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East Hills Neighbors Demand Better Security After Break-In, Robbery

EAST HILLS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A frightening home burglary and driveway mugging have put a quiet Long Island North Shore village on guard.

As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, a volunteer security committee is now seeking solutions in the village of East Hills.

"Everybody is really on edge," one woman said.

"It reminds me to be more aware -- even if I'm in the safest town," another said.

Indeed, East Hills is considered among the safest villages on all of Long Island. But the community recently suffered two scary crimes – making for five crimes for the year 2015.

Residents have now begun clamoring for old methods to maintain modern security.

"There's always something new that could help," a man said.

"If you want to stay safe, you have to take care of it yourself," a woman said.

"In our neighborhood, especially, I think measures need to be taken," another woman added.

More than 100 people gathered at Village Hall to discuss potential measures to deter crime, after a woman was followed home from a local upscale mall by a man with a knife who struggled for her jewels and threatened her on her driveway on Peacock Drive.

A few days earlier, a home invasion took place on Wildwood Lane, which also remains unsolved.

Currently, the village relies on Nassau County police and maintains its own safety patrol.

"In the department, there's16 of us, and there's an average of three cars per shift," said East Hills Public Safety Director Charles Summa.

Summa added that the public safety patrol is made up of civilian citizens and has no police powers.

Deputy Mayor Manny Zuckerman said security is the number one priority in the village of 2,300 homes. That is why leaders are engaging private citizens to come up with new community watch plans.

"Expect them to come up with some interesting, innovative ideas, perhaps, that will help the community feel safer," Zuckerman said.

The citizen-led security committee with resident volunteers may soon propose installing cameras, increasing neighborhood lighting, and possibly even a village police force.

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