By Gary Lloyd
There were 75 reported burglaries in the Center Point, Clay, Grayson Valley and Pinson areas between Oct. 1 and Oct. 30, according to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Randy Christian.
There were 90 residential burglaries for the same area for October 2012, Christian said.
Christian said 20 of the 75 reported burglaries were vacant or unoccupied properties.
Arrests have been made in six of the reported burglaries in the Center Point, Clay, Grayson Valley and Pinson areas, Christian said. Of those six arrests, Christian said “several” of the 75 burglaries are expected to be cleared.
In the most recent arrest, 24-year-old Jesse Alan Carroll, of Trussville, was charged last week with second-degree burglary, third-degree theft of property and third-degree escape in connection with a Grayson Valley burglary.
Argo Police Chief James Downing sent out an alert Oct. 18 warning of vehicle break-ins in the area. Anyone who has noticed suspicious activity in Argo should call 205-467-3333.
Between July 7 and Aug. 7 this year, there were 98 reported vehicle break-ins throughout Jefferson County. Of that total, 56 were in the Clay, Pinson and Grayson Valley areas, Christian said. That equates to 3.06 break-ins per day countywide, and nearly two per day in the Clay, Pinson and Grayson Valley areas. In a month’s time, 57 percent of reported car break-ins in the state’s largest county occurred in this area.
Christian said over the summer that those numbers were “more than usual.”
A rash of vehicle break-ins also have occurred in Trussville this year, with three handguns stolen from vehicles over the summer.
Christian provided these safety tips to prevent residential burglaries:
- Make sure exterior lights are mounted out of reach, so that burglars can’t easily unscrew bulbs.
- Consider buying motion-sensitive lights.
- Use a variable light timer to activate lights inside your home.
- Trim trees and shrubs near doors and windows so burglars can’t hide in the shadows.
- Install deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.
- Install double key locks in doors that contain glass. This will keep a burglar from being able to open the door by breaking the glass and reaching through.
- Place additional locks on all windows and patio doors.
- Get a dog. You don’t need a large attack dog. Even a small dog creates a disturbance that burglars would prefer to avoid.
- Consider having someone care for your dogs in your home while you’re away, instead of boarding them.
- If you can afford it, install an alarm system that will alert neighbors of a burglar’s presence. Most systems can summon local police directly.
- Organize a neighborhood watch and let your neighbors know when you will be away for an extended period.
- While on vacation, have someone pick up your newspapers and mail so they don’t accumulate and alert burglars of your absence.
- Display your house number conspicuously and have it well illuminated. This will help emergency personnel find your home quickly.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.