It’s a shame Seven Fields has to consider hiring private security for nighttime during the summer months. However, this summer’s upswing of vandalism might require that costly option, if the borough is to avoid costly repairs to its facilities — such as to the park — in the future.

More preferable, of course, would be if the vandals would grow up and realize the cost of their destructive mischief to the taxpayers and how repair costs might jeopardize other services that the borough provides.

The security help could cost the borough in excess of $20 an hour per night, if a proposal already received from a Cranberry Township security firm is accepted. Whatever the final cost, the outlay would be in addition to the amount paid to Cranberry Township under a police protection agreement.

Under the agreement, Seven Fields is paying about 8 percent of Cranberry’s police budget, or about $307,000 this year.

The aim of the private security would be to have a security presence when a police officer is not in the borough, and to have an additional set of eyes and ears.

Borough officials are satisfied with the work being done by the Cranberry officers, but understand that those officers cannot be in Seven Fields at all times.

Vandals during the past summer took advantage of the lack of 24/7 police presence to cause damage.

Vandalism might be reduced if some parents were stricter about monitoring their young people’s whereabouts and activities, and with whom they are spending their time.

While it’s true that some of the vandalism could be a product of individuals who are not Seven Fields residents, it’s likely that much of it is. The crimes were committed by individuals with the ability to sneak around at night without creating suspicion.

The private security borough officials are discussing isn’t for implementation this year but rather for next summer. In coming weeks, borough council members will be discussing setting aside money in the 2012 budget for that expenditure.

That expenditure might not be necessary if someone would provide tips about the vandals’ identities.

It’s reasonable to believe that someone knows — or has suspicions about — the individuals responsible for the vandalism but, probably fearing retaliation, has chosen not to come forward. For those with such fears, tips may be called in to the police or borough officials anonymously.

Seven Fields is a community encompassing just one square mile. For police, it does not have the challenges that a community like Cranberry, with 20 square miles and 30,000 people, poses.

Yet, Seven Fields’ vandalism has defied attempts to make an arrest and residents should be asking themselves why.

Perhaps private security is the needed component to keep vandalism to a minimum, but that alternative might not be necessary if, this summer, borough residents had opted to become more watchful of the goings-on in their town.

Seven Fields shouldn’t have this problem — or the costs to taxpayers that might come with it. It’s not too late for someone with information or suspicions to step up and speak out.