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RITA MISSED, BUT THIEVES LEFT MARK
The Houston Chronicle ^ | 30 September 2005 | Robert Crowe

Posted on 09/30/2005 5:05:29 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Dionne Lacy and her fiance, Reginald Randle, were surprised to see a large dent in their garage door Monday when they returned from an exhausting, five-day evacuation trip to Bernice, La. What they initially thought was wind damage to their Texas City home turned out to be the work of thieves who ransacked their residence and others in the South Point subdivision, making off with thousands of dollars' worth of property. "It was devastating. I don't feel safe, and now we're talking about purchasing a gun to protect ourselves, and I never wanted a gun in my home," she said.

Such thefts were not isolated to South Point. As people returned home, weary from the exodus but relieved that Hurricane Rita had spared residences, some were shocked to find homes ransacked during sporadic crime waves across the Houston area. Law enforcement officials interviewed this week said there were increased reports of burglaries of residences and businesses between Sept. 23 and Tuesday. They also arrested an above-average number of burglary suspects, many of whom were caught in the act after alarm systems and alert neighbors notified police. Harris County deputies recorded at least 201 burglaries of residences and businesses between Sept. 23 and 25.

"That's not normal. Those numbers are high," said Sgt. Terry Wilson of the sheriff's office burglary and theft division. Fort Bend County had 35 burglary reports, up 8 percent from the weekly average. Texas City received 46 burglary reports, up 229 percent from a weekly average of 14. Pasadena police had 77 reports of burglary of a habitation and four of burglary of a business between Sept. 23 and 27. There were just eight residential and four business burglaries in the same period last year. Houston police said they arrested at least 74 suspects, but they will not know how many residences were burglarized until they can compile statistics next month.

"We're hoping the number is not high," said officer Johanna Abad, a Houston Police Department spokeswoman. "We know the strong police presence was there. And Chief (Harold Hurtt) came out and said looting will not be tolerated, and people were listening." Hurtt attributes higher-than-average arrest rates between Sept. 23 and 26 to an increased police presence. "Our capture rate for calls for burglary was high," he said. "At times, the police almost outnumbered the bad guys." Sheriff's Sgt. Richard Manning, who heads the burglary division for east Harris County, said the area of 162,000 people reported about 50 burglaries. The number is up 257 percent from the weekly average.

Manning suspects that many of the crimes may have been committed by neighbors. He hopes the sporadic burglaries will not keep residents from leaving when future evacuations are ordered. Scott Poland, head of the psychology department at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, said many of the burglaries were committed by "opportunistic people who had probably engaged in lawless acts before." His house in northwest Harris County was burglarized Sept. 21. Many residents of the Lakecrest Village Apartments at 9393 Tidwell in northeast Houston returned home this week to find that burglars had kicked in doors to take children's clothes and food, televisions and videogame consoles.

"We used our rent money to pay for gas and food to evacuate, and we come home to see our (televisions) had been stolen and our food eaten," Tameko Wilson said. She said apartment managers would not tell residents how many units were burglarized. TV news stations reported that as many as 33 units were broken into, but Abad said only six calls were made to the complex. Tameko Wilson doubts police were in her neighborhood because burglars had time to ransack multiple units, cook meals, drink beer and steal big items such as her 67-inch television. Wilson returned to find a police report in her apartments.

Manning and others urged caution when evaluating early crime statistics until each report can be investigated. "Some of the numbers, once we complete investigations, may come back as unfounded," he said.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; gun; guns; rita; theft
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To: cbkaty

We have a 27", I think.

I remember seeing one of those giant TV's in a picture of a small apartment; I thought it was a blackboard!


41 posted on 09/30/2005 6:45:22 AM PDT by Tax-chick (When bad things happen, conservatives get over it!)
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To: Red Badger

Good point.


42 posted on 09/30/2005 6:47:01 AM PDT by Tax-chick (When bad things happen, conservatives get over it!)
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To: weegee
Looters are nothing new. The assumption that it is not a big deal or doesn't exist is.

Thank you. susie

43 posted on 09/30/2005 6:49:22 AM PDT by brytlea (All you need as ID to vote in FL is your Costco card...)
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To: Red Badger

The main problem with today's thieves is they also like to TRASH the house (class warfare) while they do their dirtywork..........

Ever catch that show on Discovery, "To catch a thief" I think it's called? The premise is, they find a poorly secured home, have the owners sit in a van outside watching while an ex-pro thief ransacks the place. He trashes the homes, he says it's just "part of the attitude" - if someone doesnt respect the law, do you really think they'll respect your belongings? It's not class warfare, not all the time, it's just thieves with sh*tty attitudes.

PS - the show is hosted by an ex-burglar, too. They're both white, and look like your average Joe. That's how they got away with it, they could walk/drive through your neighborhood or building, andnobody would give it a second thought.


