LAFAYETTE, La (KLFY) — City Park in New Iberia is a fairly populated area utilized by men, women and children from all parts of the city. Once the areas neighborhood watch group became aware of a reported sex crime in their sanctuary, they felt a need to alert the rest of town.

“We’ve had four rapes reported since February and all of them within a mile of this park and we are extremely alarmed. Our neighbors are very scared” Julie Comeaux, with the Highland-Dotson Neighborhood Watch Group; she got news of recent car burglaries, home invasions and sex crimes via the Crime Mapping app and now thier group is working to alert the public.

“All citizens that are accessing this park in this area, this is a very popular walking area should be well aware that this is happening.”

Jarrod alleman, also with the neighborhood watch says, “Once school lets out, this park is going to be full of kids, families, single women that walk here every day and I think a lot of them are just unaware that these things are happening. We’re not getting this information released any timely manner.”

Major Ryan Turner with the Iberia Sheriff’s Office says the department is aware of a spike in crime and Sheriff Louis Ackal has increased patrols in the area. “Detectives gathering information from the certain crimes and Sheriff Ackal has also implemented another unit that specializes in doing surveillance in certain areas and things of that nature.”

As the detectives continue to investigate these crimes, they’re asking anyone with information to call the sheriff’s office.