By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Great Bend Police Chief Steve Haulmark spent 25 years of working in law enforcement in Kansas City prior to coming to work in Great Bend in January 2021.
Haulmark remembers the program “If I Were a Thief” that he participated in while in Kansas City. Police officers would go to busy parking lots and leave notes or flyers on cars to better protect themselves from thieves.
"The note would say 'If I were a thief, you have all of this stuff in plain view in your car, maybe rethink that and put it in your trunk,'" said Haulmark. Patrolling parking lots, especially with busier stores, is an important thing to do."
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, Haulmark reminds all citizens to be careful of what they leave in their vehicles, whether it be in the parking lot or in your driveway.
"Anybody that gets on Facebook, I've seen a lot of negative comments about everybody does drugs in Great Bend," said Haulmark. "That's not true, but there are drugs here. Unfortunately, when people have an addiction, they have to fund it somehow. I think that leads to property crimes to support that habit."
Haulmark added citizens personal security cameras, even Ring doorbell cameras, have assisted in solving neighborhood thefts. Oftentimes, suspects look for “thefts of opportunity” when garage doors are left open or car doors are unlocked.