OMAR - Members of the Omar Area Crimewatch discussed the growing copper theft trend, working on an upcoming drug petition and the host of summer activities taking place for the community during their June 19 meeting.

For some time, the OACW has been involved in assisting local law enforcement in dealing with the copper theft crimewave. Members of the group discussed some recent incidents where alleged copper thieves risked life and limb for relatively small profit in stealing power lines.

One member noted that the thieves won't stop with ripping off the living, as some have been attacking tombstones, tearing away brass and copper flower cups and inlays.

"This has become an epidemic," noted Larry Rogers, who explained that he had spoken with some representatives from the power company AEP about working to assist the power company with the problem. Rogers noted that a countywide meeting to address the issue has been discussed recently.

Last week, representatives of AEP told The Logan Banner that copper thieves in the Coalfield counties are currently making this area the leader in copper theft not only for the state of West Virginia but for several surrounding states.

Rogers said he would like to see a countywide meeting of the various neighborhood watch groups with AEP representatives to educate the public about how grave the situation can be for those dealing with live lines.

Members also discussed a proposed petition that would ask the West Virginia Legislature to provide Logan County and other Coalfield counties with long term drug rehabilitation facilities.

The proposal was first made by Logan Magistrate Dwight Williamson, who told The Logan Banner that he felt such a move could be beneficial. Williamson noted the county is currently listed as a High Drug Activity area by the feds, and that much of the 5,000 a year or more arrests made by local law enforcement officers are rooted in substance addiction.

Williamson pointed out that neighborhood watch groups in the Logan community were very successful in getting the legislature to pass self defense legislation earlier this year through petitions and that he felt such groups could possibly help get long term rehab facilities with adequate spacing for our area. Williamson said that local magistrates and judges should be authorized to sentence drug offenders to rehab treatment as well.

Members of the OACW noted that the wording on the petition that would be circulated at community events, gas stations and restaurants needs to be short and to the point so that people can read it quickly and make up their mind if they will sign it without being inconvenienced.

Important points to make are: