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BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO - A recent wave of arson, vandalism, break-ins and thefts have put the community of Behchoko on alert.

Chief Leon Lafferty and other community officials believe a group of youth aged 10 to 18 are responsible for the crimes.

This burned-out van was set on fire Aug. 19 at a home on Godliwa Tili in Behchoko. - photo courtesy of Terry Testart

Things have gotten so bad the community government cancelled its weekend Happy Daze Festival scheduled for Aug. 22.

Fire Chief Terry Testart said over the past year there have been 25 to 30 fires deliberately set in the hamlet. He said the community is lucky no one has been seriously hurt - or killed.

"It's a dangerous situation for sure," said Testart.

Vandalism, vehicle theft and joyriding have also taken place in recent months, believed to have been done by the same group of individuals.

Lafferty said community leaders know who the key troublemakers are but the RCMP are still investigating the numerous incidents.

RCMP Const. Adam MacDonald said the crimes in Behchoko were not perpetrated by a large group of kids.

"It's a small group, maybe around 10 kids, doing a lot of it. That's the problem," he said.

Lafferty said parents are best suited to put a stop to the criminal acts.

"Parents have to make sure their kids are not misbehaving," he said. "But they don't want to know it was their kids."

The chief said the parents who have been approached have denied their children's involvement.

In late July the community offered a $2,000 reward to any witness providing information leading to the conviction of those responsible for the crimes but so far no one has come forward to help.

Lafferty said the community government is doing what it can with the resources available.

"We installed more lights around the community to light up troubled areas around buildings and homes," he said.

The community now leaves the lights on inside unoccupied government buildings to make it easier to spot intruders. At the beginning of the year an 11 p.m. curfew came into effect for children 16 and younger.

"But the curfew hasn't done much to stop the wave of crime," said community government spokesperson Craig Yeo. He said if kids are caught on the streets after hours their parents could be fined.

"This is a dangerous situation but there's only so much the government can do."

On Aug. 23 concerned volunteers from the community gathered to plan random patrols.

"We know who they are but there's not much that we can do about it, we're not the police," said one volunteer who did not wish to be identified.

"But we can show them that we're out there," he added. "Maybe we'll catch them in the act."

Volunteers patrolling Behchoko's streets are armed with nothing more than note pads, pens and a determination to protect their community.

In the early morning hours of Aug. 23 a municipal vehicle was stolen from the community's fire station and smashed. The vehicle sustained about $10,000 in damages to the front, rear and undercarriage, according the Yellowknife garage where it was being repaired.

Earlier that week a van was set on fire in the front yard of a house. Rumours persisted about a note promising 10 more fires by the end of the week but the existence of the note could not be substantiated, according to RCMP.

"There are lots of rumours flying around the community," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Francis Cullen.

"All I can tell you is we're investigating the reports and my members are doing what they can."

But the fires are more than rumours.

"We have to put them out," said Testart.

Lafferty said the volunteers patrolling the streets are good men, but "they can't keep up with all this, they have to work in the daytime."

RCMP have done what they can but they have other responsibilities, he said, adding an ideal solution would be a bylaw officer from outside the community who would not be intimidated by fear of reprisal.

So far the rash of arson other crimes have not claimed any casualties.

"We're just lucky that no one has been seriously injured," said Testart.

The fire chief added that most of the arson cases have involved fires to sheds where people store their belongings, but an increasing number involve vehicle and brush fires.