," Meyers said. "If you want to do it, you have the desire and the heart to want to do it."

The 86-year-old patrols his streets two hours a day.

"It takes everybody in the neighborhood to make it work," Meyers said. "We just like to protect what's ours."

There are 25 other volunteers who also make the rounds.

"Try to keep out neighborhood safe where you would want to live and raise your family," Meyers said.

Hyeju Hong, a foreign exchange student, was attacked on her first day in the neighborhood.

"I heard in Korea, in America, it's dangerous," Hong said.

According to Hong, she was outside her host home when two teens robbed and assaulted her.

She said they took her purse and camera and hit her. Hong said the encounter made her nervous and scared.

Police have not caught the thieves, but Hong said she's not dwelling on the negative.

"I like Oklahoma," Hong said. "I forgot bad guy."

The neighborhood has not forgotten the attack.

"It kind of affects the whole neighborhood and makes you feel vulnerable. That's one of the things we're trying to turn around," said Neighborhood Association President Duane Shriver. Hopefully, put a sense of security in our own neighborhood."

The neighborhood patrols look for anything suspicious, including attackers.

"I better not catch him, that's all I got to say," Meyers said. "I better not catch him."

The patrols are working. According to Shriver, crime has significantly dropped in the neighborhood.

If anyone has information about Hong's attackers, they are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 235-7300.