By Joe Smillie Forum Editor
A band of early morning burglars has struck Forks repeatedly over the summer, leading some citizens to wonder if vigilante justice isn’t the answer.
“It’s not the answer. It’s a bad idea,” Police Administrator Rick Bart said.
According to Bart, the ring of burglars has spent the summer stealing cars, prowling cars and breaking into homes to steal valuables.
Most of the thefts and break-ins have happened in the early morning hours, Bart said, between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m.
One was arrested in late July and told police in interviews of three others who had aided him in burglaries and car thefts. Since the suspects are juveniles, Bart would not release their names to the Forum.
They were released after being arrested, Bart said, and another wave of burglaries and car prowls ensued.
“We’re still waiting on the prosecutor to file charges,” he said.
Early last week, he reported, a car was stolen from a home on Calawah Way, just outside city limits, but close enough for him to believe “it’s probably the same people.”
The brazen burglars also reportedly broke into a house across the street when the residents were inside.
In July, Bart reported his officers responded to five burglaries and nearly a dozen car prowls. The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office investigated four burglaries, six thefts and one stolen car in the same time, according to crimereports.com, which tracks deputies’ calls.
The recent wave prompted some, including Andrew Hoschar on the Forks Crime Watch Facebook page, for citizens to patrol the streets and question suspicious persons, an idea that did not garner much support form the other commenters on the site.
“He got chastised pretty good for that on our Facebook page,” Bart said.
“I understand his feeling, but these people are primarily after drugs and can be pretty desperate. For people to stop them on the street would just make things worse,” he said.
Instead, Bart suggested residents of Forks be vigilant over their own possessions.
He urged people lock their doors, on cars and especially garages, at night and keep an eye on neighbors’ homes for suspicious activity.
“And call us. We’ll handle it,” he said.
