Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

 

To the juveniles or others who are setting our community on edge in recent weeks with multiple car break-ins, my plea to you is simple: Stop.

What you do as a young adult — both in high school and in the first few years after — can shape your life.

It may start as simple car thefts — checking for unlocked doors and taking what looks valuable inside. In dark neighborhoods and good conditions outside, the crime might seem all too easy.

No one will ever notice, right?

But as time goes on, those crimes often escalate. Soon enough, smaller crimes like car break-ins evolve into larger crimes against people or involving drugs.

We’ve seen it too often through this newspaper and other news sources.

While some people are able to come out of the slippery slope of criminal activity, others get eaten up by it and continue to spiral down lower and lower.

You may not realize it now — or maybe you do — but you are who you surround yourself with. In other words, if you surround yourself with people who are breaking the law, there’s a higher likelihood you’ll turn to the same behavior. On the other hand, if you surround yourself with people who want to better themselves, you’ll likely adopt that same behavior, too.

Don’t let peer pressure, alcohol, drugs or other temptations lead you to make decisions you will regret later.

To the parents of teenagers and other young adults, be a good example to your children.

Stay involved in their lives.

Talk to them.

Take note of what and who they bring home. Get to know the people your teens are hanging out with.

If you’re seeing all sorts of new electronics or other items that you know your child didn’t have the money to buy, then that should raise a red flag. Ask questions. If your children are still living in your house, you especially have a right to ask questions.

Keep in mind Albert Lea’s curfew ordinance is 11 p.m. for children under 16 and midnight for 16- and 17-year-olds.

If your teenager is out past then — especially — find out more about what is going on.

Lastly, to the people whose neighborhoods have been subject to recent break-ins, I encourage you to stay vigilant in watching out for you and your neighbors.

Don’t keep anything valuable in your vehicles, and remember to lock them.

Contact police about any suspicious behavior. There have been at least a couple incidents in the last few weeks where people have done just that and caught people in the act.

               

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Tuesday.