Auto burglaries decrease
By Becky Brandenburg
Staff Reporter

The trend in auto burglaries on campus has taken yet another turn, and TCU police detective Kelly Ham said he hopes it continues.

Only one auto burglary has been reported in nearly three weeks, following three months of high numbers.

According to TCU police records, August through October motor vehicle burglaries numbered 84 this year — more than eight times the number of burglaries for the same period in 2002.

Gini Connolly, a planner in the Fort Worth Police Department of Research and Planning, said Fort Worth is seeing an overall decrease in motor vehicle burglaries this year, though numbers for October have not been compiled.

“Over the past few years, there has been a steady decline in nearly all crime statistics for Fort Worth,” Connolly said. “The increased number of burglaries at TCU are hard to explain.”

TCU police attributed some of the increased criminal activity earlier this fall to greater foot traffic during the day because of construction, more cars staying in the lots and unlocked vehicles, and cars parked on nearby neighborhood side streets.

Fort Worth officer J.D. Phillips and TCU police chief Steve McGee both said the legislative change from felony to misdemeanor for vehicle motor burglary in 1995 is responsible for much of the increased burglary activity.

“First time offenders are just given a slap on the wrist when they’re caught,” Phillips said. “There is no deterrent any more.”

Ham said TCU security guards who walk the university between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. have been giving more attention to the hardest hit freshman parking lots.

“Increased security on foot may have helped, or thieves may have found it easier to hit area shopping malls,” Ham said.

TCU police made several arrests, issued criminal trespass warnings and thwarted several attempted break-ins this semester.

In August, a TCU police dispatcher spotted a suspect looking into vehicles with a flashlight via the video monitor in the freshman parking lot. Two officers were dispatched and found the suspect hiding under a vehicle. He was arrested and charged with possession of criminal instruments and public intoxication other than alcohol.

In October, Ham was assisted by Fort Worth officers and the Air One police helicopter in apprehending a suspect. The suspect and three other white males fled the freshman parking lot into the residential area north of the lot after being observed looking into vehicles around 2 a.m.

For the nine-month period, January to September 2003, Fort Worth has documented 3,603 motor vehicle burglaries compared to 5,580 for the same period in 2002.