44 posted on 09/30/2005 6:58:38 AM PDT by ByDesign
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To: ByDesign

Yes, I've seen a few episodes. The "trashing" of the house isn't necessary. People like that give thieves a bad name........


45 posted on 09/30/2005 7:02:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (In life, you don't get what you deserve. You get what you settle for...........)
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To: Tax-chick

"Insurance fraud? How much did she still owe on the 67" T.V.?"

That kind of made me wonder, too. A 67" TV is one of the projector types, the kind with the screen and a huge base - takes two people minimum to move. Hardly something that could be stolen easily, I have a 42" plasma (paid for, thank you, and insured), that I can barely lift alone - I don't worry about it getting stolen because it's HEAVY. No, there's something wierd here, just a "Spidey-sense".


46 posted on 09/30/2005 7:02:52 AM PDT by ByDesign
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To: Tax-chick

"Insurance fraud? How much did she still owe on the 67" T.V.?"

That kind of made me wonder, too. A 67" TV is one of the projector types, the kind with the screen and a huge base - takes two people minimum to move. Hardly something that could be stolen easily, I have a 42" plasma (paid for, thank you, and insured), that I can barely lift alone - I don't worry about it getting stolen because it's HEAVY. No, there's something wierd here, just a "Spidey-sense".


47 posted on 09/30/2005 7:02:54 AM PDT by ByDesign
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To: ByDesign

"Hey, Bubba, I'm going to be evacuating today. How about while I'm gone, you and Jim-Bob come by with your truck and get that TV, before the next payment's due. Sure, you can keep it ... and help yourself to whatever's left in the fridge. It'll go bad before I get home, anyway."


48 posted on 09/30/2005 7:09:43 AM PDT by Tax-chick (When bad things happen, conservatives get over it!)
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To: Meldrim
Of those arrested, how many were illegal aliens?

And how many were New Orleans escapees who just moved their looting ways to a new location?

49 posted on 09/30/2005 8:06:57 AM PDT by TXnMA (Iraq & Afghanistan: Bush's "Bug-Zappers"...)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
QUOTE: "Many residents of the Lakecrest Village Apartments at 9393 Tidwell in NORTHEAST Houston returned home this week to find that burglars had kicked in doors to take children's clothes and food, televisions and videogame consoles."

Sorry, but there was no reason in the first place for anyone living in NORTHEAST Houston to evacuate (other than personal panic).
50 posted on 09/30/2005 9:07:02 AM PDT by VRWCTexan (History has a long memory - but still repeats itself)
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To: Tax-chick
Some people (non-home owners) do carry "renters insurance" to insure for loss of their personal property.
51 posted on 09/30/2005 9:11:54 AM PDT by VRWCTexan (History has a long memory - but still repeats itself)
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To: VRWCTexan

We did when we were renting. Only sensible thing to do, imo, if you have anything worth replacing.


52 posted on 09/30/2005 9:19:03 AM PDT by Tax-chick (When bad things happen, conservatives get over it!)
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To: ByDesign

I wonder how many diamond neclaces and ancient Roman gold coins were noticed stolen...once they took inventory?


53 posted on 09/30/2005 9:20:38 AM PDT by cbkaty (I may not always post...but I am always here......)
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To: cbkaty
At least is Texas anyone buying "homeowners" or "renters" insurance has to declare a list of property especially electronics, gold, stamp collections, diamonds, etc
54 posted on 09/30/2005 9:24:22 AM PDT by VRWCTexan (History has a long memory - but still repeats itself)
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To: 2banana

Yes sir.


55 posted on 09/30/2005 10:51:36 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: ByDesign

I was thinking the same thing. That is a monster of a TV and I think something "fishy" is going on here. It just doesn't sound right.


56 posted on 09/30/2005 12:54:03 PM PDT by WasDougsLamb (Just my opinion.Go easy on me........)
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To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

9393 Tidwell, need more be said?


57 posted on 09/30/2005 12:58:17 PM PDT by eastforker (Under Cover FReeper going dark(too much 24))
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To: TheBattman

The Eastforker compound will never evacute for a cane. Will not flood here but plenty of trees to come down, nope, I ain't levin.


58 posted on 09/30/2005 1:02:20 PM PDT by eastforker (Under Cover FReeper going dark(too much 24))
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To: weegee

I know that there were a whole lot of folks from Texas evacuating east on interstate 10 and then north on top of our own people. One thing that the mayor of Lake Charles did that helped a little bit was to use the state highways for the evacuation buses and that helped to keep the flow of traffic to some degree. There is usually parallel state highways along the major evacuation routes.

I also read about how great Texas was at preparations and the truth is there's problems in evacuating major cities. NO had their problems but they had less time than Houston and time needed to effectively evacuate is a factor that has to be addressed. Just think if the East coast has to be evacuated. It's horrible during rush hour traffic but can you imagine what it would be like in a real emergency?


59 posted on 09/30/2005 1:32:08 PM PDT by CajunConservative (Lake Charles, LA)
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