MARENGO – Sometime in December, police received a call reporting suspicious activity.

By happenstance, a Marengo police officer was stationed nearby and quickly arrived at the scene. It turned out that a group of juveniles were “going through cars,” attempting to find unlocked vehicles to burglarize, Marengo Police Chief Joseph Hallman said.

A neighborhood watch group volunteer made the call. The incident illustrated how neighborhood watch groups can be a vital community resource and play a significant role in preventing criminal activity, Hallman said.