A crime wave has returned to San Jose's Evergreen community.
Residents said burglars are once again prowling through their neighborhood, with one family coming face to face with a would-be burglar on Monday.
"Right there, right on I knew it was a burglar. My wife said 'I'm calling police.' I start yelling and chasing after the guy." Michael Mayo said of encountering the intruder. "Which is probably dumb."
Mayo said the intruder hopped a fence after breaking the window screen, and that's when his neighbor spotted the suspected burglar.
"All of a sudden I'm ready to get out of my car and I see a quick shadow," neighbor Issac Moody said. "I see someone running down the roadway, and I hear my neighbors screaming and hollering."
The neighborhood is now demanding more protection. Police have responded with increased patrols in the community.
Evergreen residents said prior to the new crime wave, it was pretty quiet in October. Police report 29 home burglaries in the area in the past two weeks.
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The increase in crime prompted a resident to send a letter to the police chief and ask for help.
The chief's office said the department has limited resources, but has still devoted substantial resources to the Evergreen neighborhood.
On Monday, the Evergreen beat captain also assigned a burglary suppression unit, which includes additional officers working overtime to find and stop burglars in the area.
Police were in Mayo's neighborhood within minutes after receiving the reported burglar and are still looking for the suspect.
The next neighborhood watch meeting in Evergreen is scheduled for Thursday.
