I live close to the The Watcher house, a real-life Netflix property that ‘freaked’ out the town and had residents’really scared.

LIFELONG Westfield resident shared the following: “freaked out”The town was home to approximately 12,000 people. “really scared.”

The saga of The Watcher – which left the Broaddus family with a series of ominous and threatening letters – has been turned into a new seven-part Netflix series.

Ralph Bencivenga, owner of Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe, said residents were 'freaked out'

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Ralph Bencivenga, owner of Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe, said residents were ‘freaked out’Credit: Adam Gray/SWNS For The Central Recorder
The Broaddus family received the ominous letters at 657 Boulevard

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The Broaddus family received the disturbing letters at 657 BoulevardCredit: Adam Gray/SWNS For The Central Recorder
Bovella's Pastry Shoppe is located in downtown Westfield, less than a mile from 657 Boulevard

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Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe can be found in downtown Westfield, less that a mile away from 657 BoulevardCredit: Adam Gray/SWNS For The Central Recorder
Westfield Police refused to comment on the new Netflix series

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Westfield Police declined to comment on the Netflix seriesCredit: Adam Gray/SWNS For The Central Recorder

The family purchased a gorgeous six-bedroom house in Westfield, New Jersey for $1.3million in June 2014, but just days later, they received their first anonymous note sent to them by someone known only as “The Watcher.”

Ralph Bencivenga, one of the owners of Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe in downtown Westfield, told The U.S. Sun that “everybody was freaked out”When the saga began?

“Westfield is a family town. Westfield is a place where nothing happens. “So when that happened, everybody was going insane,” he stated.

Bencivenga has been working at the bakery since 1985.

However, he stated that Westfield residents were more impacted than others.

“It didn’t affect us because we do our normal routine here [at the pastry shoppe]He said, “But I do know that there were a lot of residents who were really afraid about the neighborhood.”

“Around that neighborhood where the Watcher house was, I think people were just nervous and cautious.”

Bencivenga stated that he feels mixed about the Netflix series.

“It’s not something you really want to brag about,”He said it, but also added that it was “pretty cool.”

MYSTERY BEGINS

Derek and Maria Broaddus purchased the six-bedroom house for $1.3million in June 2014, but just days later, they received their first anonymous note.

The chilling letters sent to the address revealed that the author knew intimate details of their lives and the layout of the house.

They also warned that if children went down to the basement their parents “would never hear them scream.”

Each of the letters was signed only by “The Watcher,” the title of the new Netflix series loosely based on the Broaddus’ unnerving saga.

Westfield, located 28 miles from Manhattan is often ranked as one the most secure places to live in America.

The Broaddus family realized a lifetime dream when they purchased the Dutch colonial house at 657 Boulevard.

Maria was born in Westfield, and her mother was a resident of the sprawling new house that boasted four bathrooms and more 3800 square feet.

Derek, who had a working-class upbringing in Maine, had worked his way up to become senior vice-president at a New York insurance company before his 40th birthday.

NOTE: CRUEL ‘YOUNG BOOD’ NOTE

Derek had just three days to finish painting the new house when he noticed the mail outside.

Inside was a letter, addressed in thick, clunky handwriting to “The New Owner,” and a typed note.

“Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard, allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood,” the letter began.

“How did you end up here? Is 657 Boulevard calling to you with its power within?

The author said that the house was in a good condition. “been the subject of my family for decades” and said that he had “been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming.”

They asked the owners if they knew. “what lies within the walls”They said they would be moving in to the house. “find out”Why they were there.

The note’s author revealed that they had already begun watching the family, identifying various personal details, such as their Honda minivan and the fact that they had hired builders to renovate the home.

The letters advised that the couple would take over the house “unhappy”If they did, it would be a chilling reference made to their children.

“The Watcher” even knew how many children the couple had, and said that they wanted the house filled with “young blood.”

The envelope had no return address and the writer teased homeowners that they could just be neighbors or passers-by.

The letter ended by warning that it wouldn’t be the last and saying: “Welcome my friends, welcome. Let the party begin,” following by a typed signature: “The Watcher.”

In the weeks that followed, several letters were sent by an anonymous author.

The Broaddus family, too afraid to move into the new home, rented it. A second letter arrived in 2017 warning of different tragedies such as fires and car accidents.

The home was eventually put up for sale, and it was sold in 2019 at a loss estimated at $400,000.

The new residents of the home couldn’t be reached by The U.S Sun on Wednesday.

“THIS WAS A Crazy House”

Although many of the neighbors on The Boulevard have moved on, there were still some who were present when the story was unfolding.

Kimberly Sorrentino resides on The Boulevard since around 30 years.

She told The U.S. Sun that before the Broaddus family bought the house, “this was a crazy house.”

“It was a bachelor’s house before it was a private home,” Sorrentino claimed.

Sorrentino “seriously contemplated”When the Broaddus family home was up for purchase, I bought it.

“I thought it was a good price for the house,”She spoke.

“I don’t think much of it, I don’t think it was anything scary,” Sorrentino said.

“I would say the car jackings in this town are much more serious than The Watcher.”

Another neighbor across from me echoed the sentiment and said she was not worried at the same time.

She did however share with us that she was one of the neighbors who took part in voluntary DNA testing to investigate the mystery letters.

“Two detectives came … and I knew that I wasn’t part of anything, but it was weird,”She remembered.

After the test, she didn’t hear anything more.

“I hope the movie’s good, but there’s so much more to talk about,”She continued.

The U.S. Sun approached the Westfield Police Department and they said: “We’re not giving a statement at this time.”

“THIS IS JUST A TOWN”

Other members of the community were less enthusiastic about the news that The Watcher was set to debut on Netflix.

“It’s probably going to be way more dramatic than the actual story,”One employee of a waxing salon spoke to The U.S. Sun Wednesday.

“People haven’t heard of it,”Another person chimed in.

Two women from another area said that they are more likely to do this than the Feast Catering staff, which seemed to have everyone coming in for lunch. “stay out of the town business.”

“This is just our town,”One woman spoke up.

“I kind of feel like that’s the vibe of the town in general – you don’t have to know everyone’s business.”

She insists that Westfield, with its population of just 30,000, is an excellent place to live. “happy little town.”

Many local residents and community members mentioned the constant appearance and disappearance of news trucks in 2014, when the letters became a national sensation.

One woman who was with her mother and daughter at Vicki’s Diner said that she “felt bad”For the immediate family.

“I think it was somebody joking around,”She spoke out about the mysterious letters.

“I don’t know that I’d buy it,”She was quick with her additions.

The Watcher, starring Naomi Watts is streaming now on Netflix

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