Southwest Lubbock County, including areas of the City of Wolfforth, are target areas for criminals committing vehicle burglaries. These burglaries are often committed by juveniles and young adults looking for an “easy” score. All too frequently these vehicle burglaries result in the theft of firearms that someone has left in their vehicle.

It would be wonderful if we lived in a world where we didn’t have to worry about someone breaking into our vehicle and stealing our valuables, but we don’t. Unfortunately there are people in our community, and the surrounding communities, that would rather steal from honest, hardworking people, rather than make a meaningful contribution to society.

I would ask that you please not leave valuable items, especially firearms, in your vehicle and that you lock your doors. Locking your doors does not guarantee that your vehicle will not get broken into but, it certainly makes it more difficult.

I know there is a problem, in certain communities, regarding vehicle burglaries. Over the last several months I have issued directives to our officers to focus efforts on the prevention of these types of property crimes. I will not go into detail regarding all of our initiatives, but part of it is the increased patrol of problem areas.

These initiatives have resulted in the prevention of vehicle burglaries as we have caught several burglary suspects prior to them being able to burglarize vehicles. These communities, that most often are the target areas, are patrolled very heavily. Even with the increased patrol we will not be able to prevent all burglaries.

With the increased patrol we have seen that the number of vehicle burglaries committed during a burglary spree have been dramatically reduced, most likely because the suspects are scared off by seeing a patrol vehicle in the neighborhood.

Of the burglaries that were committed, in which the burglars were not immediately caught, detectives are working to identify suspects. Investigations have revealed that suspects include individuals that reside in Wolfforth, The City of Lubbock, and Lubbock County. We continue to look for ways to combat the problem of vehicle burglaries.

I approached the City Council and asked permission to explore the possibility of implementing a License Plate Recognition (LPR) program. I have discussed the issue with many vendors and believe it could be a tool that would help reduce the number of burglaries and help solve crimes when they are committed.

An LPR system is not a surveillance camera system. It is a tool that captures video of a vehicle’s license plate and then either stores it for later review or runs the image through video analytics software to compare it to a database of stored license plate numbers. The database is a list of stolen or wanted vehicles that have been entered into a Texas or national database as stolen.

In the event a vehicle on the list enters the area, the system would alert nearby officers. This would be helpful as vehicle burglars often use stolen vehicles from which to commit their crimes. The system would also allow us to review license plates of vehicles that were in an area during the time of a given crime.

This could be a valuable tool in making our community safer, and there are thousands of these systems in use all across the United States. If anyone in our community has any questions or concerns please feel free to call me.

Chief Rick Scott
Wolfforth Police Department
806-855-4160

Vehicle burglaries can happen anywhere and at anytime.  We want our citizen’s and their property to remain safe.

Here are some tips that will help you prevent being the victim of a vehicle burglary:

1.  Do not leave valuables in plain view.  The best practice is to remove them from your vehicle.

2.  Do not leave windows or sunroofs open.

3.  Do not leave keys in your vehicle.

4.  Do not leave garage door openers in plain view.

5.  Do not leave out items with personal information

6.  Do not hide valuables in your vehcicle while in public view

7.  Last, but not least, lock your vehicle and tool boxes.  It is one of the easiest, but most effective steps to preventing burglaries.

A natural disaster can strike your community any time. The last thing your residents need after a disaster is to become victims of fraud, perpetrated by someone looking for fast money and an even faster exit.

Consider these points before a second wave of financial disaster hits:

• Use social media and other available tools to warn residents of potential fraud. Hang fraud warning posters in your offices, convenience stores, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and other public places.
• Restrict access in the affected areas to emergency personnel, property owners, and insurance catastrophe teams while rescue/recovery mode is underway.
• Require permits for solicitors, building and general contractors, and towing companies.
• Don’t issue solicitation or building permits to anyone from outside the county for a period of time after the disaster.
• Require solicitors and contractors to have a government-issued photo identification.
• Conduct warrant and sex offender registration checks on solicitors and building permit applicants.
• Require registration for every member of a contractor’s crew.
• Require contractors to provide proof of general liability insurance, workers compensation insurance, construction bonds, and motor vehicle liability insurance for all vehicles that their employees operate.
• Require the issuance of a building permit for roof repairs.
• Set minimum standards for contractors before issuing a permit to a contractor. Require them to:
  • Have been in business for at least two years.
  • Have a local telephone number.
  • Have a verifiable local address.
• If your jurisdiction borders the Gulf of Mexico or in certain cities in Harris County that lie east of State Hwy 146, insurance companies may require that repairs be made in compliance with the Texas Windstorm Building Code to maintain wind and hail insurance coverage. Visit www.tdi.texas.gov/wind or call 1-800-248-6032 for more information.

*For more information, call the Texas Department of Insurance Fraud Unit at 512-676-6285.

** TDI distributes this publication for educational purposes only. Consult proper legal counsel for further information before taking any formal action.

The scam:

A contractor asks you to sign something before going on your roof to estimate repairs.

What to do:

Read it carefully. Make sure it’s not a contract, or you could be left holding a bill without ever seeing an estimate.

The scam:

A contractor asks you to sign a contract with blank sections.

What to do:

Don’t do it. The contractor could fill in the blank sections later with higher amounts or different work.

The scam:

A contractor asks you to sign a contract that says, “Homeowner agrees to the listed repairs for the value of the insurance proceeds.” This means that you’ve agreed to give the contractor every penny you get from the insurance company.

What to do:

Never sign a contract with this language. The contractor may not make all the needed repairs.

The scam:

Contractor offers to waive your deductible.

What to do:

Avoid contractors who tell you this. It could be a sign of fraud or shoddy work.

The scam:

A roofer asks for a large down payment or a full payment up front.

What to do:

Never pay in full up front, and be wary if a contractor asks for a large down payment. If a disaster is declared, it’s against the law for contractors from outside your area to ask for payment before they start work.

The scam:

A contractor uses materials that are defective or lower quality.

What to do:

Make sure your contract lists the type of materials that will be used. Check the work as it progresses to make sure the materials and quality are what you expected.

To avoid these and other common scams:

• Get bids in writing.
• Use local companies when possible.
• Check references.

*TDI distributes this publication for educational purposes only. Consult proper legal counsel for further information before taking any formal action

• Do not feel pressured into signing any documents/contracts – if you have ANY concerns, research the company and ask for references.
• Get everything in writing – cost, work to be done, time schedule. Do not sign if there are blanks in the contract.
• Use Better Business Bureau and search engines.
• How many years has the contractor been in business? Place of business? Local area?
• Who is going to be on your roof? Who is the Supervisor? Do they have to register with the City/County?
• Check up on progress – are they doing the work you are paying them for?
• Are they members of any type of professional association?
• Any warranty? (If out of state, who will conduct any warranty work?)
• It’s a good idea to obtain multiple bids.
• Who is paying the deductible? If they offer to pay the deductible you may not get everything you should be getting.
• Are they willing to work with insurance company in submitting any supplements? Remember, your contractor cannot also negotiate your claim.
• Have they asked for any upfront money?
• Be aware of selecting your contractor from a business card on your door?
• Is the company insured? Liability and workers compensation?
• Can the contractor obtain the required permits?