Curbing the increase in rural crime

When back home for Christmas, I revisited memories of growing up on the family farm in Scott County in west-central Illinois.

At the heart of many of those memories is the little house down the road from Mom and Dad’s where Grandma and Grandpa lived.

Across the road from Young’s Cemetery, where my relatives dating back to the early 1800s were laid to rest, was the home built by my great-great-grandfather.

No one was living there when it burned to the ground a few years ago. A few family heirlooms, tools and other items were inside and lost in the fire.

Evidence suggested that the house had been broken into, and both the firefighters and the insurance investigator, a former fire marshal, agreed that the fire was intentionally set. However, with the structure destroyed, proving it was the work of an arsonist would be challenging.

Additionally, labeling it as arson would only create another case for local law enforcement, which lacked the time and resources to thoroughly investigate and hold the responsible party accountable.

That same night, someone had attempted, unsuccessfully, to set fire to a rural church in the county. As is often the case in rural areas, the sheriff’s office was severely understaffed.

Small communities face many of the same issues as larger towns and cities, including substance abuse, arson, homelessness and violent crime.

Unfortunately, smaller tax bases result in less funding for personnel, technology, training and necessary tools and equipment. Local law enforcement often has little choice but to put out the fire and move on.

While I have a strong suspicion of who set this fire and attempted another, proving it would not change the fact that what remains of the house where my father was raised and where I spent countless hours with family and grandparents is now nothing but charred ruins.

The arsonists may have destroyed the house, but they could never burn away the memories I carry in my heart.

I am thankful that no lives were lost in the fire and that none of the volunteer firefighters who responded in the early hours of that September morning was injured.

Criminal activity is on the rise in many rural areas. Breaking into homes, barns, or other outbuildings to steal prescription drugs, electronics, jewelry, firearms, power tools, farm equipment and livestock is not an unusual occurrence in many rural communities.

Vandalism to crops, buildings, machinery, fencing and vehicles occurs more frequently than we would like to believe.

From trespassing to illegal dumping, drug manufacturing to arson, rural crime presents its own challenges for law enforcement due to the remote areas involved, limited resources and smaller populations.

The community’s involvement and cooperation with authorities are essential to combat these issues effectively.

Report any suspicious activity you notice. Let your neighbors know if you see an unfamiliar vehicle or something that does not feel right. Lock your doors.

To protect ourselves and curb the increase in rural crime, we need to work together “out in the county.”