A rash of downtown break-ins and window smashings has gotten Whitehorse residents talking.

Business owners have requested that the RCMP take extra measures.

Meanwhile, one resident wants to start another citizens' patrol group in an effort to get a handle on a number of recent crime sprees in the downtown area.

Whitehorse resident Patty O'Brien says if there is an interest, she is prepared to organize a women's downtown patrol that would keep an eye out for suspicious activities and send information back to the police.

O'Brien said in an interview today that women who are victims of break and enters often feel violated.

'I know what it's like to have your things looked at, to have your underwear drawer rifled through,' said O'Brien.

When someone broke into her downtown home, there was evidence to suggest that even her photo albums were examined.

She said it would be empowering if female victims of break and enters ban together and take back their neighbourhoods.

'People know that there are three or four drug houses from where they live. They know why these break and enters are happening,' said O'Brien, suggesting that a lot of these crimes are committed for drug money.

O'Brien's place of employment, the Yukon Teachers' Association, was recently burglarized.

The man who was arrested in connection with the break and enter, 22-year-old Kellin Friesen, was charged with committing five other break and enters.

'There are four or five break-ins downtown a day. It's insane,' said O'Brien.

Whitehorse RCMP Sgt. John Sutherland said today that sometimes there can be up to six break-ins over one night.

'We've had a little rash lately,' said Sutherland about the number of break-ins and window smashings.

Recently, Kayelle Management, H&R Block, Tim Hortons, the Yukon Gallery, the legal aid offices, the North End Gallery and Mac's Fireweed Books have all fallen victim to window smashings.

However, Sutherland noted that sometimes, the police can go for weeks without seeing any break-ins at all.

He suggested O'Brien join Whitehorse's current Citizens on Patrol organization, where local residents keep a watch on their neighbourhood and share information with police.

O'Brien, also a Star columnist, says that she believes it is the police who are doing a good job. However, it is the courts that she is unhappy with.

She feels that judges slap offenders on the wrist, while Crown prosecutors stay too many charges, allowing offenders to be back out on the street recommitting crime.

O'Brien would like to organize a mass group of people to attend court one day to send a message to the courts that Whitehorse residents are concerned about how the justice system deals with matters in their community.

While O'Brien's frustrations lay with the courts, local business owners would like to see more of a police presence in the downtown area.

Recently, the Main Street Yukon Society has asked the RCMP to do more downtown foot patrols, especially between the hours of 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., when people are leaving the bars.

That's when most downtown crimes occur, said Chris Sorg, owner of Mac's Fireweed Books, Murdoch's Gem Shop and Paradise Alley.

Sutherland said the RCMP try to get foot and bicycle patrols out into the community during the summer. Often, however, there aren't the resources to do so.

'When bars let out, that's our busiest time,' said Sutherland. He said at times, there might only be four members on duty and two might be required to handle just one call.

He said it is impractical to have an officer, out on foot patrol, run back to his or her vehicle, which could be blocks away, just to respond to a call.

Sorg also suggested that police get to meet local business owners to open up a more effective line of communication.

A couple of weeks ago, Mac's twice fell victim to a smash-and-grab. Someone smashed the window and grabbed tobacco products that were stored by the window. Three days later, the same thing happened.

Now Sorg secures the tobacco products in a place that isn't as accessible to thieves.

He said the break-ins are just an inevitable part of owning a business.

'It's a fact of life,' he said.

Even so, such a fact of life is expensive. Sorg said a smashed window could cost a business anywhere from $500 to $1,000 to replace by the time insurance deductibles were replaced.

He has observed that it isn't just businesses that are having their windows smashed people's vehicles are also falling victim.

Sorg has also observed a lot of graffiti lately; however, Sutherland said there is no more graffiti than usual.

Sorg suggested that business owners should clean up graffiti right away to send a message to offenders that they're wasting their time, as all their handiwork will just be 'stamped out.'

In the past, police have sent their summer students out to photograph and catalogue graffiti, but ,Sutherland said, when it comes to graffiti, unless a person is caught in the act, it's pretty hard to lay charges that stick.

Both Sorg and Sutherland agree that downtown crime goes through cycles. Both say things have quieted down now.

No arrests have been made in relation to the window smashes.