Randy Young, TLIA President
Welcome to summer in Tower Lakes! This is usually the time when I rave about the plans for the coming season, Fourth of July, the lake, gardens, and fun activities for our children. It’s always the best time to write about our neighborhood, because it’s the best time in our neighborhood! I’ve had the privilege of meeting with the Youth and Events Committees. I’ve seen their plans for the summer. They are wonderful!
But that is not what I’m going to address today. I can’t. A far more important topic has stolen the limelight and must be dealt with openly and seriously: vandalism and senseless property destruction in our neighborhood.
I will no longer stand by as this topic is swept under the rug as mischief, petty childhood behavior or teens celebrating or blowing off steam. This is very serious and it needs to be brought into the light of day.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, vandalism once again raised its ugly head in our community. Much like a few years ago when our beach house was broken into causing several hundred dollars in damage, or when facilities at the parks were destroyed, or when graffiti defaced our bridges, or any of the other acts that caused ruin to our property.
This current spate of criminal activity (and that is exactly what it is) included the port-a-potties at the tennis court and beach being tipped over, causing waste and chemical spills; damage to a temporary structure, put in place for everyone’s safety prior to planned construction to Coveks’ Crossing Bridge; the lifeguard boat disappearing; and the Little Library (installed as a tribute to Elaine Moffitt’s teaching career) vandalized resulting in several books being thrown into the lake.
My question is why? What are they thinking? Or were these vandals thinking at all?
These facilities and properties are here for the use and enjoyment of everyone in Tower Lakes, our friends, and our visitors. Including the vandals who spoiled them. TLIA property reflects our feelings of community pride, rarely seen today in other places. And they are easy targets for stupid, senseless acts of poor behavior, perpetrated by stupid, senseless, mindless individuals.
I am proud to say that the email message sent out by the Communications Committee over the weekend met with promising results from some very courageous TLIA members. You see, they are as feed up with this kind of activity as I am. In fact, I was approached with the idea to start a reward fund. A little financial incentive might move the investigation along.
The fund started with $500 and has since grown to $1,200. Think about that. Wouldn’t that make a nice start-up pile of cash for a college freshman or a nest egg for a high schooler trying to save for a new car? The hunch is that teenagers and their ideas of mischief most likely caused this damage. It will take someone who knows them, perhaps even someone who was there at the time, to step forward and say something. It will take a brave, young person to speak up and do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. Even if that reason is cash. Parents, this is your opportunity to help your children learn a valuable lesson: doing the right thing. You know if your kids could have been involved. Talk to them. Encourage them to help us provide an example of civilized behavior. Your encouragement will allow your child to claim this reward, and perhaps cause others to pause and think of the consequences of their behavior before they act.
Police reports have been filed with TLPD and authorities in Lake County concerning these incidents. I have spoken directly to Chief Sinacore and he offered this contribution:
“I am concerned with the mischievous conduct that resulted in the damage to TLIA property over the Memorial Day weekend. I’m also disappointed with the thought that anyone that lives in this beautiful village would destroy property with the disrespect to their family that worked so hard to give them a place like this to grow up in.
It is so important to report any crime to the Tower Lakes police. It is best to report the crime as soon as possible. Timely reporting may prevent valuable evidence being lost or destroyed and help with any investigation that follows. We are working on these incidents and have a few leads that may end up in arrests.”
I echo these thoughts and thank the Chief for his service and pride in our community. I have informed the TLPD that TLIA is prepared to press whatever charges necessary to prosecute anyone that TLPD believes responsible for these actions. I, along with the members who have contributed to the reward fund, would hope each of you reading this column, would support these actions as well.
A final word about the reward fund: the reward is for information provided to TLPD that leads to the arrest and prosecution of any person(s) involved in the various acts of vandalism over the Memorial Day holiday. Anyone who steps forward with this information is guaranteed anonymity. You can contact me via email, [email protected] or phone 847.526.9991. You can contact Chief Sinacore via email, [email protected] or TLPD Officer Beres who is leading this investigation.
Everyone in Tower Lakes should be concerned. Those who volunteer their time, talent, heart and soul to this community should be troubled. While toilets can be uprighted and cleaned, damage can be fixed, books and boats replaced, the fact remains that these are senseless and costly acts of property destruction and they reflect poorly on us, our neighborhood, and respect for our village.
Our community needs to be vigilant against vandalism. If you see something, say something. Contact the Tower Lakes Police Department or me. Do the right thing. I will do everything in my power to maintain pride and integrity in Tower Lakes. But it also takes a village. I know I am not alone.