ABERDEEN, Miss. (WTVA) -- Aberdeen Police Chief Henry Randle said he wants the city to crack down on crack houses.
Randle described four vacant homes as not only eyesores but the center of criminal activity.
"When you come inside, you can actually smell the urination and defecation," said Randle.
He walked through one of the vacant homes on South Meridian Street — a home he called a crack house.
He searched the property first to make sure no one was inside.
Dozens of empty beer and alcohol bottles littered the home.
Randle noticed a cold drink nestled away in the corner. He said that is a sign someone was recently at the home and plans to return.
The chief then searched through items on a window ledge. He said drug addicts use those items to get high.
Randle said this activity is the main reason he wants leaders to demolish the home.
"They (vacant crack houses) are not going to be restored. They are just sitting in the city. They are just continuing to infest," added Randle.
Randle said all four of the homes have had some form of crime committed in them.
"We've also had people hide in those homes and jump out on some other people. But if this structure is not here, there is one less worry we have in the city of Aberdeen," said Randle.
Three of the four crack houses he wants torn down are on the same street. One house sits right across the street from a church.
City Clerk Jackie Benson said leaders are working on the problem.
"Those (crack houses) were turned over to our building inspector. He will send out notification to the owners, and after 30 days, we will have a hearing. Then they will go from there and take bids and have them torn down," said Benson.
Benson said if the owners will not respond, the city will still tear the buildings down, but the cost will be billed back to the owner in their property taxes.
