Prior Lake American - Robbery - Comments

It's unfortunate that a few

Joanna Miller — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:09:44 -0500

It's unfortunate that a few people's actions can dishearten many. While the news covers major events (good and bad), it's often easy to take the bad news to heart.

I look at how many stories I've written over the years about charity events, teachers, children and authorities reaching out and helping people; it makes a few petty car thieves seem just that - petty.

Just remember to lock up cars and houses - no need to make it easy for opportunists.

I grew up in the next town

bekind — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:26:52 -0500

I grew up in the next town over.(New Prague) When I was a child, I use to come to P.L. because there was a "McDonalds" (of all things) and to jump off the wagon wheel bridge for a swim...and I am not THAT old however,over the years and now living in Prior Lake, I have noticed "The Change" (which saddens me)such as crime,traffic,population, along with pollution in our Parks and Waters. I am glad that I was a kid back then, rather than now...Back in the day when no-one "I" knew ever locked their doors...I would rather live elsewhere and someday I will...I had an elderly man ask me after reading his newspaper, "What has happened to Society, Kids with guns?" etc..." I felt so empty and swallowed the frog in my throat.(saddened again) Wondering if all will get worse, or if the worse can be fixed?

I live in Prior Lake and

Ruth Anne Maddox — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:47:41 -0500

I live in Prior Lake and have made it a habit of locking my car whenever I fail to park in the garage, partly because I know statistics and partly because I see a lot of wannabe hoodlums hanging out on the street and in the nearby park.

I'm always braver when I have my dogs with me and have told some teenage boys who were throwing rocks at a stop sign that it was past their bedtime and they should go home. They had some smart aleck remarks for me but I stood my ground until they walked away.

I'm on self-appointed park patrol as far as trash is concerned and often pick up broken beer bottles and other items on the walking path or in the playground sand. I asked some boys who were shooting off bottle rockets in the park one day if they planned on picking up when they were done and they looked at me like I had six heads but started gathering the debris when they realized I was sticking around till they did -- oh, and the fact that I pulled my cell phone out while I was telling them how it was illegal both to litter and to use fireworks that fly up into the air. I think my dogs were giving them the evil eye, too.

My husband says that I'm just going to tick these kids off enough to vandalize my car and/or house but they don't give me trouble when I see them again. And I don't have any valuables to keep in my car so I'm not too concerned about theft.

It is a sad, but very true

Shawn Hogendorf — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:30:35 -0500

It is a sad, but very true reality.

In my weekly meetings with police, I see all the thefts, robberies and burglaries around town.

The most common denominator is leaving cars unlocked.

If cars are locked, which in this case I don't know the answer to that, police consistantly say people need to hide or remove their belongings in their cars.

This is frustrating for people who have things stolen from their homes, but the only way to safeguard personal items is taking them with you.

On a similar note, MP3 players and purses are among the most common things stolen from cars. Stolen laptop computers and brief cases are a close second.

It's a shame people can't leave personal belongings in their cars, but it is also the way things are these days.

It's fairly eye-opening for

Lori Carlson — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:42:10 -0500

It's fairly eye-opening for those of us who read the police reports each week. As Brady said, the common denominator in most cases is unlocked cars - or items left within plain view inside the vehicle. Though no one wants to think they have to worry about someone stealing their stuff, the reality is we have to lock our doors and take our valuables out of our cars every time we leave them.

In my few weeks covering

Brady Averill — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:10:28 -0500

In my few weeks covering public safety for the Savage Pacer, I've noticed that there have been many thefts from vehicles parked in driveways and in garages. The common denominator in most cases was that the vehicles weren't locked.

Robbery

jeffrey.ferguson — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 12:47:33 -0500

I wanted to write and inform everyone of a robbery at our home in the Wilds North neighborhood this morning. An MP3 player, accessories, and a purse were taken from two vehicles on our property.