Burglaries of Vehicles

One of  the most common crimes in Houston is also one of the easiest to prevent.

Burglary of a vehicle (BMV) is an all-to-frequent crime for managers and residents of apartment communities. It’s not unusual for commercial properties with parking lots to experience a significant increase in BMV’s in a short period of time. So let’s look at the crime and what can be done about it.

Detection

This is the second of a series of articles about the three components of most successful security systems: prevention, detection, and response.

Relationship vs. Transaction

Most contact citizens have with the police are transactions - the citizen needs help and the police respond. But after the police take action (report, arrest, citation, etc…), the citizen and officer often never see or talk to each other again.

New Rules

The effort to control crime in Houston apartments has moved to Austin.

Recent stories (here and here) have been published about the City of Houston’s efforts:

…management was notified of problems found during the inspection process, and the property was “red-tagged.” The management was given a certain time period to pull the city permits needed to start repair work. When that did not happen, the city issued 103 citations for as many violations found on the property…

New mandate

Now the Texas Legislature is working to support Houston in establishing its own inspection system. A bill (HB 1819) sponsored by Representative Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston has the potential to not only enhance our inspection system, but to be an impetus for improving systems in other cities. 

Remedial Process

Every two years, the Multifamily Administrative Unit of the Houston Police Department generates a list of apartment properties that are considered “remedial action eligible”.

Why me?

Apartment crime is often a result of several factors. Some of these factors are within management’s control and some are not.

A common concern among managers is the residual effect of crime from nearby properties:

“Residents come to my property to sell drugs”

“They live across the street but hang around here”.

Collaborative Response

Every third Wednesday of the month, apartment managers and owners gather at the Higher Dimension Church in southwest Houston to collaborate with Houston Police officers. This month’s topic was all about narcotics.

Staying Connected

The Houston Police Department’s Multifamily Admistrative Unit recently implemented a new online registration system for multifamily properties. As required by city ordinance, all apartment communities with ten or more units must register with the city. They must also update their information within 30 days of the effective date of an ownership change.

“We wanted a convenient way for owners to register with the city and to update their information,” said Sergeant Alan Parrish, who directs the unit. “We also intend to publish useful content behind the sign-on page that’s relevant to the owners.”

Property owners can sign on to the new system by visiting the Houston Police Department’s Multifamily Unit webpage and clicking “Online Registration.“

“It’s Been Worth It”

Monica Gray was looking for a way to distinguish her property from others.

As Leasing Manager for Walipp Seniors Residence, a community near the University of Houston, Monica began her quest when she attended a management training course for the Houston Police Department’s Blue Star Program. The course addressed legal issues, gangs, crime prevention, and problem solving.

“I didn’t know what to expect at first, but I thought the training was great,” she said.

Blue Star is a certification program dedicated to helping multifamily properties work with law enforcement to reduce criminal activity. To gain certification, property managers must complete three stages: management training, CPTED inspection, and a safety-social event for residents.

A needed resource

Monica was especially pleased with the program’s problem solving benefits. After certification she was able to work with the officers to correct a nagging problem with an abandoned lot behind her property. The officers were able to persuade the lot’s owner to mow the grass and make it less hospitable to criminal behavior. 

Monica admitted that she had to make a few lighting improvements to become certified, but felt ”they were not expensive.”

“For us, Blue Star has been a deterrent to crime and has satisfied most of the issues of our residents. It’s definitely been worth it.”

The Blue Star Program’s next available eight hour training is scheduled for May 28, 2009 at Texas Cooperative Extension – Harris County, 3033 Bear Creek Drive.

Is Prevention Enough?

Security experts and crime prevention specialists often tout the importance of prevention. After all, prevention is an integral component of most successful security measures. We all know that locks, fences, burglar bars, and steel doors can protect against an attack, but are they enough? What else should we do?