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 Lyne Toner, comptroller at the Rankin Hamlet office, shows where the hamlet safe was pried open. The safe was only four days old and had replaced the old one that was broken following an earlier break-in. - Chris Puglia/NNSL photo |
The local Rangers are considering starting up a citizens on patrol program in town.
The volunteer community watch program would add eyes and ears to the Rankin streets, which in turn will assist the police who can't be every where at once.
Sgt. Grant St. Germaine likes the idea.
"It's a good program," said St. Germaine.
He added that it would be better if a group like the Rangers were at the controls.
"If we can get the Rangers involved than we have an organization that is already in place," said St. Germaine.
The problem with trying to recruit volunteers from the general public is there is no consistency.
Once incidents of crime go down and there is nothing for the volunteers to do they usually quit.
When the crime starts back up again the RCMP are left trying to recruit volunteers from scratch again.
With an existing organization the volunteers are always around and can busy themselves with other things.
Albert Kimaliakyuk, bylaw officer with the hamlet and a member of the Rangers, said the organization is still discussing the idea.
Aside from patrolling town he said the program may extend out onto the land as well.
"Patrolling outland we could look for things like dumped caribou carcasses," said Kimaliakyuk.
The idea of a community watch has come into vogue after a summer plagued with break and enters.
RCMP said they have identified two separate groups that are responsible for the crimes.
St. Germaine said the first group has been captured and some of its members have been sentenced to jail time.
The second group, which the RCMP suspect is responsible for 90 per cent of remaining unsolved break-ins, is still on the loose.
It is that group that is believes to have broken into the hamlet office on Aug. 12. sometime after 10 p.m.
The thieves cracked the safe with a crowbar and stole an undisclosed, but substantial, amount of money.
Reasons for the crimes vary from poor building security around town to a change in RCMP members.
St. Germaine said that when there is a turnover in officers crime usually rises.
"When you get a bunch of new members they don't know the kids and they have this anonymous thing going on. So, they think they can do whatever they want," he said.
