Hey, Idiot! Lock It Up!

I’m sorry: I just have no sympathy for the recent string of “victims” whose cars and homes have been burglarized. They’re hardly victims of anything more than their own stupidity because — in most cases — their cars and houses were .

What kind of fool leaves valuables in an unlocked car or home and then calls the cops when they are stolen? And many undoubtedly filed insurance claims, too. People who are that negligent should not be compensated — they should have their insurance rates jacked up!

Why does Chief Duane Lovello have to use Nixle to make a public plea for common sense ("Lock your car every time")? Are people in Darien that stupid? Apparently so.

Worse yet, the people who leave valuables unlocked are waving a big flag for every bad guy in the county: “Come to Darien, where we make stealing easy." That’s a reputation that doesn’t make me feel any safer.

A few years ago, when home alarm systems sent the police and fire departments on hundreds of needless emergency runs for what proved to be false alarms, we did something. False alarms now cost you a $100 fine. Why don’t we have the same kind of fine for the nuisance of having our police department have to respond to unlocked car/home burglaries?

What does it take to make people use some common sense to protect themselves and their valuables?

Sure, this is a small town, but it ain’t Mayberry R.F.D. We’re surrounded by towns with much higher crime rates populated by some folks in real financial need. No wonder they come to Darien to “shop."

When they asked 1930’s bank robber Willie Sutton why he robbed banks, he said “because that’s where the money is.” 

And we wonder why thieves target Darien?