Riverdale residents are frustrated and angry about the number of break and enters in their neighbourhood.

A group of about 20 made their presence known in territorial court Wednesday morning, when they attended the appearances of two men charged with breaking into homes in the area.

'It's just happening far too much in the neighbourhood,' said organizer T. Evans, who asked that her full name not be published.

'If it's not us, it's two houses down, then it's one house, then it's four houses �-. Enough is enough.

'Basically, our bodies being in court hopefully silently letting the judge know that we've �- had enough.'

The justice system goes too easy on people who are repeatedly convicted of break and enters and thefts, according to Evans, who said they have reached epidemic proportions in her neighbourhood.

While she herself has not been a victim of break and enter, she has tenants who have had their homes broken into.

Tempers are rising in the neighbourhood, Evans said in an interview outside the courthouse.

'(There is) anger, a lot of anger, a lot of frustration. I fear retaliation from people who've been victimized and they themselves becoming a criminal because they beat the crap out of somebody.'

This is what drove her to rally support among her neighbours.

'Something's gonna happen, somebody's going to get hurt,' she said.

While the RCMP are doing their jobs, Evans said, the system is falling apart in court.

'I do believe the RCMP are doing as much as they can. It must be frustrating for them, just like us, when they're repeatedly arresting the same suspects over and over again.'

Another Riverdale resident who attended the court hearing, and asked not to be identified, said he was there in part to show his concern as a citizen and in part to show the two accused that the community knows who they are.

'You always hear �- that the accused has the right to face the accuser,' he said in an interview Thursday morning. 'Well, these people get filtered in and out of court so quickly that the accusers don't get to see the accused.'

Over the past few years, this resident has had three break and enters on his property.

'The average law-abiding citizen sits in their homes with their hands tied,' he said. 'And nothing appears to be done of any consequence to stem this break and entry.

'You talk to people and it's happening in all areas of Whitehorse.'

The resident also said it's frustrating to sit through court because it's difficult for the average citizen to understand the proceedings.

'If I go into a court, which is actually there to look after and protect law-abiding citizens, you don't even know what they're saying,' he said.

According to Evans, longer sentences are necessary to deter people from committing break and enters and thefts.

She suggested that people who have been convicted of these crimes on numerous occasions should be given two years less a day.

This length of sentence would allow people to serve time in Yukon jails rather than being sent to a federal prison.

Penalties for break and enters range from probation orders with no jail time to jail sentences of varying lengths.

Riverdale North MLA Ted Staffen, who also attended the hearing, is concerned with break and enters in his riding.

'I was there with my neighbours and constituents just to support them,' he said in an interview today. 'It's an issue in our area.'

Along with the MLA for Riverdale South, Glenn Hart, Staffen is tackling the issue of break and enters and thefts from a variety of angles.

Two public information sessions have already been held to inform residents about how to better protect themselves and their homes.

One of the sessions focused on helping seniors and elders in particular.

The next meeting, scheduled to take place later this month or in early December, will focus on youth.

At the upcoming session, the Yukon Boys and Girls Club, the Blue Feather Youth Centre and the Ecumenical Society will be presenting a pilot project Staffen and Hart asked them to develop, to provide Riverdale youth with nighttime activities.

'The expression the devil has work for idle hands' is quite true,' Staffen said. 'We just want to make sure that those kids are engaged so there's something creative and worthwhile for them to do in Riverdale in the evenings.'

Staffen has also written a letter to Justice Minister John Edzerza about changing regulations that govern pawn shops.

The main idea is that pawn shop owners would be required to ask for photo I.D. from a person selling items to the store, Staffen said.

A photocopy of the I.D. would be kept on record. In cases of theft, the store owner could then provide the identification of the person who sold him or her the stolen item.

Staffen is currently waiting for a reply from Edzerza.

The two people in court this week are scheduled to appear again later this month to enter a plea. Their names weren't immediately available.

Evans spread the word for the hearing by handing out flyers door-to-door.

She will do this again for the next court appearance and hopes to have an even greater turnout of residents for that hearing.