From time to time, the need to know your neighbors comes up and you may not always hear about crime that happens in your neighborhood.
For example on Feb. 15 in the 10200 block of Santa Clara Ave. there were two breaking and entering calls reported, according to the CrimeReports.com.
The sex offender registry is public record, and new neighbors are legally supposed to announce themselves as sex offenders if they've been convicted, but that may not always happen. You can look it up on your own at the California Attorney General's Megan's Law website.
The websites are a great resource for local crime data and information on registered sex offenders in California.
The public and police departments use them to show the community where crimes are taking place and where offenders live and their identities.
But even in places outside local police departments' jurisdictions, the websites have mapped the addresses, names and photos of sex offenders in the entire country.
The criminals are marked on the CrimeReports.com map with red triangles. Orange triangles symbolize two sex offenders living at one address. Click on the triangles to see details on the offenders.
In Cupertino there are 18 registered sex offenders.
