Fillmore marshal investigating break-ins
FILLMORE -- Marshal Darrel Bunten used the forum of the August town council meeting to ask for public help in a series of recent break-ins.
Bunten said several Fillmore break-ins all follow a similar pattern. The doors are kicked in on unoccupied homes. The targets are primarily items that can be sold for scrap -- copper plumbing or wire, air conditioning units and other metal fixtures.
In some homes, the police have found fixtures torn out of the walls, in others, the door has been kicked in with little else in the way of damage.
The Fillmore Police Department is running into a problem, though, of there either being no witness or at least no one willing to talk.
"Nobody seems to know anything," Bunten said. "I know we're a tight-knit community, but I can't do anything about this if I don't have information."
He asked that residents take the time to look out for strange vehicles or people as well as perhaps activities at odd times.
"If you see anything, by all means please call dispatch, call me -- write down vehicle descriptions, license plate numbers, whatever," Bunten said.
Putnam County 911 Dispatch can be reached at 653-5115 for non-emergency situations.
Town officials say they are simply asking for some help from residents in preventing crimes of this nature.
"If we can just get the town folks to start talking a little bit we can straighten this thing out," Bunten said.
Council President Wes Terhune concurred.
"We have such a low crime rate -- let's keep it that way."