Neighbors Hailed as Reason Burglary was Thwarted
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EAST JACKSON — Alert neighbors helped to catch two people in the act of burglarizing an East Jackson home. On April 5 around 10:30 p.m., police responded to a call from an alert neighbor who had seen two unknown suspects trying to kick in the door of a house in the 200 block of Lenoir Avenue. The resident was not home at the time and the suspects were not able to get inside. The woman who called police for help tells WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News she is legally blind. She said she called for help as soon as she heard suspicious activity next door. “I didn’t even know the police number I had to dial 911,” said Thomas.”I kept hearing something like somebody slamming a car door but they was trying to kick in the back door over there.” Thomas said she asked her son to look outside. Police said witnesses then noticed the suspects trying to kick in their neighbors back door. The suspects were detained on an adjacent street. “I guess they couldn’t get the door kicked in so they decided to leave but by that time the police had got here,” said Thomas. Probable cause was developed and the pair were arrested for Criminal Attempt to Commit Aggravated Burglary. The two suspects were later identified as Whitley J. Graham, 24 and Julius A. Whittaker, 21. Both are being held in lieu of a $25,000 bond. “You never know who might be trying to break in day or night. If neighbors would just look after neighbors there would probably be a whole lot less crime,” said one neighbor. The Jackson Police Department recommends that citizens call in suspicious activity whenever they see it. Neighbors that look out for each other have always been an excellent way of fighting crime. “It’s bad, it is really bad,” said Thomas. “Everybody needs to stick together when they see something, get on the phone.”
