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Time for a Neighbourhood Watch program

In the last several issues of The NEWS , where the RCMP give a rundown of crimes reported in the area, there are a lot of vehicle break-ins.
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In the last several issues of The NEWS, where the RCMP give a rundown of crimes reported in the area, there are a lot of vehicle break-ins.

What is very concerning is that many of them are unlocked vehicles with valuables such as cellphones, cash and briefcases in plain sight. That, in my humble opinion, is just an invite to the perpetrators to do more. It makes it very easy to cruise the neighbourhoods looking for unlocked vehicles. As well, locked vehicles with valuables in plain sight.

The crime rate in the area has gone up in the past year or two. With 222 Corfield coming online, we will have more homeless settling in the area, and again, in my humble opinion, more crime. In talking to our neighbours, there have been incidents in our immediate area that are of some concern. Car doors left open that were locked, knocks on doors at 1 and 2 in the morning, strangers walking the streets at the early hours.

Perhaps it is time to look at implementing Neighborhood Watch in the areas of concern. We lived in an area that had that program and if the majority of the folks in an area volunteer.

It is not a big onus on individuals. It does discourage individuals from roaming around neighbourhoods looking for easy hits. I’m not sure what needs to be done to promote and implement a program such as this but that may very well be something that our local council should be looking at.

We shall wait and see.

Robert Larson

Parksville