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I'll start off by saying that this thread seems like an attempt to justify past action and nullify guilt, or am attempt to find others who agree with what most you know in person consider a reprehensible action.
If I were to witness a crime that is clearly harmful to people other than the perpetrator (robbery has a victim, not turning in a wad of cash you found under a bush that will just go into the state coffers if turned in does not; selling harmful substances to children has a victim, selling to responsible adults and using drugs in the privacy of your own home does not,) I would immediately inform law enforcement.
In your scenario, I would do the following, in this order:
1: make sure that everyone in the house is safe and inform them that the neighbor is being robbed, then arm myself and others in the house for a worst-case scenario (home invasion,) instruct others in the house to move to a safe, easily-defensible area until I shout an all-clear code phrase or ask for help. Ask them to use cell phones to call neighbors and tell them to secure their houses and inform them of the situation. If they have the cell phone number of the neighbor who's being burglarized, call them and tell them it's not safe to come home at the moment.
2: secure my house (if it isn't already done,) to minimize the possibility of a home invasion: lock and bar doors and windows, and turn on motion-detector lights.
3: call the police, convey as much information as possible, and ask if 911 or another number should be used if I observe anything else that could help them. Inform them that I will watch from a safe part of my house, that I will inform neighbors, that I have secured my house but am armed in case of a home invasion, and that if the police need to contact me that they should park in my driveway with red/blue lights on, ring the doorbell, and wait for me to call the dispatcher to confirm that they have sent someone to my door, at which point I will secure any weapons and invite them in to the common area of the house.
4: get binoculars, a directional microphone, headphones, and a camera or video camera to record as much evidence as possible
5: observe and document the crime from a dark room through an open window that is far enough off the ground that someone cannot easily reach it and get in. Call police at the number they specified if I observe anything else that can help them apprehend the criminal more efficiently or safely.
6: if police come to my house: call the dispatcher to verify that they sent officers to my house, invite the officers into the common area of the house (living room and bathroom,) thank them for the quick response (average police response time in Fairfield: 1:45) put on a pot of coffee, provide them with any evidence I collected, provide any information they need related to the crime I witnessed, tell them how to contact me if they need further assistance, and get names, badge numbers, and business cards for each of them.
7: secure all doors and windows after police leave, turn on all outside lights, call neighbors to inform them of whether or not the suspect was caught, ask everyone to keep an eye out for anything suspicious for the next few weeks, especially if the suspect was not caught.
8: make a statement to be submitted to the court if necessary, testify in court if necessary, write a letter to the police chief expressing my satisfaction or dissatisfaction with how the incident was handled.
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