Okay, Rick is on vacation and we do not want the Opinion column to go unheard and dormant. With that said there is a small summer scandal that happens every year that must be talked about. It all started when I was in 12th grade and attended Middletown Christian but lived in Carlisle....

I know it sounds like a life story doesn't it. I was in 12th grade and grew up on the famous Nikki Ct. off of Sunset in Carlisle, Ohio. I was much like many other teenagers in the area I had a massive sound system that you could hear a mile away and the kind that my mom couldn't sit in the car because it would hurt her chest. But I loved that system and it was nice to cruise blasting and bumping down the road. Of course, at the level that is not against police standards of public disturbance.

Anyhow, this is Carlisle and who in Carlisle feels unsafe enough to not lock their car doors at night. Well, it was not uncommon that I did not lock my doors and I know it left me open to anyone walking by and seeing what I had inside.

It was a hot and steamy summer and I awoke to go to my car for school. I jumped in my ride and looked around for my CD's and to my dismay THEY WERE GONE! Now, it just happened that this night I had my entire collection in my car due to an event I went to the day previous. I usually only had a few CD's in my visor holder. So in a hot steamy summer night my entire collection of CD's about 120 were whisked away.

Fast forward, I am still in Carlisle its not so hot this summer but all the same. I still haven't learned to lock my doors but hey its Carlisle, right? Yesterday morning I awoke and headed to my car to go to work. I opened my door to find that everything had been pulled out of my gym bag and everything had been pulled out of my consoles. I looked around nothing from what I could tell was taken so I went to work. I called my wife on my way in to the office and she took a look at, that's right, our unlocked van that was in the driveway. Low and behold they had rummaged through our van console and drug everything out. Again, nothing seemed to be missing.

Now to my opinion, I believe it is some very bored kids running around at night. Again, this is my opinion. Why do I say that. Well, even way back when my CD's were stolen when I was younger till now the culprits didn't seem to be looking for much more than potentially little things or money. I have to confess and I obviously will not list what I have in the car but the little culprits could have made out very well two nights ago but instead just decided to trash my car and van. And back when I was in school could have made out with my entire radio, sound system, etc. but instead just took the CD's and some change.

Last summer, I was speaking with some neighborhood friends and they had mentioned to me that their car had been gone through. The friend had an iPod and many other valuable things but the car was just rummaged and trashed and some change from the console had been taken. So again, my little evidence to support my opinion.

With this story I just want to encourage everyone in Carlisle and Franklin and any community for that matter to lock your car doors at night if you have the misfortune of not being able to get them into the garage. You never can trust or tell what might happen while your sound asleep feeling all safe in your home. It is unfortunate that we have to deal with this and it seems I hear a story like this every summer but it is what it is and I just hope that you take the precautions to protect your items.

I digress.