Modesto Residents Will Pay For Night Lighting

MODESTO, Calif. (CBS13) -- Residents in a Modesto neighborhood will soon pay for lighting in dark alleyways to deter criminals who target homes in the area.

More than 350 property owners signed a petition asking community leaders to install new street lights in the Airport District after dealing with a rising trend of thefts and suspicious behavior. Activists from the Tuolumne River Trust helped connect frustrated homeowners with local leaders to get the idea approved.

Neighbor Emilio Martinez said some women in the area have reported seeing unfamiliar men peering in through their windows at night, but few arrests have been made.

"When the police arrive, the men are in the shadows, you can't see them," Martinez said.

Debris in the cluttered alleys makes it easy for criminals to observe homeowners and learn when to strike, he added. His own property was hit by thieves who cut through a back fence and stole scrap metal left over from his art projects.

"Basically, you can't see who's here, but they can see you," Martinez said. "When you're asleep, they just move in."

The city will begin charging 500 property owners $40 per year in lighting assessment fees, double the current rate. The new lights are expected to be installed by July.

"It's got nice people, but nobody wants to live here," Martinez said. "You have to start, somehow, illuminating the problem."