Cape aquatic park: Keep valuables in vehicle or at home

In its first few weeks of operation, Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center has welcomed around 34,000 visitors who have soaked up sun, swum laps in the pool and floated along a lazy river.

But only a handful have stolen anything while there.

Fewer than 10 thefts have been reported, said Sgt. Jason Selzer, a spokesman for the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

Park supervisor Amy Roth said the items most commonly stolen have been cell phones and wallets, items she said visitors should think about leaving in their vehicle or at home.

"It's not a good idea at this time to bring in your valuables," she said.

Roth said the facility has minimal space for guests to store personal items. There are only 15 small lockers from the Osage Community Centre near the park gates, although recreation staff have more than 100 new lockers ordered for visitors to use.

The lockers should be here within the next two weeks, Roth said, and will be on "a pay-as-you-go-type system."

Since the few thefts have occurred, employees have been offering guests resealable plastic bags to put personal items in. Guests are asked to write information identifying themselves on the bag, and staff is storing them in a safe place.

"It's something we would normally not do, but we're trying to work with people," Roth said. "We're trying to come up with ways to keep valuables safe, even if we're not responsible for losses."

Following the park's grand opening, Selzer said he did a security survey at the water park and offered advice on preventing crime. Selzer said he gave staff tips on how to monitor who has access to the cash at the park during operating hours and suggested proper placement of security cameras.

"Unless something changes or there was some ongoing problem, for the most part, just like the swimming pools, we don't typically patrol out there," Selzer said. "We may drive through the parking lot every once in a while, but that's it."

Roth said staff at the gate and lifeguards have been told to take notice of suspicious activity.

"As big as the facility is, I think we've done pretty good at preventing a lot of bad things from happening," Roth said.

ehevern@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

1565 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO