Heightened awareness for Delphi burglaries
By Debbie Lowe Staff writer

Delphi has experienced a rash of burglaries and vandalism in the past several weeks. Business owners and residents alike are contemplating what is being done about the crime wave. When something like this happens, people tend to look at the local police department as the entity to "fix the problem." And "fixing the problem" is on the minds of local officers. However, a "fix" for the problem does not end with finding the perpetrators of the crimes. Prevention is also a component.

"We are assigning shifts differently during this time," said Sgt. Brook McCain. "We are doing different things with shifts to address the problem."

McCain urged those with information or who suspect suspicious activity to contact the police department immediately.

"If they see something, they shouldn't wait to tell us about it," he said. "We are here to take calls."

"Neighbors should be vigilant and look out for each other, too," he added.

However, there are other measures business owners and others can take as prevention measures. McCain advised all businesses to evaluate how they do daily business and assess how vulnerable they are for a break-in and their potential to suffer a loss of cash or other objects.

"Business owners need to look at how they do their business and make changes to be safer," he said. "Burglars hide in the shadows. Lights are burglars' enemies."

McCain recommended business owners and residents leave a light on inside the building to illuminate the premises. A light over the exterior door could also discourage a forced entry. McCain said everyone should be locking doors, both to buildings and to vehicles.

"People shouldn't make themselves easy targets," he continued. "They should lock their doors to secure their building."

McCain explained that as Lafayette and other areas grow in population and crimes are successfully addressed by those communities, Delphi can expect to experience an increase in the amount of crime. He said the best message to send to criminals is that crime will not be tolerated by Delphi residents and police.

"Officers take crime personally when something happens on their shift," he concluded.

McCain encouraged anyone with questions or who would like to discuss what crime prevention measures they could utilize to call Delphi police at (765) 564-2345.