River Park neighbors hope new lamp posts shed light on crime

NOW: River Park neighbors hope new lamp posts shed light on crime
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SOUTH BEND, Ind. - River Park neighbors are hoping the new lamp posts lining their streets--thanks to "Light Up South Bend"--shed a light on crime in their neighborhood. 

Crews installed a handful of new lamp posts around Hastings Street in South Bend Wednesday.

“I think it’s a great idea," said neighbor Tim Harvey.

The city has been lighting up South Bend for a few years, adding lamp posts to poorly lit neighborhoods in the hopes of keeping kids a little safer.

“We need a lot more light because of all the drug dealers that’s been around and people driving up and down the street. Can see them now instead of hiding," said Harvey.

Havey's lived in his River Park house for 45 years and said he's witnessed many a drug deal go down under the cover of night.

Just a few houses down, a single mother of three became a victim of overnight theft.

“My children’s bikes had gotten stolen back to back nights, and they were locked up, and I don’t know if it was because it was so dark back there... I don’t know if that has anything to do with it, but...there’s a lot of kids in this neighborhood, and I think it’d just be better in all to have more light around, because I know a lot of kids run this neighborhood all the time, so we wouldn’t want anything to happen to them," said that single mother, Crystal Mark, who just moved into her corner house last year.

She sees this new light down the lane as a beacon of hope for safer streets.

“I’m for anything that’s going to improve this neighborhood, because my children are constantly out here and everyone else’s children, so as long as we can keep these streets safe, I’m for it," she said.


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