Tuesday night’s Board of Aldermen meeting brought several local auto repair shop owners to the front of Starkville’s courtroom to face the mayor and aldermen in a search for a solution to the recent burglary spree targeting their shops. Shannon Hammett of City Alignment, Pete Ledlow of Pete’s Transmission Shop and William Wells of William Wells Tire & Auto Shop addressed the mayor and the Board of Aldermen on their experiences with the burglaries and the success of security from both their personal equipment and law enforcement.
“Its come to the point that we are having to come to you, our elected officials (about the burglaries),” Hammett said.
Hammett told the Board of Aldermen that he and fellow auto repair shop owners have done everything from using video surveillance to having a vicious dog on site to keep their shops burglary free. But, he said that it is not doing the trick.
Mayor Mack Rutledge asked Starkville Police Chief David Lindley to join Hammett at the front of the room, before requesting a full report on the matter to be presented at the next Board of Aldermen’s meeting on March 5, to give the Board of Aldermen a report on the crime spree that Hammett described.
Lindley said he and his 42 officers are doing everything they can to catch the burglars, but he said there are several factors that make the arrests hard to do.
“Every time we arrest an individual, we are training them to be better at what they do,” Lindley said. “We are understaffed by eight officers. Four are currently in the academy and we are in the process of hiring four more.”
Lindley said that no crime is avoidable, but increasing police patrol and security on the auto repair shops will help decrease the problem.
“The shops are an easy mark for this crime,” Lindley said.
Alderman-at-large Vic Zitta said that the problem seemed to be the “sort that needs some kind of electronic system to help with this.”
Lindley said that these sites are more accessible because of the large number of automobiles in a short area. He also said that if all the efforts the police and repair shop owners keep failing, a mean dog may be the answer.
“I’ve got a mean dog, and he likes biscuits,” Wells said after Ward 5 Alderman Virgil Bolin made the same suggestion to him.
Ledlow told the Board of Aldermen that his increased lighting has helped, but it has not kept his shop from being a target.
“We need to find some way to get them (police) to stay in Starkville,” Ledlow said. “We need more police and visibility. It won’t stop it, but it will help.”
Ledlow said that he and his fellow business owners are willing to “do anything and appreciate anything” that the Board of Aldermen do to help.
Wells, an auto repair shop owner of a store located outside of the city’s limits, said that he was addressing the mayor and the Board of Aldermen to let them know more about the severity of the burglary spree.
“We (auto repair shop owners) can’t just turn away customers,” Wells said. “Something more has to be done than just a high fence and a dog.”
Bolin said that the problem has a solution other than just the police and City Hall.
“I think this is really going to have to be left up to the property owners,” Bolin said.
“I figured I would get the response I got,” Wells said. “It really helped to get the load off, but they’re (Rutledge and the Board of Aldermen) not urgent to help or listen.”
Well’s brother, Charlie Wells, said the mayor and the Board’s attitude toward his brother was not the best.
“The mayor’s closing words to move onto more important business really showed their urgency and concern,” Charlie Wells said. “They really need to remember the small businesses too.”
Lindley said he plans on presenting the March 5 Board of Aldermen meeting with a comprehensive report on the statistics on Starkville’s crime and arrests. He also said that once the Police Department is fully staffed, they will be able to do more with the increased manpower.
To report any information on Starkville area auto repair shop burglaries, contact Lindley or the Police Department at 323-4131.
Crime Stoppers recently doubled rewards for Golden Triangle Area burglaries, their number is 1-800-530-7151.