COOPERATIVE EFFORTS WILL HELP SOLVE STRING OF BURGLARIES

With the reward total officially at $4,600, information about a string of burglaries at the homes of elderly Cape Girardeau residents is flowing into the police department. But in spite of this useful information, the burglars are still at large, and many elderly residents are worried about who might be the next victims.

There is no doubt that every effort is being made to apprehend the burglars. Two police detectives are working on the case full-time. They have been joined by a Cape Girardeau County sheriff's deputy and an officer from the Jackson Police Department. This cooperative effort is welcome and should speed up the arrest of suspects in the case. Meanwhile, a number of tips are leading police to culprits in cases unrelated to the 16 burglaries at homes occupied by older residents that have occurred since May.

The reward amount is a combination of efforts by concerned organizations, business and government. There are others who would contribute to the reward fund, but right now there is no official mechanism for handling such a fund. One possibility is the formation of a Crime Stoppers program similar to those in other communities. Under Crime Stoppers, a revolving fund is established to offer rewards for any crime in which leads and other information are desperately needed.

So far, the Noon Lions Club in Cape Girardeau has expressed the most interest in Crime Stoppers. Although the club hasn't yet committed to being the sponsor, it does plan to learn more about the program. Whether it is the Lions club or some other organization, there is an urgent need to establish a Crime Stoppers effort in Cape Girardeau to coordinate the various rewards that have proven to be effective in solving crimes. It wasn't all too long ago that a reward offered by the Southeast Missourian led to the arrest and conviction of vandals who caused thousands of dollars of damage at the historic Lorimier Cemetery near downtown Cape Girardeau.

Meanwhile, other businesses and organizations have taken steps to help elderly residents allay some of their fears. For example, Lowe's of Cape Girardeau is providing free deadbolt locks to elderly residents. And Union Electric Co. is offering fluorescent lights to elderly residents who can't afford them.

It is this sort of community cooperation -- law enforcement, clubs and businesses -- that will put an end to these burglaries and make Cape Girardeau a safer place to live.