Conroe Courier - News
Residents warned of burglaries
By Lucretia Cardenas
With several burglaries reported in Montgomery County and the city of Conroe, officials are asking residents to remain cautious of suspicious activity and keep their doors locked.
In Conroe, the Public Works Department received several calls from residents saying a person or people were going from house to house posing as city officials and telling residents they need to cut off the water, Mayor Webb Melder said. Then, after the residents left the home for the “employees” to conduct work on the system, the “employees” burglarized the homes.
Since the city has no problem with its water and has not issued any boil water notices, Melder wants residents to know the water is safe and that people posing as city officials is a scam.
All residents should ask for city identification if someone claims to be a city employee. If residents believes a person is posing as a city employee, they are asked to write down a description of the person and a license plate number, if available, and call the police.
“We’ve had some burglaries, but we have them all the time,” Melder said. “We caught most of the burglars, but we haven’t caught the people going door-to-door.”
Conroe Police Chief Charlie Ray said burglaries have occurred each night since the storm. But with four times as many officers on the streets working 12-hour shifts, a number of suspects are being caught in the act. The burglary attempts included a pharmacy and a convenience store, as well as the siphoning of fuel from vehicles left in parking lots.
Ray is recommending residents abide by the city’s dusk to dawn curfew because it is a tool used to decrease the temptation of criminal activity. Also, people are instructed to lock their homes and vehicles. Following Hurricane Rita, the city dealt with several generator thefts, so Ray is advising people to secure their generators.
Sunday evening, Conroe police assisted the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in its pursuit of an alleged burglar when the suspect’s vehicle entered the city limits, Ray said. The vehicle’s tires were spiked and the suspect was taken into custody.
According to County Judge Alan B. Sadler, eight to 10 incidents of looting had occurred across the county as of Monday. When called to confirm the exact number of incidents, Lt. Dan Norris, of the Sheriff’s Office, said the cases were sporadic and in various parts of the county but would not provide specifics.
In addition to keeping aware of possible burglary attempts, Ray is asking residents to remain patient while waiting in line for gas and other supplies. More and more stations and stores are opening every day, and police are doing their best to direct traffic and keep the lines moving.
“We didn’t ask for it, but we have been challenged to fix it,” Melder said of Hurricane Ike and its aftermath. “Working together when this is over, I truly believe it will be one of our finest hours. I’m proud and appreciate everyone for their efforts.”
Home safety tips:
Abide by the curfews, which are meant to keep people home and decrease criminal activity
Lock homes and vehicles whenever possible
Report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement, write down descriptions and get license plate numbers
In Conroe, the Public Works Department received several calls from residents saying a person or people were going from house to house posing as city officials and telling residents they need to cut off the water, Mayor Webb Melder said. Then, after the residents left the home for the “employees” to conduct work on the system, the “employees” burglarized the homes.
Since the city has no problem with its water and has not issued any boil water notices, Melder wants residents to know the water is safe and that people posing as city officials is a scam.
All residents should ask for city identification if someone claims to be a city employee. If residents believes a person is posing as a city employee, they are asked to write down a description of the person and a license plate number, if available, and call the police.
“We’ve had some burglaries, but we have them all the time,” Melder said. “We caught most of the burglars, but we haven’t caught the people going door-to-door.”
Conroe Police Chief Charlie Ray said burglaries have occurred each night since the storm. But with four times as many officers on the streets working 12-hour shifts, a number of suspects are being caught in the act. The burglary attempts included a pharmacy and a convenience store, as well as the siphoning of fuel from vehicles left in parking lots.
Ray is recommending residents abide by the city’s dusk to dawn curfew because it is a tool used to decrease the temptation of criminal activity. Also, people are instructed to lock their homes and vehicles. Following Hurricane Rita, the city dealt with several generator thefts, so Ray is advising people to secure their generators.
Sunday evening, Conroe police assisted the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in its pursuit of an alleged burglar when the suspect’s vehicle entered the city limits, Ray said. The vehicle’s tires were spiked and the suspect was taken into custody.
According to County Judge Alan B. Sadler, eight to 10 incidents of looting had occurred across the county as of Monday. When called to confirm the exact number of incidents, Lt. Dan Norris, of the Sheriff’s Office, said the cases were sporadic and in various parts of the county but would not provide specifics.
In addition to keeping aware of possible burglary attempts, Ray is asking residents to remain patient while waiting in line for gas and other supplies. More and more stations and stores are opening every day, and police are doing their best to direct traffic and keep the lines moving.
“We didn’t ask for it, but we have been challenged to fix it,” Melder said of Hurricane Ike and its aftermath. “Working together when this is over, I truly believe it will be one of our finest hours. I’m proud and appreciate everyone for their efforts.”
Home safety tips:
Abide by the curfews, which are meant to keep people home and decrease criminal activity
Lock homes and vehicles whenever possible
Report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement, write down descriptions and get license plate numbers
Copyright © 2009 - Houston Community Newspapers Online