Some neighbors don't want teens checking their doors
BALDSWINSVILLE -- When Katie Morgan takes her kids to the park she makes sure to lock her car door - but not everyone does.
This summer, Explorer Scouts will accompany Baldwinsville Police to check car doors in busy parking lots. The Explorers will leave a card under the vehicle's windshield wiper, letting drivers know if their door was locked.
"I think it's a cute idea. I think it will be fun for the kids and it will probably surprise some people," said Morgan on Tuesday.
Not everyone likes the idea of kids checking their car door. Michelle Rurka said she found the idea "off" and wasn't sure it would change anyone's bad habits.
"If I turned around and saw somebody jiggling my car door, I would definitely have a reaction to that," said Rurka.
Baldwinsville Police say criticism of the program is misguided and that unlocked doors are the problem not the people checking them.
"We can help people help themselves, think a little bit, then maybe take a deep breath and slow down a little bit in their hectic lives and help themselves so they're not making a report to the police because something has gone missing," said Lt. Tom LeRoy.
Some people wonder if the program will unnecessarily trigger car alarms or other safety features, but Katie Morgan says it could save some people trouble in the future.
"People are trying your car anyway, so you might as well have somebody put a card in there instead of taking all your stuff out," said Morgan.
LeRoy said the car check program has been successful in other parts of the country, including Brooklyn in New York City.
