There seems to be more and more drug related break-ins in the valley over the past several years.  This safe was found in the valley somewhere in the past day or so.  

Good God, just looking at the meth addicts and assorted trash around the gas stations/liquer stores lately make me thinking seriously about carrying, and Mrs. Blues does not go anywhere without our GSD.  Bless her gun hating Canadian heart, she wants to take a concealed carry course.

I am glad we sold our old house up on Lucille, but the crime wave is pretty close to our quiet little neighborhood.  Further out, there is no inhibition on scum smashing into an occupied house.

What to do?  Deep in my bones, I don't think wholesale drug legalization is the answer, and cops frown on shooting these guys on sight.

They broke into the shop next door to Alaska Rubber this past weekend and stole a truck and lots of tools. Pretty shitty.

Lots of break ins in Juneau this last week also. Right near our shop, just looking for cash, no tools or items missing. Got a picture on a security camera. Looks good through an ACOG.

I have property off Wasilla-Fishook that I would love to put a cabin on one of these days. The prevalence of trash in the area keeps me from doing so..

Guys, put up video cameras..even if its nothing but a couple trail cams..with pics of the perps the cops have a much better chance..also liberty safes sells a security deal that will call you if the safe is moved...(and right now I have neither, but I am home all day everyday right now)I hate thieves......

We haven't had too many issues out here off Tex-Al, but the constant shooting, helicopter ops at Soloy and a few land strips nearby make this a place of constant activities, too many folks to see meth heads come and go.

The meth head scumbags are on the Kenai Peninsula as well.

Slightly off topic, but still connected to the subject.  IMHO, I feel it's only going to get a lot worse...  The police, with limited budgets, are not going to up their game with increased patrols and the crooks know this.  Plus, the State is frowning on locking up too many drug related, non-violent offenders since it's not a cost effective measure in their eyes to keep down the cost of operations within the Department of Corrections.  The sad truth is that law enforcement officials are not focusing their efforts on property crimes or directing any realistic resources to battle petty crimes at all since that costs money and takes away funds from other programs.  Yes, they will come out on a 911 call.  Even if you catch him/her in the act or if the loser is stupid enough to admit to the crime to an officer that he/she is guilty of the crime.  I can guarantee that he/she will spend less than 3 days in jail before being released on his word, without a cash bond, to appear in court to face the charges against them.

With that said, look at Anchorage and its increase of both property and violent crimes within the past few months.  APD has the largest city/town police force in the State and they're having a serious budget and manpower issues.  They're having a problem retaining the newer and mid-career officers... Many are leaving the State for other law enforcement jobs with a better benefit package....  Remember the old saying... You get what you pay for... Nothing more.  Nothing less.


Now throw in the legalization of marijuana...  I'm sure that there are many different views on this topic, but adding another "legal" substance to the mix in a slowing economy isn't going to help matters out at all...  I could be wrong, but IMHO, if you're getting high and cannot pass an urinalysis for a good paying job, you'll be stuck in some dead-end/suck-@ss job, with very little to zero reasons or interests to keep working at that level... Which will eventually lead to unemployment and then to totally dropping out of the work force, which in my IMHO will lead to a life of crime since you'll still need to eat, buy your weed and meth.  Family and friends will only carry you for so long before cutting you off completely.  Personally, I don't have a dog in this fight and will bow to the voters choices in this matter, but let's not fool ourselves in thinking that this isn't going to effect our community in a negative way...  The taxes collected by the State are not going to be what they thought it would be or even balance out the negatives that will naturally come with it.  Simply look at Colorado and their shortfall in the collection of taxes to date.

Seriously, do you seriously think some low life zipper-head with a marijuana grow is going apply for the proper licenses and pay taxes to the State of Alaska on his sales?  

IMHO, again, our society is changing fast and we are now seeing the effects...  Nobody is responsible for his/her actions and our system allows us to blame others for our own faults and mistakes.  Look at our political leadership and some of the causes they're trying to AND will force down on all of us.  Seriously, will two years of "free" college for a person who was barely passed high school or the legalization of millions illegal aliens in the country or by now giving a homeless person a smart phone with "free" internet access is going to move the country forward?  Hell no!!  Sorry, but giving a homeless person a smart phone isn't goin to motivate him/her in getting a job anymore when they didn't have free phones, but will only increase his/her viewing of free porn while begging for money.

