HELP STOP CRIME

There is nothing more shattering to a person's sense of security than a home break-in. This invasion of privacy becomes all the more offensive when the burglar strikes when people are home.

Such is the modus operandi of a burglar targeting elderly people in Cape Girardeau. Police attribute at least eight burglaries since July to this brazen criminal.

People of Cape Girardeau must fight back, assisting the police in apprehending this burglar. The tools at hand include Neighborhood Watch efforts and a $500 reward offered by the Southeast Missourian.

In each burglary, the man has broken into homes late at night or very early in the morning when residents were asleep. The burglar has then demanded money and fled. In some of the burglaries, the man has threatened with knife. In two cases, the suspect cut the phone lines leading to the house.

The police are out patrolling the streets 24 hours a day, but they cannot be everywhere at all times. It is up to the neighbors to be the police's additional eyes and ears.

It is likely that this burglar is casing the neighborhoods in advance, since he is apparently targeting elderly victims.

Here is how you can help:

-- Report any suspicious or out-of-place people in your neighborhood. It may be an unknown car circling the neighborhood or a vehicle parked in the same place for an extended time with someone inside. It may be a questionable person on foot.

Police detectives encourage residents to call even if the matter seems insignificant. Lt. John Brown, chief detective, said they'd much rather have people call and it turn out to be nothing than people fail to call when it really mattered.

-- Take a look at your home and its total security. If you locked yourself out of the home, could you get in easily? You may have a security problem.

Look at basement windows, locks on doors and windows and the total doors, including the thickness, hinges and frame. A deadbolt on a poor, thin door offers little security for someone kicking in or prying open doors. This burglar is using a crowbar to gain entry.

-- Make sure entrance ways are lit at night, even after you've gone to bed. Better lighting will enhance observation in case of a crime.

-- If you are victimized, do not resist. At least one person has been injured by a knife. Also, try to remember all details of the incident and cooperative fully with police.

-- If you have information about these burglaries, cash in on a $500 reward. You can do so anonymously.

The best way to start the process is to contact the detective division of the Cape Girardeau Police Department directly, by phoning 335-6621. The police can even make arrangements for the tipster to remain anonymous from the police.

The Southeast Missourian last offered a $500 reward in the old Lorimier Cemetery vandalism case, and it helped to crack the case. The tip led to the arrest and conviction of three individuals. The newspaper paid out the $500 reward in late May to the informant. That person was not publicly identified, nor did the individual have to testify at the trial.

Cape Girardeau should consider starting a Crimestoppers program that has been so successful in many other communities. Fund raisers earmark rewards that will be offered in cases deemed appropriate by the police department. A special crime stopper line can be set up, that is not hooked up to E-911. Rewards can work wonders in cracking difficult cases.

And this case is definitely frustrating authorities. There are no solid suspects to date. The break in this burglary case may well come from observant people in neighborhoods watching out for each other.