ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – One area of Roanoke is experiencing more home break-ins than usual. People have been stealing from houses in one of the county's higher-income areas.
Roanoke County police are seeing an increase in home burglaries in the Cave Spring area, one of the most affluent suburbs in Roanoke. The number of thefts from homes in the county has stayed mostly steady over the last two and a half years, but thieves are now targeting this area.
In the last six months, around one in five home burglaries in the county happened at houses in Cave Spring.
“People commit crimes of opportunity so they want to get in and get out fast without being recognized,” Roanoke County police Officer Daniel Bruch said.
He says they see many cases where thieves know the neighborhoods.
“If someone's familiar with an area, and knows how to get in and out relatively quickly without being noticed, they know they have a good opportunity,” he said.
He says a high number of houses in a particular area can increase the chance thieves will target them.
Video surveillance systems are getting less expensive and can be a big help to police.
“Absolutely, video surveillance, security cameras, alarms, everything is beneficial,” he said. “They make really good stuff now for relatively cheap.”
Many systems can send alerts to your phone when someone opens your door.
Police offer some other tips: Use motion-detecting lights, have deadbolts on locks, lock windows, keep bushes trimmed and keep lawn equipment secure.
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