DILLWYN — In light of two reported residential breaking and enterings that occurred within four days of each other in late December, the members of the Dillwyn Town Council are encouraging residents to look out for each other and to remain vigilant around their own homes and the houses of their neighbors.

The council, which met Tuesday, January 13, discussed the incidents at the end of its meeting, following an inquiry from council member Tora Jones, in addition to agreeing to discuss a neighborhood watch at the next meeting.

“With the burglaries that have taken place within town, do we [need to] ask the sheriff’s department to make more rounds during the times that the burglaries occurred?” she asked her fellow council members.

“They’re out there,” council member Bill Lewis Moss said, referring to the law enforcement officers.

The first break-in was reported on December 19 in the 200 block of Hancock Street where a vehicle was stolen from the home, in addition to several personal items within the house, according to Buckingham Sheriff William G. “Billy” Kidd Jr. The second was reported December 22 in the 700 block of Main Street, also within the Town limits, where items under a Christmas tree were reportedly stolen, he told The Herald in December.

According to Kidd, a suspect involved in the vehicle theft has been identified, and the vehicle was recovered recently in Amarillo, Texas.

“The man driving it was arrested,” Kidd noted.

“We’re kind of suspecting it kind of probably happened the same time as the car was stolen,” Kidd said in December when referencing the Main Street incident.

“I think the yards touch,” he said of the two incident’s locations. “I would think so, yeah,” the sheriff responded to the newspaper when asked if he thought the two incidents were connected.

“I think all of us need to look out for each other,” Moss told the council, with Mayor Linda Venable Paige and other members of the council agreeing.

Moss said that the sheriff’s office welcomes anyone to call who may see something that “…doesn’t look right… call them and let them know,” Moss stated.

“Desperate times breed desperate people,” council member Karen Moss noted.

“We’ve definitely got to look out for each other,” Paige added.

The mayor directed Town Clerk and Treasurer Peggy N. Johnson to add discussion of a town neighborhood watch to the February 10 meeting agenda.

“Now that something has happened, I think that people will be more receptive [to the idea],” Paige said of the future agenda item.

“The more people see you out, you’re aware of what’s going on…” Bill Lewis Moss added.

Sheriff Kidd encourages anyone with any information on the incidents to contact the Buckingham Sheriff’s Office at 434-969-1772 or Crimestoppers at 434-969-4800.