The Snowden Community Council's move to fashion a "Neighborhood Crime Watch" plan for the community reflects a troubling trend: burglaries have been on the increase in the generally quiet community.
Over the past few months, several residences in the area have suffered burglaries, and theft of mail and vandalism to mailboxes and other property is also a growing issue.
To address the problem, the Snowden council hosted a public meeting to offer crime prevention tips, and a proposal to start a Neighborhood Crime Watch network was under discussion.
The impetus behind the campaign came after at least four homes in the Snowden area were burglarized in June and July. The properties victimized were in the Snowden Road, Tunnel Road, and Bates Road areas.
Louis Huszar, chair of the Snowden Community Council, said the concerns of residents are justified.
"What has been happening is, several homes in the area have been vandalized or broken into," Huszar said. "To that end, one of our members is trying to enlist the help of the Sheriff's Department. Deputy Jason Ritoch will make a presentation to the council, and we'll see where we go from there."
Dawn Stover, a member of the Snowden Community Council, said many area residents have been forced to abandon their practice of leaving their doors unlocked.
"For years, I never locked my doors, but I do now," Stover said.
She added that one of the problems with the recent thefts is that law enforcement officials did not let citizens know there had been an increase in crimes in the Snowden community.
"Most of us really were not aware there had been a problem, and one of the purposes of the meeting is to let people know there have been break-ins, and let people know what to do to prevent that from happening again," Stover explained. "How we do that in a rural area where houses are scattered is a question, but it's always good to be aware and on the lookout for suspicious behavior."
Stover said her house has not been among those burglarized, but she is a recent victim of theft.
"I personally had some mail stolen, and have become much more cautious about what I put in the mailbox," Stover said.
Stover added that she discovered the theft of her mail almost by accident.
"I put some mail out on a Sunday," she explained. "Later, I took out another letter to add to the pile going out, and all the mail was gone."
Stover said a check was among the items in the mail, and the thief cashed it at a gas station even after a stop payment order had been issued.
Snowden resident Steve Gibson said it would be helpful if the local Police Department could provide a weekly or monthly "Police Log" for the newspaper, to keep citizens informed of what is happening regarding crime in the area.
"A `Police Log' would help, just so citizens would have an understanding of what's occurring," Gibson said. "There is quite a bit of interest and concern."
Huszar pointed out that the rural nature of the community is both a problem and an opportunity.
"On one hand, the homes here are quite scattered, so from a layman's perspective they would be easy prey," he explained. "On the other hand, anyone who doesn't belong would stick out like a sore thumb. But it behooves us to have increased awareness."
Huszar added that he doesn't fault the Klickitat County Sheriff's Office.
"They're kind of spread thin," he explained. "Maybe that's one thing a Neighborhood Crime Watch could do is maintain closer communication with the Sheriff's Department. But they've always been pretty responsive when we call."
Not everyone in the community sees any cause for alarm, however.
"We've been there 20 years, and haven't noticed any change or problems," said Janice Reilly. "But then we've always had dogs. I think that helps. And we live right on the road."
Reilly added that she does not oppose a Neighborhood Crime Watch program.
"It sure can't hurt," she said.
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