Moundsville police have increased patrols and other surveillance of the city's walking trail, in the wake of an outrageous, disgusting crime there.
On June 12, a boy riding his bicycle on the trail was accosted by an adult who stole the bike, commenting, "It's my bike now, kid." Police made an arrest quickly. A 40-year-old man who had been released recently from a New Jersey prison after serving time for domestic violence is awaiting trial in the case.
We hope the assault was just a fluke, and there is every reason to believe it was. Moundsville Police Chief James Kudlak told our reporter that during the five years the trail, which connects Moundsville with Glen Dale, has been open, only three incidents have been reported on it.
Still, any crime involving a child and a recreational area is disturbing. Unfortunately, there have been a few such incidents in the Ohio Valley during the past few months - but police have responded quickly and decisively to them.
Every town has among its residents a few thugs - people who enjoy pushing others around. Not infrequently their targets are children.
That is something our communities simply must not - and will not, we are confident - tolerate. Any crime is unacceptable. But when children are victimized by adults in any way, our outrage peaks, as it should.
If the defendant in Moundsville is found guilty of the crime, he should be punished as severely as the law allows. That, along with increased police presence in recreational areas such as the Moundsville trail, should serve as a deterrent for other thugs.
Our communities are old-fashioned in some ways. One of them is that we attempt to do all in our power to protect our children. Those who would victimize them need to know that - and know that the consequences of angering us in that regard will be swift and severe.