By Jim Wallace - bio | email
ALBANY, GA (WALB) – Albany Police say high-end electronics are what thieves are really after.
Anyone who got a Video game system and games, TV's, laptop computers, or cameras for Christmas needs to pay attention. Those were the most popular gifts in the stores, and they are the most popular for thieves as well, as they try to break into homes.
Albany Police have some suggestions to help you protect them.
The X-Box is hot. thieves want them. Albany Police say there have been 248 burglaries in the city since November, and electronic gadgets like video game systems were 90% of the stolen items.
Albany Police Lt. James Williams said, "They are going quick on the streets. It's hot items on the streets, and people want to buy."
Other top targets, new flat screen TV's, cameras, and laptop computers. Police are asking people to check out new GPS tracking devices that can installed in your electronic items.
"That way if they are stolen, we can put a tracking system on, and we want the public to know that. That way we can retrieve these items back when they are stolen."
And hopefully catch the burglars committing these thefts. Police also want to warn the people buying these items on the streets that they will be charged too.
"I also want to let people know that when they buy these items, they can and will be charged with a charge of theft by receiving stolen property," Williams said.
If you don't want to pay for those high tech safeguards, Police say it's also a good idea to mark your electronics with an permanent engraving device, with your name or phone number. Police fear that with the bad economy and high unemployment, and most homes now having these hot items, burglars will be busy in the coming days.
"Yes, we are expecting that it may increase, and that's why we wanted to educate the community more," said Williams.
Police say now is the time to keep watch on your neighborhood, and safeguard your home from burglars.
Police say they as they ride around town, they see in people's trash at the street their Christmas boxes for their TV's and computers. They say that is just an advertisement to let thieves know where they can find the gadgets they want.
Thieves are always looking for the easiest, most transportable items to steal quickly during a burglary. Police say burglar alarms are a good way to safeguard your home, and those systems are becoming more affordable.
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