Car Thefts Rise in Lawrence: There is a solution

VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL

March, 2011

 

Since Lawrence Police Chief John Romero formed the Auto Theft/Auto Fraud Task Force under Mayor Michael Sullivan, residents of Lawrence have seen a decrease in their auto insurance rates.

But, according to numbers release by Lawrence City Councilor Mark LaPlante: auto thefts in Lawrence have increased 114% since Lawrence Mayor Willie Lantigua laid off 25 police officers in July, 2010. Through January 31, 2011, there were 596 cars stolen in Lawrence as compared to 278 for the same seven-month period last year.

We urge Mayor Lantigua to level fund the Lawrence Police department (to last year’s levels) and reinstate the department’s Auto Theft/Auto Fraud Task Force.

And we urge councilors in Lawrence to reject any budget that does not include such appropriation in the 2011-2012 budget.