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By CHERYL ELLIOT Special to the North News Breakâ€"ins and vandalism of parked cars continued to be a probâ€" Community police committee concerned about breakâ€"ins, vandalism to parked cars in College Park and River Oaks Bulk Soil Buy 16 Huge 3â€"Way Mix Be%mg Selection of Quality Plants £OF _ pjant Materia Gravel or $3.50 Get * atthe Best 2018 Dundas Street Oakville casH or _ (Hwy. 403 Hwy. #5) CHEQUE Delivery Available lem in and around Oakville Place during the first four months of this year, according to a Halton regional police officer. But overall, the probâ€" lem has decreased in River Oaks (Fri., Sat., Sun. $2.99) MON.â€"THURS. ANY MOVIE INCLUDING NEW RELEASES The committee meets biâ€"monthly at the Halton regional police station on White Oaks Boulevard to discuss residents‘ and police concerns in the area. Its primary focus is traffic vioâ€" lations, damage to property, and lack of activities for youths. The committee is comprised of commuâ€" nity police officers and local repreâ€" sentatives of neighborhood groups, schools, and town council. Police officers responded to 39 breakâ€"ins and instances of vandalâ€" ism of cars between January and May in the College Park area which includes Oakville Place, Siemon told the North News. He added that according to the Halton Police 20th Division Task/Trace Unit, which was set up in January of this year to monitor and deal with specific criminal activities in target areas, the number of cases has declined in the area since 1992. "There has been a rash of theft from, and damage to, automobiles between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m.," acting Sgt. Jeff Siemon told the River Oaks and College Park community consultation committee at a recent meeting. and College Park. Jean Rose are pleased to announce that Stephanie has joined them at Looks Unlimited. With her she brings several years of experience. Stephanie invites all her former clients to give her a call at her new location. 1: Bring in this coupon to receive 1 115 Jones St., Oakville "The biggest complaint is on Fridays and Saturdays," said area councillor Sean Weir. "Residents don‘t feel safe going down there." "Currently, we have 10 active projects ranging from a bylaw comâ€" plaint of unlawful dumping to trafâ€" fic complaints," Siemon told the committee. YOUTH LOITERING Another major concern is youth loitering around the River Oaks Plaza during lunch hour, said Siemon. "In the past, we laid charges," he said, "but this had no significant effect on the problem." He said the police are periodicalâ€" ly patrolling the area around an old farm house on Hwy. 5 near Towne Boulevard after the owner, the River Oaks Group, complained that people are dumping garbage and rubble on their property at night. "A considerable amount of garbage is being dumped on deadâ€" end streets in the area and around the farm house," said Const. Sean Baker. "People are dumping everyâ€" thing from rubbish to ripped up asphalt." The committee is looking for a location to set up a youth dropâ€"in Const. Baker suggested a place closer to homes and away from the police station would attract more residents, and people would realize the committee is "not just a police effort." As a result of the poor turnout at the meeting, the committee is conâ€" sidering a more convenient location for future meetings. Siemon added that the program has been effective in curbing the ongoing problem of youth congreâ€" gating in the mall‘s food court. WEEKLY VISITS TO WOSS Another initiative is a weekly visit to White Oaks Secondary School by Const. Alison Paulin to meet and talk with students. The aim is to make the police seem more approachable and to give the students a better understanding of their jobs. The police have also issued warnings to drivers disobeying the stop sign and crossing guards on River Oaks Boulevard and Munn‘s Avenue. centre and activities in the hope that this will reduce the loitering at the plaza. One initiative taken by commuâ€" nity police officers to resolve probâ€" lems in the area is to step up their "Stop, Lock, Walk and Talk" patrols at Oakville Place. "This program encourages offiâ€" cers â€" when they are not engaged in active patrol â€" to stop their cruisers, lock them, walk about in areas heavily congested with pedestrians, and talk to the people," he said. "This program should have been started ages ago," said Sarah Garrick, a student representative from WOSS. On traffic matters... Siemon said the police have issued 32 speeding tickets on Sixth Line between Munn‘s Avenue and Hwy. 5 between Feb. 9th and May 18th, and are monitoring vehicles on River Oaks Boulevard, west of Sixth Line.