Crime Has Neighbors Concerned About the Lack of Street Lights

ROCKFORD - West side neighbors are concerned about the lack of lights on their streets.  The 800 block of Royal Avenue used to be well lit, but now neighbors say you can barely see where you are going at night.  When Rockford decided to cut its electric bill two of Royal Avenue's 800 block's lights were on the chopping block.

"At one time we had five lampposts lighting up the street from corner to corner," said Daniel Rose, president of his neighborhood watch. 

"They have one on each corner, they have one in the middle but if you're anywhere out of that range you can't see the hand in front of your face."

Police say those lights are important.

"Light's an effective crime reduction tool, as well as also make sure and keep your unattached garages, your sheds and your houses secured tightly," said Lt. Marc Welsh of the Rockford Police Department.

Under where one of the lights taken was taken away from is an abandoned home.  Rose says there's been squatters, drug activity and plenty of other illegal activity taking place inside the home.  When we checked Friday, several of the home's windows were broken in and even one of the doors to the home now owned by a bank was unlocked.

Alderwoman Ann Thompson-Kelly has pledged to put an effort into getting funding back for city lights.  Both something the neighborhood watch and neighbors in the 7^th ward would greatly appreciate.