There may be less mischief in town, but it’s not cause for celebration.
At the regular monthly meeting of the St. Marys Police Services Board last Thursday, the OPP reported fewer mischief occurrences in May (compared to last year), but the fact that rocks and other debris have been thrown through windows in town is cause for concern.
According to Perth County OPP detachment commander Mark Andrews, “it’s a concerning trend; there’s no link between the victims or particular homes — it just seems to be a random act,” which makes investigation difficult. The three incidents took place between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. on May 16, 17 and 22.
Board member Henry de Young called the crimes “an act of terrorism” due to their randomness.
“At any given time people sleeping in their beds could have a rock thrown through their window,” he mused.
“It’s bad enough when people damage public property — but this is an invasion of personal space,” he continued, adding that there’s also the threat of injury as well as potential  psychological damage from people being scared or shocked.
Andrews noted that there’s not been much “chatter” about the events at the high school, and that officers on overnight patrol have been questioning people they see out during those hours.
“Someone’s got to know who’s doing this,” he told the board. “This is the type of crime that someone will want to talk (brag) about.”
However, Sgt. Joel Skelding, speaking on behalf of Sgt. Bernie Miedema (who was away at training), told the board that “there is no question in our minds that it involves the same individuals.”
He suggested that people with information of any kind call the police or CrimeStoppers immediately to help put an end to the crimes.
Andrews added that “when we apprehend this person — and we will apprehend them — we will attempt to link the occurrences together (to strengthen the case in court).”
Summer transportation safety
The May statistics were minor motor vehicle collisions were also up for discussion at last week’s meeting. While the numbers were on par with last year’s reports, three of the seven incidents occurred in the downtown core;  two involved pedestrians, and the other involved a cyclist.
Skelding noted that “the onus is on the driver and the pedestrian to look before they cross an intersection or step off a curb,” adding that eye contact between driver and pedestrian or cyclist is key during the busy summer months on the street.
Crystal meth on the decline?
Perth County seems to be quieting down on the crystal meth front, according to intelligence received by the OPP, Skelding also told the board. “We haven’t heard a great deal about it (recently),” he noted at last week’s meeting.
“For whatever reason,” Andrews added, whether it be public awareness, police work or media coverage, “the drug trade isn’t doing well in Perth County.”
In speaking with representatives from Choices for Change, a Stratford-based drug counselling service, he explained that those receiving treatment say that “meth is getting difficult to obtain and it’s of poor quality.”
But just because the drug not in Perth County doesn’t mean it isn’t nearby. Skelding said that former Perth County “bandits” are now operating in Grey, Bruce and Huron counties (with some recent arrests) — in fact, a Grey-Bruce Task Force formed in late May to begin dealing with the problem
As for the Perth County task force — which the Grey-Bruce Task Force is modelled on, is slowly coming to an end. A steering committee still exists to allocate the remaining funds from the provincial government, and a final report on the four-year project is expected in September, according to Andrews. He added that a community open house is also in the works.
Skelding told the board that “I think they’re (the task force) is looking for sustainable funding” to continue its work — a thought echoed by board member Celina Thomas-Hicks.
“I think that a push needs to be on” to maintain awareness on the issue, she told the board, as well as pressure on those producing it, that they are being watched. “If the perception is that the task force isn’t around,” she noted, “it opens the door again — success doesn’t last if you don’t keep projects and funding up.”