Alert citizens making a difference
Published 12:00 am Sunday, October 3, 2010
There it is. Twice in one day last week, this newspaper reported that a vigilant bystander helped cut down on the number of criminals on the streets of Vicksburg.
A witness to a man leaving Trustmark Bank on Mission 66 after an armed bank robbery was quick to mentally record a description of the robber, the car in which he drove from the scene and even a description of the car’s tag. That information and the fact that cash that had been spewed with red security dye was passed in not one, not two, but three local casinos within a day of the robbery helped police quickly make an arrest.
Of course, the suspect charged Monday is innocent until proven guilty, but a man is behind bars, and the people of Vicksburg and Warren County can know that the guy trained law enforcement officials believe is the bad guy is not walking the streets.
Separately, and coincidentally just a block from where the bank robbery suspect was arrested, security guards hired by a church to keep an eye on cars driven to Sunday service spotted a man entering a vehicle and leaving with something that turned out to be a cell phone.
That crime, too, was reported to Vicksburg police, and a suspect was in custody in minutes.
Weeks ago, a resident of Drummond Street was featured because he makes daily patrols on his scooter looking for suspicious activity in his neighborhood. Crime has fallen in that area.
None of us likes crime, but keeping an awareness and doing something about it obviously can make a difference.
Keep watch.