Three men from Newport News have been charged with multiple crimes after an observant homeowner contacted police about suspicious activity in their neighborhood.

On March 19 and March 20, police took 18 incident reports in the areas of Highland Avenue near downtown as well as Windjammer Road and Harbor Road off Bennetts Pasture Road. The areas experienced a rash of larcenies, breaking and entering, larcenies of firearms and tampering with motor vehicles.

But about 4 a.m. March 20, a homeowner contacted police due to suspicious activity and several male subjects that were seen fleeing the area, according to a city press release. Officers responded and found the suspects located in the area in possession of stolen property, the press release stated.

The three were identified as Jaquan Khalif Nelson, 19; Jason Alexander Jarrett, 22; and Jonathan Thomas Ruble, 23.

They have been arrested and charged with multiple counts including breaking and entering, grand larceny, grand larceny of a firearm, and tampering with a motor vehicle. The investigations remain ongoing, the press release stated.

“It’s all about neighbors looking out for one another,” said Suffolk Police Maj. Al Chandler. “It’s as simple as that.”

Police would like to remind citizens of the importance of always locking their vehicles and not leaving items such as guns, electronics, purses and wallets, extra sets of keys or cash in their vehicles, the press release stated.