Recently, there has been an alarming crime trend in the Central Texas area, and it has affected us here in Lakeway as well. I am talking about the increases we are seeing in vehicle burglaries and stolen vehicles in our neighborhoods. The vast majority of these crimes were a result of vehicles left unsecured and keys left inside the vehicles. Now that we understand there is a problem, what can you do to protect yourselves and your neighborhoods?
First, let us look at the numbers over the last three months for December through February. There have been 38 vehicle burglaries and eight stolen vehicles all within the Lakeway city limits. These cases were assigned to Lakeway police detectives and are under investigation. During this same time frame, 10 vehicle burglaries and three stolen vehicles were reported to the Bee Cave Police Department.
How are these crimes occurring? In cases where an arrest has been made, the investigation revealed a group of suspects traveled into the area in a single vehicle. Suspects got out of the vehicle and walked down the street attempting to open various vehicles parked in driveways. The suspects would find vehicles left unlocked and enter them. Items stolen during the vehicle burglaries included, but were not limited to cash, electronics, jewelry, purses and firearms. We have had numerous cases where the car keys were left in the vehicle as well. This made it easy for these suspects to steal the vehicle by simply driving away. Detectives worked with multiple other Central Texas law enforcement agencies including the Austin Police Department, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Bee Cave Police Department, Westlake Hills Police Department, Hays County Sheriff’s Office, Pflugerville Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI to attempt to solve these crimes. The investigations revealed that members of two separate but interconnected Austin-based street gangs had committed most of the crimes. The Lakeway Police Department has made some arrests in these cases and recovered some of the stolen property.
The Police Department can use the help of our citizens to prevent these crimes or at least make them more difficult to become victims of these senseless crimes by taking valuables out of your vehicles and locking your car doors. The lighting around your homes and driveways can be a deterrent for criminals looking for an easy target. Make sure your garage doors are closed and that your home is secure. Talk to your neighbors and watch out for unusual activities in your neighborhood. Report any suspicious activity, such as unusual pedestrian and vehicular traffic at night, to the police. Officers will check the area if you call and report suspicious activity. By being the eyes and ears for the police, you are being a tremendous help. Lakeway’s close proximity to Austin and our affluent status make us a prime target for these types of criminals.
When you are away from home, think about your surroundings and where you park. Remember our Lock It or Lose It program. Vehicles can be burglarized in less than two minutes. Don’t leave your vehicle unsecured, and don’t leave wallets, purses, briefcases, laptops, cell phones, garage door openers and other valuables in your vehicles. One of the most important tips is to make sure you take your keys with you. Leaving your keys in the car, especially an unlocked car, will certainly make you an easy target for a thief.
The concepts that we discuss during our National Night Out program are excellent deterrents in these types of criminal cases. Everyone working together to keep watch in the neighborhood and report suspicious circumstances. I will not get into recommending specific products; however, installing a good home video system can be a deterrent. Video is becoming more and more useful to police investigators when working to solve burglaries and other crimes.
We know everyone is busy, and spring will soon be upon us. Be careful while you travel. Please remember to call us to sign up for the home watch program as well. We appreciate your efforts to help us at the Police Department keep our community safe.
A special thanks to the contributors to this column Capt. David Crowder, Lt. David Law and Lt. Ricky Gavit.
Todd Radford is the Lakeway chief of police.
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