By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — While the crime rate in Limestone has remained relatively steady — increasing 1 or 2 percent in the last year — the times in which crimes occur has changed significantly. Though officers of the Limestone Police Department have been able to maintain their high clearance rates (their success rate of solving crimes and thwarting criminal efforts) throughout the change, the town’s criminals are getting bolder and committing crimes during the day when homeowners are at work.
This has recently led to a slightly increased level of burglar/homeowner confrontations that have heightened the officers’ concerns for the public’s safety.
“We’re not seeing a large increase in types of crimes, but the hours that crimes are committed have changed a little,” said Limestone Police Chief Stacey Mahan, encouraging everyone in Limestone to lock their doors whether they’re home or not.
“Locking your door is the first step toward home defense,” Chief Mahan said. He also encourages town residents to call the police department the second they feel something is amiss at their domicile. A quick call regarding a burglary is critical for a number of reasons including the fact that residents should not attempt to ascertain whether the criminal is still in the house; if a resident is in their home when a burglar breaks in — they need to get out of the house and avoid confronting the criminal.
“If they are not able to exit their home, they can call 9-1-1. If they have to hang up for any reason, that’s okay — we respond immediately to all 9-1-1 hang-up calls,” Mahan said.
The sooner officers are notified of a problem — even a potential problem — the sooner help arrives.
“Call the police department the moment you think that your home may have been burglarized,” Chief Mahan stated. “Even if you’re not certain whether or not a burglary took place, we would much rather show up to a non-issue than not be there when we’re needed.”
“There is no such thing as a false call,” he added. “If someone thinks something is suspicious, we would rather respond and put all of our minds at ease.”
If a resident suspects criminal activity has taken place in their home, Mahan suggests that they call the police either from their cell phone or by using a neighbor’s phone and strongly recommends that residents stay out of the house.
Resident safety is the largest concern for the Limestone officers, but an untouched crime scene is also invaluable when it comes to obtaining evidence needed to find out who committed the crime and ensuring that the criminal is caught and items are returned.
“The less traffic in a crime scene, the better our officers can utilize their training and equipment to collect evidence,” the chief said.
In a close-knit community such as Limestone, communal vigilance plays an extremely important role in keeping the town safe; tips made to the department about suspicious vehicles and suspicious persons have helped police maintain town security and crime prevention.
“Community vigilance helps us do our job,” Mahan said.
Even though the crime rate hasn’t significantly increased in Limestone, Chief Mahan encourages all residents to invest in sturdy locks — like dead bolts — and suggests that any resident call the police department if they have questions about how to secure their home.
“Our officers would gladly speak with them about home protection,” he added.
Mahan also suggests that homeowners inform the police any time they plan on leaving their homes for vacation or any extended periods of time.
In the case of an emergency, the Limestone Police Department can be reached by dialing 9-1-1. In a non-emergency situation or for more information regarding home defense, the department can be reached by calling 325-0912.
