Dallas police are stepping up their patrols in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Kessler Park this weekend, trying to put an end to a spike in home break-ins.
Kessler Park has had more than a dozen burglaries and break-ins in recent weeks.
Kevin Smith, 51, was allegedly caught in the act last week and arrested, police said. He remains in jail on burglary charges.
But there have been a few more crimes since then, so police are stepping up their visibility.
"It's not necessarily a safety concern as much as an annoyance. Being vigilant. Keep your cars locked and go out and check your garage," said resident Cathey Ann Fears.
In many cases, the crooks break into a car or a garage and then conceal the stolen items inside the resident's own trash bin before hauling it down the street.
"I think it's people who kind of know the neighborhood. This is a neighborhood that's easy to come in and out of, there are buses that come through, we're connected to major streets," Fears said.
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The stolen items include jewelry, generators, bikes and even small refrigerators.
Neighbors are now asking fellow homeowners to keep their trash bins in the garage, or locked behind a gate.
