Grand Terrace Gang: To See or Not To See

Frome the Email Inbox:

So let me see if I understand this correctly. The good Lt. from the Sheriff's Office says we don't have a gang here, but we do have a street gang. Not like in L.A. These people only steal cars, break into them, one of which was my neighbors and another neighbor caught them "gang tagging: his curb with spray paint. We don't have drive-by shooting, that's nice. Do all gangs start out with a drive-by shooting or do they work their way up.?

One person after the council meeting reported that they had kicked in their neighbors front door. The Sheriff had to be called today because the "not a gang but is a gang" entered a neighbor's back yard. The deputy was carrying mug shots of the two leaders that are brothers.

I feel so much better that we don't have a gang of twenty to twenty-five that range from 12 years old to 25 years old. I don't know, but it sure sounds like a gang to me and from what I've seen it sure looks like a gang to me.

If they know they are entering the houses on Barton and using them to hide out or hang out, don't bulldoze them. At least you know where they are. If you bulldoze them then they will spread out to the neighborhoods. Try to catch them in the houses and arrest them and drag the parents into court.

This is a problem in Grand Terrace we can't afford because of a lack of deputies. The council thinks it is more important to give money to developers than to police protection. It needs to be nipped in the bud either by the police or by citizen street patrols. Where ever they show up the men of the neighborhood should come together. Bring flashlights, cell phones and video cameras. Do not confront them, but let them know they are being watched by a group of adult men and their actions are being documented and we are not going to tolerate this behavior on our streets. If they move to another street, follow them. Maybe we can make them move up into Honey Hills and make it the council's problem to solve when it's in their front yard. Make it uncomfortable for them in Grand Terrace before they make it uncomfortable in Grand Terrace for you.