A recent string of both residential and car burglaries is prompting Wakulla County Sheriff’s deputies to hold a meeting Tuesday offering residents tips to help combat the problem.
Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Keith Blackmar says living in a rural community where people know and trust each other, it’s easy for residents to get complacent about their own safety. So, he says the meeting is partly about changing that culture and teaching residents to be proactive.
“And, Sheriff Charlie Creel is really trying to stress getting to know your neighbors, and make sure you talk to them, let them know ‘I’m not going to be here.’ So, if you see some activity, they can call the law. It reinforces things for people so they realize we’re out there working with them and we want to help them,” said Blackmar.
Blackmar says deputies have also stepped up patrols. Last week, sheriff’s deputies arrested two adults and two minors in connection with a couple home break-ins. There were also at least 10 car burglaries reported within a two-day period. In each case the car doors were unlocked and no arrests have been made.
“The folks perpetrating these thefts are not trying to break a window out or something like that to steal something on the seat. They just go to vehicle to vehicle and they’ll find enough that if they’re unlocked, they’ll work on those. So, it’s totally avoidable and we want to share some information on how they can better protect themselves,” added Blackmar.
The Tuesday discussion called the "Wakulla Gardens Community Meeting: Community Conversation with Wakulla Sheriff Charlie Creel" starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Pioneer Baptist Church in Crawfordville.
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