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Deputy offers safety tips to Pleasant Twp. residents
(by Dedra Cordle, staff writer - March 10, 2010)
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office wants residents in Pleasant Township to beware of increased criminal activity as the weather warms.
"Criminal activity can be pretty quiet through the cold months, but you see an increase of crime when it gets warmer," said deputy Michael Turner.
While giving the monthly crime report at the March 9 Pleasant Township Board of Trustees meeting, Turner gave a few tips for residents to help decrease their chances of becoming a crime victim.
"You have to be conscientious of things," he said. "Check to make sure your garage door is down and your windows are locked when you leave the area or the house," said Turner.
He added many of the burglaries reported happen during the daytime and residents should be conscience of that as well.
Like most areas, Pleasant Township has seen its fair share of burglaries. Last February, resident Lou Luther said there were three break-ins and one attempted break-in during that month alone.
Fed up with the spike in crime, Luther helped establish a neighborhood block watch, which has been credited - along with an increase of patrols - with the decrease of criminal activity in the area.
While giving their last monthly crime report in January, deputy John Rautio said there were 20 offense reports during the month of December, with three of these reports being burglaries: This was a decrease during the month of November, with eight burglaries reported.
The statistics from February show the sheriff's office taking 17 offensive reports from the township, with only one of those being a burglary.
"It's been pretty quiet through the cold, but it does pick up with warmer weather," said Turner.
He suggested residents leave lights, such as patio, porch or outside garage lights, on during the night.
"That definitely helps us see what's going on too while doing patrols," he said.
In other township news, repair work for the Denton Road railroad trestle is scheduled to begin on April 15, according to township Chairman Keith Goldhardt.
Denton Road was closed in December due to unsafe conditions resulting from concrete particles falling off the tracks and landing onto the street below.
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