Residents act to resist break-ins

EL CERRO MISSION, N.M. (KRQE) - Frustrated by the rampant burglaries in Valencia County, more residents are installing burglar alarms and surveillance systems.

With the sheriffs department reporting a steady number of burglaries--as many as 15 some days--new customers are bombarding alarm companies with calls.

Jerry Chambers is even installing an alarm at his church.

"Some of our parishioners said we shouldn't have to put an alarm at the church," Chambers told KRQE News 13. "Well, we shouldn't have to.

"At one point in time they wouldn't think of breaking into a church and taking something from the church."

Unfortunately alarms aren't enough to stop some crooks from breaking into homes.

El Cerro Mission resident Cody Plant said burglars have broken into his home four times. His security system didn't stop someone from bashing in his door on a Sunday.

So now Plant is now installing a steel security door and a surveillance system.

If you can't stop them, then at least you can try to catch them, Plant said.

And while he said the sheriff's department is doing what it can with the few deputies it has, it's obviously not enough. It took more than an hour for the department to respond to one of his breakings, he added.

Chambers said he isn't relying on the sheriff's department either. After the alarm went off at one of his businesses, it took deputies four hours to respond, he said.

The Valencia County Sheriff's Department has put together a burglary task force, and officials said they have made a handful of arrests. However they won't elaborate saying they are still working to find more crooks.