BTW, a little known fact is now coming to light... Every illegal alien, given legal status, will automatically be eligible to receive up to $20Ks/$25Ks for "back taxes" WITHOUT providing any W-2 forms or other proof of paying federal taxes... Basically, they will simply need to make a statement that they paid X-dollars to be eligable for this benefit (Including all social and welfare benefits as well).  Plus, they don't need a social security number.... Even a fake social security number used in the past will work just fine to make the claim AND will also receive earned/qualifying social security quarters towards a SSA retirement check WITHOUT any real proof as well...  Seriously, do you think that the average illegal alien is going to be fully truthful when looking at that amount of money??  Now, I seriously wish I was an illegal alien!!

...Back on the topic.  There is no easy answer to the increase of theft in the valley or how to reduce it at this point.  The only thing that I do know is that it's pretty sad when a low-life criminal have more rights than the average working Joe/Jane.  I can almost guarantee that if you catch one of these "cork-soakers" in the act and beat that @ss or shoot them, the justice system will crawl up deep inside your guts and commence with doing side straddle hops up in you and turn things around, making you the bad guy for violating some waste of life "meth head's" civil rights.

That the end of the day, I'm just glad I'm now retired.

FIFY

Say what you want I was raised by someone who was smoking weed who taught me a very hard work ethic and he himself is a very hard worker. Weed isn't about the lazy stupid stereotypes seen on TV and movies, (not all the time anyways.)

Alaskanforfreedom,  

My statement was very general and basically an "In My Humble Opinion."  As for me, I grew up in a large urban center on the West Coast and was exposed to drugs all the time, at an early age, but I made my own choices around the age of 14 or 15 to stay away from it.  In my own immediate family, we have two very "low performers" who basically have pissed their entire lives away by smoking weed all the time, starting in their mid teens.  Over time, both moved into heavier drugs... One of them, in time, has moved away from the heavier stuff and is now back to weed... Which, IMHO, is a major improvement in his already stalled life...  Recently, I spoke to him and it hit me that he is now 50 years old.   ...My brother hasn't save a penny in his life, doesn't have a real job/career or own a home, but drives a new Lexus and has a steady "personal" supply of  weed, is now worried about his own life in the very near future. He is surprised that his pending Social Security retirement checks, at the age of 62, isn't going to cover his current life style.  He feels that I should help him financially with his own retirement plans.  He also thinks that waiting till 62 for his SSA checks is pure B/S since its "his" money" and its now time for him to kick back, relax and enjoy the rest of his life... Yeah, right...  As far as I'm concerned he "retired" back in 1979, even before getting started in life. Basically a classic case of "laugh now, cry later."

My brother had a chance at a great career with a good company (Boeings) about 25 years ago, but couldn't pass the pre-employment U/A for bonding purposes... Shortly after that, was arrested and convicted on a felony offense.

The other low performer in my family is my own son and name bearer... Who is now a convicted felon and blames the "system" since no employer will hire him for a decent job with a career path.

With respect, my own personal experiences with the marijuana/drug and the related crime issues are far different than yours, which doesn't make me right or wrong.

The bottom line, IMHO, is that I'm all about personal freedom and TRULY don't care what people do in or with their own lives since it doesn't effect me one bit or will I allow it to.  Plus, I'm not a person that will "adopt" other people problems.  The only people I will help AND have helped are the ones that are willing to help themselves, but need a little assistance to get over the hump.  With personal freedoms comes great responsibilities...  At the end of the day, "we" are responsible for everything that we do and/or fail to do.  

BTW, I grew up with several "pot-heads" that did pretty well in their lives and I'm TRULY happy for them.

God Bless America!!

Fair enough. Sounds like you've had more than enough experience inthe matter to have fairly formed an educated opinion.

Sounds like you guys need to get some sort of neighborhood watch there. Have some roving patrols.

An observation:

It seems to me that when there's a shooting, we gun enthusiasts want people to blame the person not the firearm, but when one pisses away their life we're quick to blame a substance and not the person who chose that path.

+1