"We thought we lived in a little bubble here, but apparently it got broke," said Northeast Fresno resident Steve Kent. Two homes on Kent's cul-de-sac had alarm systems installed last week, just days after one of the homes was hit by burglars.
Kent said he'd be installing one soon. "It could be us next time. We're just trying to prevent it, do whatever we can to keep people out of our home," said Kent.
The rise in burglaries throughout Fresno has alarm companies like Haven's Total Security staying busy. "Where everyone else is down in business, we're doing well," said owner Haven Young.
The business estimates inquiries and installations are up 25 percent and Young said many of the new sales happen in clusters whenever there's a break-in. "It will run in pockets. Usually, it will happen to someone else, or to them and then the neighbors see what happens. It adds the urgency to have it done when it hits close to home," said Young.
Fresno Police call the rise burglaries and jail releases a perfect storm. In times like these, they're asking people to "target harden," or make it harder for thieves to get in your house. That includes better and more locks and alarms. "Burglar alarms, if you can get one on there, is helpful to alert he neighbors that there's a burglary going on, and also keeping an eye on your neighbors," said Fresno Police Captain Dennis Bridges.
The purchase of an alarm system doesn't automatically mean police will respond if and when it goes off, but police say it's really about alerting the neighbors. Alarm companies say if you buy a monitored system, the chances of a police response go up when an alarm is verified -- either by two way phone or video confirmation from the house -- assuring police there is a crime in progress.
