They had enough of the crime – patrol at night

It is late Friday night in Emmaboda and Mattias Ahlström, 41, and Jessica Karlsson, 30, is just about to begin his round. The incisions are, they are out three nights a week, often from the 23-time until the morning hours. In the evening with Mattias behind the wheel and Jessica next door – ready to check the registration numbers on cars that seem suspicious. She make a note of everything that stands out from the normal.

Mattias Ahlström has just called the police in Kalmar in order to tell you that he and Jessica are on the way out and informed about which car they use.

Jessica Karlsson and Mattias Ahlström. Photo: Martin Gustafsson

– So that they need not stop us. But, unfortunately, usually not the information go out to the patrols, " he says, a little dejectedly.

In the municipality with more than 9.000 inhabitants is upwards of 200 people active in the non-profit association 'The night watch', distributed by the city, Emmaboda/Lindås and the smaller communities Vissefjärda, Långasjö and the parish of Algutsboda. The night watchman has been around for over ten years and started after a inbrottsvåg in the municipality.

the Goal is to prevent crime, and the network can be described as a kind of expanded version of Neighborhood watch.

"See, be seen and interfere with our motto," says Jessica Karlsson.

the Rules for those active in the network is that all must be over 18 years and that you are always supposed to be two in the car. All will also receive information about how you should act and proposed addresses, and areas to check.

how many of the crime prevention network in the country. But it seems to have an effect on crime. According to studies from the Brottsförebyggandet council, BRÅ, who looked closely at the Neighborhood watch, where neighbors watch each other's home and draws the attention of unknown people in the area, the crime rate in connected areas decrease between 16 and 26 per cent on average.

Read more: Bostadsinbrotten sharply down in the south of Sweden.

the Number of areas that connect to community policing also increases significantly, said the organization coalition against crime, which is behind the business.

" We see a jätteökning. I think it is that one wants to take responsibility for their local area. It is not possible to rely on someone else to do it, " says Lina Nilsson, chairman of the board.

However, one should be careful not to intervene yourself.

– It may not be somewhat judgmental and that someone is playing a police officer. In Neighborhood watch, we're talking always about that during an ongoing crime, call the police, one should certainly not risk his life in any way, " says Lina Nilsson.

on the Crime, stressing that the police and other authorities have the main responsibility for crime prevention work. But a well-functioning cooperation with the civil society is positive.

– do you Have a trust between the police and civil society, so get the police check a lot more information, which means that the police can work more effectively. But it does not mean that citizens should make the police's job. The police have the responsibility and the rights that we have in general, " she says.

in Addition, it is important that the type of control that occurs in connection with that accommodation is more pay attention to and make note of what people in the area are on the right way, otherwise, it will rather be a form of monitoring.

on the basis of a sense of insecurity, a feeling, it is important to take seriously.

– You may be aware that the police have not taken a large enough hold in the society. And there, one should be aware, the countryside has perhaps not received the attention it deserves from the police in recent years. And you can't take people's feelings away from them. It is important that people feel that they can trust that the police can maintain law and order, " says Viktor Haglind.

In Emmaboda city centre is still a lot of cars and people in motion. To detect something suspicious is easier when it is a little quieter mean Mattias and Jessica. For them, the monitoring has become a kind of hobby.

Mattias Ahlström and Jessica Karlsson. Photo: Martin Gustafsson

Completely risk free it is not. Both Jessica Karlsson and Mattias Ahlström been threatened and Mattias and even attacked with a knife.

" I would go and check out a car that went up at the church late in the evening. When I peered into the car, there was a where the inside and then the two came running towards the car and then I was knifed in the leg, I got a cut across the thigh, " he says.

the Biggest problem at the moment in the commune is, according to them drogpåverkade drivers. Just in the last few weeks Mattias has discovered four suspects affected the drivers.

can prevent and interfere with are burglaries and thefts. Crimes that may not be seen as a very serious one overall but for the victim is extremely insulting.

No manned police station is not in the municipality but despite the experience of the polisnärvaron high.

The night watchman has full support from both the Emmaboda municipality and the police, and the parties meet a couple of times per year.

" Then we are exchanging information, what has happened and how it goes. We have a very good dialogue and the running Nightwatch is very clear about what their mission is, " says Niclas Karlsson, a security coordinator in the Emmaboda municipality.

a declining trend of notified of thefts and burglaries in recent years, while the total number of recorded crimes is at a steady level.

Caroline Gyberg, kommunpolis in Emmaboda municipality, says that the patrulleringen at night is important.

– They are jättevärdefulla and we are very happy that they are. We can not stand in every street corner around the clock and it is rather not our job, " she says.

Outside the car window, it is black, fewer and fewer cars are in motion. Often it is at this time the criminal is active. A bit later, Mattias, the sight of a Saab 9-5, and press on the gas.

Jessica takes the registration number in order to check whether the car would be dc or have a driving ban. This time, everything was okay. And so much more is not happening this evening.