Residents receive crime prevention tips

Residents receive crime prevention tips

WMPD makes arrests in recent rash of break-ins

By John Rech

ne ws @ theeveningtimes .com

Four dozen area residents heard crime prevention tips at Meadowbrook Country Club Monday night. Police Captain Joe Baker told the group a recent rash of stolen items from cars had come to an end. He issued a simple watch word to the crowd, lock it or lose it.

Cops arrested a pair of teenagers from Marion in pulling door handles last week.

“We caught them the night after the snow and they were entering cars,” said Baker. “One admitted to 11 that night and 17 the night before. Once we caught the other young man the next night the count was 35 cars, How many cars do you think had been locked out of the 35?

Participants threw out various numbers as high as 34.

“Zero, every single car was unlocked,” replied Baker as the crowd hushed.

One easy solution to theft became obvious to the group. It'd may have gone without saying but Baker emphasized the point and asked people to make it harder on thieves looking for easy opportunity.

“We have pled with people, please lock your cars,” said Baker. “That will almost guarantee your property is safe. These guys are smart enough to know they don’t want to set off passive alarms, or bust glass, because your dog will bark and you’ll stick your head out the door. They run a much higher risk of being caught. It’s as simple as locking your car. It really cuts your risk.”

Police asked for citizens to report crime even if it was just change from the car console. When police place enough pin drops in area showing an up tick, police will conduct directed patrols in that area.

Out of the 35 broken into we had to go solicit reports from 14 people that had not even bothered to report it,” said Baker. “They say

See MEADOWBROOK on Page 3

“Please lock your cars… That will almost guarantee your property is safe. These guys… don’t want to set off passive alarms… They run a much higher risk of being caught. It’s as simple as locking your car. It really cuts your risk.” — Capt.

Joe Baker, West Memphis Police Department