The St. Cloud Police Department (SCPD) began implementation of Operation Lock It Up within city limits on Tuesday, June 28, in an effort to combat burglaries of unsecured properties and vehicles.
During Operation Lock It Up, SCPD will have several officers present, signs placed at the entrances to neighborhoods, and marked patrol units with lights on. Residents will be given flyers to remind everyone to lock doors and windows and will be provided with safety tips as well. Bicycle Unit officers will also patrol neighborhoods looking for unlocked vehicles and garage doors. Bicycle Unit officers will make contact with the resident and advise of the risk of leaving property unsecured and how the resident may easily become a victim of burglary.
Operation Lock It Up will begin in areas with the most incidents of burglaries:
Tuesday, June 28, 4-6 p.m.
· Location 1 – Blackberry Creek Estates
· Location 2 – Canoe Creek Woods
· Location 3 – Mallard Pond
Wednesday, June 29, 4-6 p.m.
· Location 1 – Pine Lake Estates
· Location 2 – Gold’s Gym
· Location 3 – Deer Creek Subdivision
Thursday, June 30, 4-6 p.m.
· Location 1 – Keystone Pointe
· Location 2 – Pine Chase Estates
· Location 3 – Canoe Creek Lakes
After June 30, Operation Lock It Up will continue at the direction of the Community Outreach Officer. Operation Lock It Up signs will be placed at strategic locations throughout the city for approximately two weeks. The signs will then be relocated by the Community Outreach Officer to other locations. The SCPD Bicycle Unit will contact the Community Outreach Officer on a weekly basis to inquire where the most burglaries are occurring and target the area – all this in an effort to curtail criminal activity and educate residents with safety tips/precautions.
“Statistics indicate that approximately 80 percent of the reported burglaries in our community are due to unsecured vehicles and property,” stated SCPD Patrol Captain Fran Rinehart. “Crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility. The success of this operation will work toward our goal in drastically reducing crime within the city.”
For more information about Operation Lock it Up, contact SCPD Community Outreach Officer Ron Caswell at (407) 891-6735.
