Scrap metal thieves steal the show

The Potter Longway Neighborhood Association March 21 focused on recent criminal activity in the area.

President Rob Gill distributed an 18-page crime statistics report for Ward 4 for February.

"There are two majors types of crime in our neighborhood — breaking and entry and scrap metal thefts," Gill said. "Perpetrators knock on the door of a home. If no one answers they kick in the door. Then anything metal is hauled away."

"They can do $15,000 in damage in one night. They back their truck in the driveway and haul away metal siding or pipes. Police can't do anything unless they talk to the owner of the house first. If the house is vacant then it can be a while before the owner is contacted," Gill said.

"We need to demand more from our city," he said. "Businesses are buying the stolen goods as fast as they're stripped from houses."

A member reported a house on Illinois Street blew up last week when scrap metal thieves cut a gas pipe by mistake. "It's getting very, very dangerous," she said.

The group discussed ways to deter crime and how the proposed millage to reopen the city jail would affect scrape metal thieves.

"They'll just sit there for three days. For some of them it will be a treat — a meal and a bed for free," said another member.

The group discussed bringing the issue to a county or state level making it more difficult for thieves to dispose of the stolen goods.

"It's not going to stop. We've got to bring this to a higher level," another member suggested.

"We need someone to enforce the laws. With our limited police force it takes eight to 12 hours for the police to come after you call them," a member said.

Vice President Eric Pruitt reported on the status of the Red Alert crime reporting system that will be used to report criminal activity in the neighborhood. The system should be ready soon and the block captains will be instrumental in reporting suspicious activity.

"We've got more than 3,000 residences in our area so we're going to need lots of volunteers to make this work," Gill said.

In other matters:

• The group will sponsor a recycling campaign. A trailer will be parked in the Longway Park parking lot on Whittier Street during the summer months for a trial period. The trailer is for paper, plastic, tin cans, aluminum cans, cardboard, newspaper, magazines and phone books.
• A neighborhood canvas is planned for later this year, starting with churches and schools then door-to-door, to provide information about the group's activities and volunteer opportunities.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. April 18 at the Eastwood United Methodist Church, 3312 Whittier St.

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