Burglaries continue at Beaver Creek

The Beaver Creek Park superintendent said Monday night the latest stint of park cabin burglaries has been the worst he’s seen during his entire 12-year stint as superintendent.

“It’s getting kind of scary,” Superintendent Chad Edgar told Hill County Park Board members during its monthly board meeting.

Edgar said it is not uncommon to have cabins broken into sporadically, but this last stint, he believes, is unlike anything and may be the worse since he’s been in the park.

Edgar said his neighbors had been broken into recently. Things are getting “pretty close,” he said.

The burglars are taking anything and everything — TVs, other electronics, tables, chairs, miscellaneous — anything that can be sold and pawned, he said.

The cabin owners, Edgar said, are “very frustrated.”

“We don’t know what the underlying cause is, why people have to steal in the first place,” he said.

As a result of the burglaries, Edgar said, the park might install more surveillance cameras at Camp Kiwanis and cabin owners may also be adding cameras.

Edgar said the park already has quite a bit of surveillance, adding that has led to investigating some suspects.

Hill County Undersheriff Jamie Ross confirmed this morning that the Sheriff’s Office is investigating other suspects in addition to one who has already been charged, and the office continues to work toward catching the burglars. Ross said he encourages cabin owners to check their cabins frequently and for anybody who’s in the park to report any suspicious activity.

Edgar also told park board members about recent vandalism. Someone sprayed graffiti — the word “Who” — on the outhouse on the south end of the park, he said.

“The park offers a $100 reward for any vandalism or any kind of violation in the park whatsoever, if it leads to the conviction and arrest of person who did it,” he added

The park board also heard that the rules and regulations committee has come up with a revised draft for cabin leasers. Changes, including those concerning size parameters and how a lease must be passed on, are being proposed and the public can get a copy of the finalized draft at the next meeting, March 6. After that, public comment will be considered, Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson said.

Peterson told board members five candidates already have applied for the finance and planning committee, and five people have applied in the search for a new park board member. He did not have the list with him for either search and was unable to give any other information.