Neighbors act as one another’s security system

POST FALLS – It was the middle of the night when Vernon Reed heard a noise.

When he looked out the window, he saw movement behind the bushes at his neighbor’s house. And Reed feared the landscaping truck owned by his neighbor’s son had been stolen.

So Reed trucked over to the Myers house and pounded on the door.

He would have left home in just his underwear if not for his wife insisting he throw on a pair of pants, Reed said.

“If they weren’t handy, they weren’t a necessity,” Reed said. “We have to watch out for each other.”

The incident last month – which turned out to be a false alarm – is evidence of Reed’s vigilance and contribution to neighborhood safety, the Myerses said.

The homes are near the skate park, and sometimes kids come tramping through the area, Reed said.

The neighbors watch out for one another’s homes when they’re away and keep an eye out for any misdoings.

“We just watch each other and keep the kids in line and notice any unusual vehicles or let people know we’ve seen them. That’s about it,” Reed said. “Police have other things to do other than looking in the bushes when we’re able to.”

The Myers family also makes an effort to watch out for neighbors, Reed said.

Once, Marvin Myers chased some kids who had been cruising back and forth with their car lights off, Reed said.

“We’re just like a security,” Reed said. “We watch their back; they watch ours.”