Neighbors Use Nextdoor to Crack the Case of 25 Stolen Lawn Mowers

August 1st, 2014 Anne Dreshfield

During warm summer nights, it’s not uncommon to hear the hum of a lawn mower somewhere in the neighborhood, as neighbors take advantage of long days to do a little yard work after work.

For one Nashville-area neighborhood, however, it was strangely silent – neighbors’ lawn mowers were being stolen from right under their noses.

All told, more than a dozen neighbors posted to their Nextdoor website, reporting a total of 25 stolen lawn mowers from locked and unlocked sheds, and in some cases, right out of their backyards.

Randy, a resident of the neighborhood, said the thefts were concerning. “The lawn mower is just a thing – but for someone to come back into my backyard and take something that I purchased with my hard-earned money? It’s a violation of my privacy and my family.”

One neighbor managed to snap a picture of the suspect stealing a lawn mower and posted it to Nextdoor. Neighbors and police quickly pinpointed the suspect and he was arrested soon after.

Nextdoor allowed neighbors to quickly get the word out and track the crime trend in their area. “I think it’s a brilliant use of social media to be proactive and prevent crime,” says Randy.

As reported by FOX Nashville.

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