The are certain trouble spots, like the Inwood Club Estates. The families that live in that neighborhood say another problem is making them easy target.
Houston police say they are well aware of the uptick in residential burglaries across the city and they are focusing on neighborhoods that have been hit particularly hard.
"They kicked the door in, they kicked the front door in," said one resident, who we're calling 'Gwen'. She didn't want to be identified.
Gwen is so concerned about the January 16 burglary, she doesn't want her face shown. And it's not even clear exactly what they took.
"The bed was here and they had determined that they had set the bed on fire," she said.
Because they destroyed whatever was left.
"This is a hallway, and of course, we lost everything in this bedroom, too," Gwen said.
Homeowners say the problems have only gotten worse since the Inwood Forest Golf and Country Club closed several years ago, leaving large grassy area completely empty.
"We've lived here for nine years and nothing like this has ever happened. Then all of a sudden, break-ins all in this area," Gwen said.
It's not just Inwood Forest. Houston police say home burglaries are up across the city. But this neighborhood in particular has seen a peak three times in the last two years, with the most just last month.
"They work against the clock. Most are probably aware they have very few minutes to make entry, ransack quickly, take what they can and leave," HPD Lt. JD Rosenthal said.
Rosenthal says the thieves often move from patrol area to patrol area.
"They work individually but together at the same time," Rosenthal said.
While three groups have been caught in the act, Gwen hopes no one is left with an empty, smokey home like hers.
"Everyone is frightened and of course doesn't feel safe," Gwen said. "I'm so heartbroken over the house, the way it is now."
If you have information on the burglaries, call HPD's North Patrol Division at 281-405-5300.
