Crime: June 2008 Archives

Sure, of course you do. That stuff you read/hear about would never happen to you, because you monitor what your children do online. That's why there's no need for you to go to tonight's Internet safety meeting in Naperville for parents, right?

Let's do a quick poll: How many of your kids have MySpace or Facebook accounts? Ever had to order your kid to remove a photo from one of those sites? Ever consider they might be creating additional accounts and hiding them from you?

Do you let your child have a computer in his/her bedroom, with a web cam? That's just asking for trouble.

How about cameras on cell phones? It's becoming quite common for kids to take nude pictures of themselves or their friends and send them electronically to each other, as pranks, or sometimes to spite someone. Have you ever asked to look at the pictures stored in your kid's cell phone?

Just a few thoughts. Creepy predators using the Internet to lure kids is so 2004. Nowadays, it's more about how kids are using technology to embarrass themselves and their families.

Friday's Sun cover is a story about local business owners expressing their gratitude toward Naperville police by making an $1,1117 donation to the Police Department for solving a crime involving the theft of an expensive puppy.

Earlier this year, detectives and investigators made an arrest within 36 hours of Naperville's first non-family murder in years.

So what's the verdict on Naperville cops? Are they the best money can buy? Can you say they're not worth every penny? Next week they'll remain at the forefront of Internet crime safety by hosting a presentation instructing parents on how to protect their children from Internet predators.

Is it a policy decision of the city council to place such emphasis on crime and devoting taxpayer resources toward crime prevention? Or is it an administrative function, department heads who take it upon themselves to ensure the crime rate stays low?

Testimonials would indicate the police in Naperville are doing a great job. Do you agree?

Since Memorial Day, vandals have damaged at least five sculptures on display in downtown Naperville this summer as part of a United Way fundraiser. Signs are stolen from some and parts are snapped off of others.

Keep in mind these sculptures are raffled off at the end of the summer and are a major source of revenue for the Naperville United Way, a benevolent organization that does good throughout the community.

So, what's going on here? Bored youth, ignorant of the purpose of these sculptures? Drunk, young adults, stumbling out of Naperville watering holes in the wee hours and grabbing onto sculptures to steady themselves and having frog tongues snap off in their hands?

Has the idea of displaying and auctioning sculptures run its course? Is it time for United Way to come up with some other idea to raise funds? Some concept less prone to vandalism?