(July 27, 2009)

INGLESIDE ON THE BAY--San Patricio County has seen burglaries out there triple over the last couple of months. So officers are now getting overtime pay to try to stop these crimes before they happen.

The crimes are being committed all over San Patricio County. So the sheriff is investing extra resources to apply pressure against the criminals involved with the illegal activity.

Inside the conference room at the Sheriff's department in Sinton, investigators showed some handguns, rifles and fishing rods found in some burglary cases.

"They had thrown some guns over a fence in Ingleside on the Bay and the unit was able to catch them and recover the guns," said Sheriff Leroy Moody of the San Patricio County Sheriff's Department. 

The crime happened in Ingleside on the Bay on Saturday afternoon. The sheriff reports two juveniles, ages 14 and 16, who were neighbors, were behind the crimes.

"It was determined they had entered one house several times, entered a building and also a boat in which several firearms were recovered," Sheriff Moody said. 

In San Patricio County, there were 60 burglary cases over the last three months throughout the county. That's three times higher than the normal case load.

"They go by and they knock on the door," said Sheriff Moody. "Nobody answers they kick the door in and in they go. They steal anything from big televisions to jewelry, whatever."

So officers are starting special criminal operations called borderstar aimed at reducing the crimes.

These Borderstar operations have been going on for in Ingleside on the Bay for the last couple of weekends. Already, law enforcement officers are starting to see some successes as the burglary cases are on their way down.

"We think its successful," Sheriff Moody said. "Anytime you can apprehend someone who is violating the law in that respect as far as burglaries and things like that. I think it's successful."

They hope that success will continue to put burglars behind bars.

--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com