BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — The city of Boynton Beach is making new efforts to calm crime concerns in a local community. Neighbors said they have issues that have been plaguing them for months.
"The problem we're having is with the local area teens," resident Howard Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman said he's at his wit's end.
"They are using the property as a place to gather to hang out," he said.
Zimmerman's not alone. Some of his fellow residents at Ocean Breeze East Apartments in Boynton Beach are letting everyone know from the police, the mayor and management of the property what's happening.
"I need to be secure. I need to be because of my nerves," one woman said.
Another lady wanted police to notify parents of their troublesome kids.
"Your children are coming over here to play, but they're vandalizing and throwing trash," she said.
People started moving into the development in November. But residents said, from the beginning, teens have made the new community their home for mischief, destruction and vandalism.
"There have been numerous instances with the police. I think they already mentioned they got 37 case reports and a few arrests in this area," Zimmerman said.
Assistant Chief Joe Degiulio laid out what the department has been doing to alleviate issues.
"So, the trespassing agreements are in place. They are valid," he said. "We do extra patrols throughout the night."
Management who runs the property said they're taking the next steps.
"We're having the signs put up. We're going to fence in the area. We're going to work with the police department," Elizabeth Roque-Swezy with Centennial Management said. "We're going to put the cameras up so they can have real-time feeds to see what's going on."
Residents said they welcome the measures.