Right-wing cult sees crime surge

In the wake of the failure of Tom Monaghan's Ave Maria cult to attract more than 500 followers, it now appears that the community must have one of the highest rates of serious crime in America.

An article from December describes the shameless daytime robbery of the local jewelry store. Sheriff's office statistics showed there were about 2 crimes a week in the immediate Ave Maria area.

Two crimes a week might not sound like much - but in a community of only 500?

To comfort prospective residents and deter criminals, the community's website claimed there was a police substation in town to keep folks safe. But it wasn't true: There was no substation. Despite this claim being wrong, it appeared on the website for at least 10 months.

This was after it was revealed that the director of the private security team used by Monaghan to guard his cultish fiefdom refers to Monaghan as "our king." This security team also roams the halls of the community's private schools.

Is Ave Maria going to be another parallel universe where up is down and where no ill is ever acknowledged no matter how bad it gets?

(Source: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/dec/21/ave-maria-officials-discuss-ways-improve-public-sa;
http://avewatch.com/2006-2007/files/65be33fa083e2382b14cbf2713bbb228-157.html)