Officers urge vigilance to stem burglaries

Posted at: 10/30/2009 10:29 PM | Updated at: 10/30/2009 11:10 PM
By: Kayla Anderson, Eyewitness News 4; Matthew Kappus, KOB.com

Sgt. Broderick Sharp

Bernalillo County deputies need the public's help ending a rash of home burglaries.

They have responded to 70 home burglaries in the last four months around the East Mountains. They say that is up significantly from what they usually see. So they need homeowners to be more watchful and careful.

Sergeant Broderick Sharp says there is a clear pattern for thieves targeting homes along major roads in the East Mountains.

"The benefits are the really expensive homes. The draw is it's easy access in and out. You're going to have very little contact with neighbors," Sharp said.

There has been an increase in calls of suspicious-looking people posing as handymen and door-to-door salesmen suspected of casing upscale metro-area homes.

"For the Paako area, we're going to have a group that's targeting those citizens. For the south 14 residences, we're going to have a group that's targeting them," Broderick said.

The last home thieves hit was located off Old Route 66 Tuesday. Burglars used a crow bar on the door before kicking it in. They took a Blue Ray player and sound system.

Sharp says they have stepped up patrols and made two arrests in connection with the home burglaries. But he says people living in the area need to do more to protect their homes.

The sergeant says most thieves are walking in through the front door after they find a key inside the house after they find hidden keys outside.

 Aside from removing your hidden keys, Sharp says neighbors need to get neighborly and talk about what's going on. Also, if you see something out of place—a vehicle that looks suspicious—call the sheriff's office right away.

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