This past week alone, they helped police nab a local man who's run afoul of the law. If you're guessing they are undercover cops, you're wrong.

Rocky Point business owners and workers are volunteering their time as part of Nightvision, a civilian neighborhood watch group that was born out of the Brookhaven Business and Community Alliance. The group provides Suffolk police with leads in an effort to make the Main Street business district a little safer at night.

"You can sit for three or four hours a night and see nothing for months, then as you're passing through town in a split second catch an individual who has been wreaking havoc on this town for weeks," said BBCA president Joe Kessel Jr., who acts as coordinator for the neighborhood watch group. "Call it luck, call it hard work; the end result is we have identified a serious problem in this community and now have the police department working on it."

Nightvision was formed in 2007 in response to an increase in criminal activity in the Main Street business district area, according to Mr. Kessel. Volunteers started off by patrolling the streets in clearly marked shirts identifying them as BBCA members. They walked and also rode on bicycles in the off-hours or during community events. In the beginning, most of the activity included graffiti and other acts of vandalism, mostly committed by teenagers, he said.

The group has expanded in membership and was recently able to obtain a grant for a security camera, which will be placed at an undisclosed location.

Almost two years later, a recent spike in crime, most likely a product of the poor economy, has forced the group's volunteers even deeper into the shadows.

Nightvision volunteers have mostly doffed their uniforms -- only worn during bike patrols in the early-evening hours -- for plain clothes.

"Now that it's gotten so bad, we've gone to sitting in our cars, waiting and watching," he said.

Just this past week, the group's work paid off. Members of the group were able to provide police with information that led to the arrest of a local man three times over a couple of days. A Nightvision member noticed the suspicious person looking into car windows and checking door handles in front of Rapid Repairs and Kessel Automotive shortly before 1 a.m. June 24, according to Mr. Kessel. After providing a poor explanation of his actions, members detained him and the police were called. The suspect confessed after he was questioned, Mr. Kessel said. Police charged Raymond Peruggi, 19, of Rocky Point with petit larceny following the incident. He was also charged with disorderly conduct the following day and with petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property on Monday, June 29.

According to records at the Suffolk Correctional Facility in Riverhead, Mr. Peruggi was sent back to Central Islip for a court appearance Wednesday. His legal aid attorney was not available for comment by presstime.

Mr. Kessel credited the recent arrests and others like it to members of the community working with each other to keep crime down in their community.

"The arrests are solely due to members keeping a watchful eye, communicating with each other, taking an active role in protecting their businesses and their community," Mr. Kessel said.

Drew Martin, president of the Rocky Point Civic Association, credited the group for their work, proclaiming that he is a "huge fan" of Nightvision and fully supports the group's efforts. Mr. Martin said he is delighted by the representation shown by Suffolk police in Rocky Point. However, he realizes they cannot be everywhere at once. With that in mind, Mr. Martin believes the volunteer group's efforts are an enhancement in the fight against quality-of-life issues in the hamlet.

"Being the only downtown between Port Jefferson and Riverhead -- things are going to happen -- and those [areas] are both covered by village and or town police," Mr. Martin said. "We don't have those resources here."

County Legis. Daniel Losquadro (R-Shoreham) agreed that a second set of eyes and ears, as part of a neighborhood watch program, can be an asset to the community and local law enforcement as well. People often feel better knowing that their neighbors are looking out for them, he added.

"To be able to provide real-time information is invaluable," Mr. Losquadro said. "It's an asset to law enforcement because they might be able to follow up information and develop leads they might not otherwise have."

But you don't have to be a member of Nightvision to take a bite out of crime.

"If everyone would just drive through town and take an interest, we would be even more successful," Mr. Kessel said.

peggy@northshoresun.com

Add your comments below:

Your name:

Your email:

Subject:


Comments:



Enter text seen above: