By Liz Page

CONESVILLE – With a lot of suspicious activity and break-ins, Conesville Supervisor Bill Federice is advising residents and second home owners to be vigilant and to put things under lock and key. He’s also asking them to report suspicious activity. “I don’t want vigilantes, I just want people to be vigilant. If they see something they think isn’t right, to report it,” said Federice. The burglaries have been centered primarily on unoccupied homes or structures.

“We’ve had several incidents of suspicious activity.”

A vehicle sped off from a remote residence that had Ring installed. As soon as the light went on Ring caught a person on camera running away from the residence and speeding off. “I know where the home is located and there is no good reason anyone could have had for driving on that roadway at that time of the night.”

Some tools have been stolen and in a couple of cases the places were trashed. The old Richtmeyer Tavern, which is unoccupied, was one of the places trashed. Another was a home where the residents were away for a couple of weeks.

“The Sheriff’s Office has promised additional vigilance, but they have been very good about patrolling in the town of Conesville. They may have to change their hours.” He cautions people not to get involved, but to get a license plate, vehicle make and model and any other useful information.

The state police are also investigating and while Federice said “we all enjoy our rural, trusting environment, for the time being, homeowners may want to consider ensuring their doors are locked when they aren’t at home and valuable equipment and other items are not left out in the open or in plain sight. Outbuildings should also be secured. “The Sheriff has promised additional patrols, but people can help the process by reporting suspicious activity and observing vehicles and getting information if they can do it safely.”