Home Invasions/Burglary in Conroe, The Woodlands? (Houston, Sugar Land: sex offenders, crimes)

[texas7]

It's kind of random so really hard to say. It used to be burglaries, etc. were more common in particular areas but now burglaries happen anywhere so it isn't like one neighborhood will offer you safety that another won't. A friend recently had her home in Seabrook broken into while she was out picking the kids up from school. The kids are still having nightmares. Its just a random thing.

[Htown2013]

I wonder if the lack of zoning and/or the fact that most of the recently developed and popular suburban areas are either unincorporated or annexed by the city of Houston has anything to do with this. I would assume that if there were more individual incorporated cities with dedicated police departments focusing on the needs of their own smaller cities, this problem would be much less. That's just my guess.

[colcat]

Originally Posted by Judi4Kids

We've been thinking of moving to the Conroe area outside of Houston, and we've seen some beautiful houses there and like the area, but one thing that is concerning me is the fact that I've heard multiple people say things about burglaries and home invasions in the Woodlands and Conroe.
How often do these things happen, and if they happen frequently, why didn't our realtor mention them to us?
Does it matter which specific neighborhood you live in, does being in a gated community help?
I'm just concerned about my family being safe and would like to make an informed decision before relocating.

I can say with confidence that The Woodlands is the safest area in the Houston metro area. Is there crime? Sure. It's everywhere.

[predatorprey]

Home Invasions you cannot really plan for because they are extremely uncommon. Burglaries on the other hand can happen any where. You can only take precautions to help reduce your chances of being victimized.

No place is crime free.

[bloodwings19]

Originally Posted by Judi4Kids

On a scale of 1-10, how bad would you say the crime is? Or rather, on the same scale, what are the likelihoods we would be victims of theft/home invasion?

9/10 for The Woodlands, no such thing as 10/10. Our subdivision, in my 30+ years living there, we've never had a home invasion robbery. I know of a home vandalism, a teenage neighbors being immature, but I never heard, or seen a home burglary- we have dogs around our neighbors. I may see a police cruiser cruise by once every 6 months in my subdivision, our subdivision is not Fernlake, or Doe Run, but it is in the neighborhood of Grogan's Mill. The most of the crime is around Woodlands Mall, DWIs and illegal drugs. I think one of the advantage The Woodlands has is the confusing road which is probaly a turnoff for thieves. You know these burglars aren't going to invest in a GPS. At work, I supposed to be a victim of crime because I work around downtown, but in my 9 years there, I haven't been a victim of one. What I'm saying is crime happens at any place, it has no boundary. I pray that it doesn't happen to me at work and home. I know living in The Woodlands, I feel secure, but going out, not so much just like anywhere.

[vwgto]

Home invasions seem to be rare for the entire metro area - - which is huge. When you hear about them, there always seems to be more to the story: some kind of bad business relationship, people know each other, small business owners who are known to keep lots of $ at their home, etc. It is a crime with high risks for the criminal in Texas....

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by colcat

I can say with confidence that The Woodlands is the safest area in the Houston metro area. Is there crime? Sure. It's everywhere.

Crime statistics would disagree with you. Statistically speaking Friendswood has the lowest crime rate in the greater metro area....but it does not matter where you live - Criminals dont care. Most crime is opportunity crime - if you leave your car unlocked they go through your stuff - if they can see something they want, they break a window and take it.

Most of the crime is pure opportunity crime. Unless you are a business owner/manager who is responsible for night deposits or you frequent a bank every day on the way home to work I would not worry at all about a home invasion.

Cars in driveways get broken into in the ghetto, in the woodlands, in river oaks, in gated subdivisions, in memorial, in Friendswood, and in the middle of nowhere

If you dont want to be the victim of a crime, then just do common sense things to protect yourself - dont do the same routine every day, every week, dont park in your driveway - use your garage - lock your doors, set your alarms, keep lights on, and talk to neighbors.

Its really quite simple.

[EasilyAmused]

Driveway gates are one of the best deterrents. But up there, the garage is right at the front of the house, making it impossible to have one. Even the million plus homes are built that way. All any criminal needs is a remote and the patience to find a corresponding garage, and they can open the front of he house and walk right in. It's not all that uncommon.

Ps... Someone said criminals won't buy a GPS. You know they are free on cell phones right? Even welfare criminals have smartphones...

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by marksmu

Crime statistics would disagree with you. Statistically speaking Friendswood has the lowest crime rate in the greater metro area....but it does not matter where you live - Criminals dont care. Most crime is opportunity crime - if you leave your car unlocked they go through your stuff - if they can see something they want, they break a window and take it.

Most of the crime is pure opportunity crime. Unless you are a business owner/manager who is responsible for night deposits or you frequent a bank every day on the way home to work I would not worry at all about a home invasion.

Cars in driveways get broken into in the ghetto, in the woodlands, in river oaks, in gated subdivisions, in memorial, in Friendswood, and in the middle of nowhere

If you dont want to be the victim of a crime, then just do common sense things to protect yourself - dont do the same routine every day, every week, dont park in your driveway - use your garage - lock your doors, set your alarms, keep lights on, and talk to neighbors.

Its really quite simple.

Yep I've read that about Friendswood, too. In fact: Friendswood Recognized as 20th Safest City in America

The girlfriend counsels people in Friendswood. She says the teens that she works with generally hate Friendswood Police Dept. because FPD doesn't put up with anything (this is in comparison to what teens from other parts of Clear Lake say about their respective police).

That being said, I still know of a car being broken into a few months ago in a nicer part of Friendswood. It can happen anywhere.

[marksmu]

Originally Posted by DanielWayne

Yep I've read that about Friendswood, too. In fact: Friendswood Recognized as 20th Safest City in America

The girlfriend counsels people in Friendswood. She says the teens that she works with generally hate Friendswood Police Dept. because FPD doesn't put up with anything (this is in comparison to what teens from other parts of Clear Lake say about their respective police).

That being said, I still know of a car being broken into a few months ago in a nicer part of Friendswood. It can happen anywhere.

I dont live there now, but I grew up in Friendswood - the police take EVERYTHING seriously. Underage teens drinking, smoking - everything. You get two patrol cars for teens smoking, 3 or 4 for drinking...

At the time I thought the cops were just bored and on a power trip, but now, after living in the Heights for 8 years I appreciate what Friendswood police did and what HPD does not.

It does not matter where you live - Crime happens....the best that you can do is protect yourself from opportunity crime....Im sure a car gets broken into every day in Friendswood and I don't think its even remotely dangerous - anywhere.