Several residents on Windsor's west end are joining forces to fight crime in their neighbourhoods.

They met Wednesday night at the Church of the Ascension on University Avenue West to discuss expanding a fledgling a neighbourhood watch program.

Fabio Costane lives on the west end and is one of the men behind the idea.

He said after someone broke into his home he decided to do something about it.

"I've got a choice, a very clear choice; either I continue to live in the area that I grew up in ,that I've lived [in] most of my life, or I decide to move," he said. "And I chose to stay. And I said if I stay, I'm going to do something about it."

So he helped launch the Bridgeview neighbourhood watch program.

Wilfred Birch and Allen Garvey walk the streets each night. They claim to have helped police out on nine crime cases.

"There are so many places in this area that the kids can hide that you have to walk in order to find, If you're not walking you won't catch it," Birch said.

Jadran Beljo lives in the area.

"Before I got here, I guess there was a few break-ins and I guess that's what started the neighbourhood watch. And since I've been here there hasn't been any problems and it's been really nice," he said.

Now Costane is helping start a neighbourhood watch in another part of the west end. He wants the streets Campbell, McEwan, Curry, McKay, and Cameron, between Riverside Drive West and University Avenue West patrolled each night.

Costane said a neighbourhood watch program like Bridgeview's will help the area.

The idea is welcome news to Jean Hafer. Her home was broken into last year.

"I just think neighbours should look after one another and there's nothing more important than that," she said.

Tony Grimonte said he likes living in the west end but welcomes the added security.

“All in all it’s a relatively safe neighbourhood but I think a neighbourhood watch will help,” Tony Grimonte said. “ If anything, it will allow neighbours to get to know one another.”

Mary Fox took part in an old neighbourhood watch and hopes this new one will work. She also wants to see more police in the area.

"At one time, we had more patrols it seemed. We don't have as many police cars as we used to, it seems," she said. "I don't see that many police cars cruising as often as they used to and maybe we just need more people aware, and to report it."

Police said they encourage the public to report any crime, no matter how small.

Recent crimes in the west end include:

• A parked car overturned
• Front-door glass shattered at one residence
• A break-in at the home of a female university student, who escaped unharmed
• Handguns found on Sandwich Street