PUBLICITY HELPS NAB BREAK-IN SUSPECTS

Anyone whose home has been broken into knows the sense of despair and vulnerability that follows. For days or weeks after a break-in, homeowners or apartment dwellers alike retain a tinge of fear that someone out there can violate their privacy so easily.

In many instances, even those who report break-ins to the police often shun any additional attention for fear they will become targets again or will be the victims of retribution by whoever committed the crime in the first place. In fact, some criminals count on the terror of their victims to diminish the likelihood of being caught.

This certainly wasn't the case when Jane Barks of Cape Girardeau found her home had been invaded. Barks is well-known in the community -- thanks, in part, to feature stories in the newspaper -- as the owner of a vast collection of Mickey Mouse memorabilia with more than 30,000 items. She proudly displayed the collection in her home, and she enjoyed sharing her treasures with visitors.

But the delight of possessing and caring for a one-of-a-kind collection was dimmed when she returned home one day in September and found thieves had entered her home and take about half her collection.

Stealing wasn't the worst part of the crime, however. The invaders also vandalized her house and damaged many of the collectibles left behind. The perverse rampage in her house included turning up the thermostat so high that police officers couldn't immediately go into the house.

Jane Barks felt and acted like a victim -- at first. Then she decided the best way to respond was with an offensive of her own. She began publicizing her ordeal, which probably led to the tip that resulted in the arrest last week of two teen-agers. Police believe others may have been involved. So does Barks, who finds it hard to believe just two teen-agers could cause so much damage to her home.

It took a good measure of courage for Barks to let the public know how violated she felt by what had happened to her home and her treasured collection. But she is convinced she did the right thing.

Meanwhile, some of Barks' faith in her neighbors and her community has been restored thanks to the generosity of those who have helped her rebuild her collection. All in all, the community has responded well, both by trying to help with Mickey Mouse items and by reacting to the pressure to find the culprits.