Crime in Scituate

Crime-ridden isn’t usually how people characterize the town of Scituate. The South Shore is generally thought of to be a safe place by residents and outsiders alike. However, a few Scituate residents received an unpleasant surprise in early September when a string of crimes resulted in the burglary of a number of local residents’ personal items, and in some cases their vehicles.

According to an article written by Ruth Thompson published in the Scituate Mariner, the break ins first occurred on the night of September 2nd. Authorities began receiving calls in the early morning hours when some residents began noticing their cars were either ransacked or missing.

The break ins continued on the night of September 3rd, and in total three cars were stolen. A number of others were broken into and stripped of all valuables. In the weeks that followed, the authorities revealed that the break ins could have been directly linked to gang activity in Brockton, as one of the stolen cars was reported to be involved in a shootout between rival gangs in the city 19 miles west of Scituate.

Thomas Hall, a long time Scituate citizen, was shocked to walk outside one morning and see that his car had been stolen. “I first could not believe it, thinking something else happened like a family member borrowed the car,” Hall said. “My second thought was for the safety of my family.”

Hall, who grew up in Scituate, noted that the recent incidents involving the break ins, as well as other events that have occurred in the town recently, have altered his perception of the small town he loves.

“Sadly, the town has become more unsafe and crime ridden – most probably owing to the availability of cheap, strong drugs like heroin,” he said. Hall added that his family moved back to Scituate “because it was a safe, relatively crime and drug free place,” however, “We are more cautious nowadays than before,” he said.

“It is still a wonderful, beautiful town, full of great neighbors, kids, seniors, boats, beaches, historical sites, police and firemen, schools and teachers that we love, but it is certainly going through a tough spell, that hopefully will be solved soon,” Hall explained.

Surprisingly, students at Scituate High School voiced little concern toward the crimes. A survey conducted among a small portion of SHS students revealed that of those who were asked, only 50% were aware that the break ins and robberies had even taken place. Of those that were aware, only 50% had been motivated to take preventive measures going forward, such as locking their cars and removing valuables from plain sight.

 “I just don’t think it’s necessary,” junior Riley Hurley responded when asked whether he feels Scituate residents need to take cautionary measures to avoid these crimes. “Scituate is a safe place, and I feel these instances were just isolated and shouldn’t affect our actions going forward,” Hurley said. 

Jack Noonan, an SHS student who lives in one of the neighborhoods that was impacted by the crimes, believed otherwise. “I still feel like Scituate is a safe place, but my family is definitely locking our car and house doors more frequently now,” Noonan said.

While disagreement exists over the effect of these crimes, taking extra precautions is advisable to prevent similar crimes from occurring in the future.