Sheriff's Office Unveils New Program

Sheriff Steve Mansfield will be starting a new program at the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office that he hopes will slow down a growing crime trend in Lewis County.

The program, “Prevent Crime – Lock Your Doors Every Time,” begins next week. Sheriff Mansfield said, “Recently we have had numerous problems with vehicle prowls in our county. My office has developed an innovative program to help address vehicle prowls and thefts. This program is about prevention, education, and a strong community partnership to combat this plaguing problem.”

The program will consist of Deputies and Support Volunteers providing extra patrols in areas where the most crime has been reported. A postcard sized note will be left on windshields of vehicles alerting owners of the vehicles that their vehicle was checked. The citizen will receive a compliment for locking their door or tips on how to prevent thefts if their doors were unlocked or valuables were left in sight.

Many vehicle thefts and thefts from vehicles in Lewis County are preventable. A high percentage of vehicle thefts and vehicle prowls occur to vehicles left unlocked. Some vehicles have keys left in the ignition when they are stolen. Although some thieves do break windows to get inside of a vehicle, it isn’t as common as vehicle prowls where the door is simply opened and the vehicle is easily entered.

Areas which are targeted the most by thieves are public parking areas in rural areas such as Rails to Trails off of SR603 near SR6, in Adna.

“I am hoping this program will remind our community members to lock their doors, every time they leave their vehicle. I want to bring a positive message and informational reminder to our citizens that will help them from becoming a victim of this preventable crime,” said Sheriff Steve Mansfield.

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