Constable Luker Hosts Crime Prevention Event
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – Precinct One Constable Morris Luker will be holding a Crime Prevention Information Class Thursday, Apr. 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Crockett Civic Center. With the rash of vehicle and other thefts recently in the county, Luker is asking the public to come out and learn how to prevent some of that crime from hitting your family.
Local law enforcement officials will be on hand, including officials from neighboring counties. Luker is concerned about the reports of vehicle thefts, suspecting the culprits could be a local group, since they seem to know many of the back roads and hiding spots around the county.
“We’re having trouble with people coming from one county, stealing in another, dropping off stolen vehicles in other locations,” Luker said. “People are not locking their trucks or leaving their keys inside.”
Luker said while you can never predict or prevent all crime, some good habits will at least make the job harder for the bad guys – either leading to their capture – or at least they might move on to another target.
“We are going to go over rings of security for your property. Of course, there are burglar alarms, cameras and dogs and those are all great,” Luker explained. “We will explain the program at the sheriff’s office where you can get a unique stencil for your property to identify it later if it is stolen. Some people with a license to carry a firearm leave their weapon at home.”
Luker received his crime prevention certification several years ago and wants to pass on some of that knowledge to people worried about the current spate of property thefts in the area. Residents and businesses can request Luker do an inspection of their property – to learn how to better protect it – and possibly even receive a reduced insurance rate.
“Sometimes we’re not using our common sense or we have become lackadaisical. People think. ‘It has never happened to me and probably never will.’ And then boom – the vehicle’s gone, the jewelry’s gone – in a recent theft they stole vehicles, they stole guns and cash money,” Luker warned.
Luker said the meeting is open to everyone, from any nearby county. He said he wasn’t sure if five people will come or 50 – but either way, he plans to help those people outsmart the bad guys as much as possible and make their game more difficult to play.
“These guys are watching and they know which properties are empty and when people are home,” Luker concluded. “And the most important thing – try and keep your business off social media!”
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
