UPDATE: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 -- 8:55 p.m.

It's no longer thought of as just a "big city problem." Heroin is showing up in smaller communities all over our area.

Mt. Horeb is known for a lot of things. Heroin would probably not be one of them. But police are seeing it here as well. And just like other areas in south central Wisconsin, it's got their attention.

"Yes, we have a drug problem in Milton. Yes, it's Heroin and yes your kids are vulnerable."

This was Milton's Mayor, Tom Chesmore, just a few months ago when NBC15 News asked him about Heroin and the affect it was having on his small Rock County community.

Tuesday of this week, nine people were charged with distributing Heroin in the Madison area.

"This is something that's really hit us in the last few months."

According to Mt. Horeb Police Chief Jeff Veloff, in the last two months Mt. Horeb Police have found four people with the drug.

And a few weeks ago, a resident of the village overdosed on Heroin in a neighboring community.

"At least it's been an eye opener that Heroin is becoming more and more popular."

This handful of incidents may not seem like a lot. But for police it's not something they can take lightly.

"Our concern is that it will grow and that there will be more of a demand for Heroin and become more problematic with younger users."

That's one of the main concerns--but not the only one. With an increase in Heroin use comes an increase in other crimes.

"Unfortunately, we think we'll see more thefts and burglaries occurring due to the fact they need to raise money to buy this drug."

Identifying the issue is the easy part. Chief Veloff says stopping it will be a lot tougher.

Chief Veloff also says a lot of people may be switching over to Heroin from other drugs like Oxycontin also known as Oxycodone.

That's because the price of the prescription drug has gone up--while the price of Heroin has dropped.

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Posted Wednesday, August 12, 2009 -- 5:45 p.m.

In June and July, the Mt. Horeb Police Department made contact with four individuals who had heroin in their possession. Just a few weeks ago, a resident of the village overdosed in a neighboring community. That's according to Police Chief Jeff Veloff.

Officials in Mt. Horeb, like many of their counterparts in small communities, are worried about the drugs growth. An increase in Heroin use often comes an increase in other crimes, like theft.

Chief Veloff says there may be several reasons behind the spike in Heroin use. For instance, the prices of Oxycontin and Oxycodone have gone up, while the price of Heroin has gone down. Veloff says the drugs have a similar high, so some people may be switching over to Heroin.

More on this story on NBC15 News at 10:00 p.m.