Hidalgo County sheriff provides tips to avoid car break-ins

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Several community members in a rural Hidalgo County neighborhood, near the outskirts of Edinburg, are on alert after a string of burglaries earlier this week.

The Hidalgo Sheriff's Office is now investigating these crimes but there are several steps you can take right now to avoid falling victim.

Surveillance footage provided to ValleyCentral shows an alleged burglar checking car doors and scoping out homes in a neighborhood in rural Edinburg.

One resident we spoke to did not want to go on camera but told us someone stole property from them and their neighbor.

Another told us that they have not had to deal with attempted burglaries within the last ten years. Hidalgo County Sheriff Lieutenant Enrique Longoria says these types of crimes are “extremely common.”

“Thefts of vehicles, of their extremely common, right," Longoria said. "Their numbers haven't increased. Haven't decreased. They remain steady. But again, with the public's help, with an ounce of prevention, we can eliminate a lot of these."

Longoria urges people to lock their vehicles and also make sure no valuables are inside. He also says home surveillance cameras are extremely useful to law enforcement when it comes to catching the alleged thieves.

“Surveillance cameras in the residence has helped us tremendously and be able to our solvability rate increase," Longoria said. "All law enforcement agencies are always grateful for video surveillance. It's a great tool that helps us at least place an individual there on property, and give us a good description of that individual.”