To the Editor,

West Fifth Street here in Lumberton was turning out to be a better place to live, fewer street walkers, beggars, thieves, and break-ins. But now, there are more homeless and street walkers than ever.

I have been living in Lumberton on West Fifth Street now for the past seven years, and I have never seen it like this. There is an abandoned home all boarded up, next to Black’s Tire, and there are numerous homeless who have taken up residence there. I always see the front door cracked open as if they are watching to see when I leave for work. I don’t like living in fear of being robbed when I am not home, and worse be invaded when asleep — and surely no one else needs that either.

One man in particular acts like he owns the place, leaves the door wide open, sits on the porch, like nobody knows what they’re doing. Myself and a neighbor have called the police to run them off a few times, but as soon as the police leave, they turn right back around and go back to the house. We all wondered why there are so many vagrants in this part of town, and low and behold, a soup kitchen has moved in.

Now, I don’t condemn the homeless, but how is anybody to be sure that all of them are good people? I sure hope something gets done about this issue.

Shawn Roy

Lumberton