No cops = more crime. Call your local alarm companies and get a good system. Get a watch dog, so the burglar can sue you after he is bitten. Go to a town hall meeting and call for a real police dept. It is only going to get worse.

There's no need for a full police force on constant duty in Durham. How would more officers help to stop this spree? They wouldn't ... unless they happened to be hiding in the bushes of the house being robbed while it was being robbed.

Did a souped up police dept arrest the two robbers in Dec? No. A responsible neighbor who took down the suspicious vehicle's description and called the trooper did ... with the help of State Police then locating the getaway vehicle in Higganum.

Police departments are good for policing criminals within a town, not for catching criminals coming in from out of town for a quick hit. The criminals committing the current spree are staying close to main arteries around Main St. for a quick getaway out of the area (similar to the Dec burglary on Fowler), and I'd be really surprised if it was a resident.

People just need to be more aware and diligent about protecting themselves and their neighbors. And the only options to avoid crime aren't full interior alarm systems, watch dogs, and multiple squad cars hanging around idling. There are relatively inexpensive motion flood lights, driveway sensors, camera systems, partial interior alarms, etc. And of course a couple NRA stickers around never hurt either.