Little punishment for Ronan vandals
Megan Strickland
A windmill outside the Second Chance Saloon was broken and thrown into the middle of the street last week. Now re-erected, the damaged windmill is one of several cases of vandalism in Ronan over the past few weeks.
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RONAN — Victims of vandalism that occurred in the past few weeks in Ronan have little faith the perpetrators of those crimes will be caught.
On October 30, several cars outside Lucky Strike Lanes were ransacked, according to owners Lisa and Tim Corbett.
Some of the cars had the doors unlocked.
“It’s not something we’ve ever had to worry about before,” Tim Corbett said.
The thief took a cell phone and cell phone chargers, an iPod and change, according to the Corbetts. The bowling alley has security cameras that got a good picture of the thief.
Police responded the next day, but Lisa Corbett said the officer who took the report told her that even with a picture identifying the suspect the department has too many felonies to worry about for the crime to be a high priority.
Bartender Kandi Davis said that she didn’t even bother making a report to the police department when a windmill that was hammered into the ground with three feet of rebar in front of the Second Chance Saloon was pulled up from the ground and thrown into the middle of Mainstreet in the early morning hours on Oct. 9.
“I’ve called before and no one answers, it tells you to call dispatch,” Davis said. “Nobody answers the phone.”
Mayor Kim Aipperspach said callers have always been referred to dispatch because officers are usually out taking calls.
The windmill was erected by the Second Chance this spring to cover a dead tree stump. The stump was all that was left of one of many trees planted by TreeUSA and the town’s beautification committee more than a year ago.
“It was blossomed,” Davis said. “It was beautiful. Then someone came and ripped the top of it out and it died.”
When the windmill went up, the Second Chance decorated it with patriotic lights that were stolen, which means the saloon won’t be able to use them for the Marine Corps Birthday celebration this year.
Davis is on the town’s beautification committee, which is responsible for the hanging pots and flowers, the trashcans on Mainstreet, Christmas lights and more.
“People are trying to make Main Street nice,” Davis said. “Unfortunately it seems like the vandalism has gotten worse.”
The Second Chance’s next-door neighbor, the Pheasant Lounge had its pumpkins smashed on Oct. 22.
Pumpkin Scrooges didn’t just target the bar; they hit private residences, too. Resident Betty Avila said thieves hit her house on Halloween night and stole two pumpkins.
Aipperspach said the police department is understaffed, as it always has been. The reserve officer program that was suspended earlier this year provided help the department doesn’t have anymore.
“Just some extra eyes make a big difference,” Aipperspach said. “They catch it while it’s starting.”
Aipperspach said a few individuals in the community have made a point to keep and eye out for activity, and call in over the years, but he can’t recall there ever being a community watch in place in the town.
The problems will likely be alleviated when the town hires another police officer, which will bring the force up to five full-time and one part-time officer.
“It’s going to get a lot better,” Aipperspach said.
Though the town is in the midst of the hiring process, he noted that vandalism is often difficult to handle, even with a full-time staff.
“It’s always been a problem, because once you get them stopped you have to get them prosecuted and get them off the street,” Aipperspach said. “The hardest part is getting them prosecuted.”
