A robbery caught on camera in a Fifth Ward neighborhood has left one local woman feeling unsafe in her own home. Jackie Griffin, whose property was broken into last month, is frustrated by the slow progress of the police investigation and says she feels as though authorities are dragging their feet.
The break-in
While Griffin was visiting her aunt in Texas City, she received an alert from her ADT security system. Just before 9pm on February 12th, burglars broke into Griffin’s home by knocking down a section of her fence to gain access to her property. The thieves then removed an air conditioner and climbed through the window to enter the house.
“I was just laying down at her house, and the alarm went off. ADT called me to let me know,” Griffin said. Watching through her security cameras, she saw a man ransacking her home.
“I called the police immediately” Griffin added, describing the moment she saw the intruder inside her home.
A slow police response
When Griffin called the police, she said it took multiple attempts to get an officer to come out. “It was probably around three calls before we got any help,” she said. In addition to Griffin’s distress, her landlord and a neighbor saw two other men waiting outside while the burglary was happening. The suspect inside the home eventually triggered an alarm, causing the burglars to flee the scene.
Despite filing a police report shortly after the incident, Griffin is still awaiting further action from law enforcement. She says an investigator still has not been assigned. “I’ve called three times, and every time I call, they seem very nonchalant about it,” she said. “I even asked them about their procedures, but they couldn’t explain anything.”
A community concern
Griffin is frustrated by what she believes is a lack of urgency in investigating the crime. She suspects that the police may not be giving this case the attention it deserves because of the neighborhood’s demographics.
“I feel like they don’t care because we live in a high-crime, predominantly Black neighborhood,” Griffin said. “The burglars know they don’t have to worry about the cops showing up fast, and it makes me feel unsafe here.”
The impact on her sense of safety
The trauma of the break-in has had a lasting impact on Griffin’s sense of security. “The first night I slept here after the robbery, it was torture,” she recalled. “I felt like I had to protect myself. I live alone, so it took me a week to be able to sleep again.”
The burglars made off with a tennis bracelet and other jewelry worth approximately $1,300. Despite the footage of the break-in, no arrests have been made so far.
What’s next?
When contacted for comment, the Houston Police Department (HPD) could not confirm whether an investigator has been assigned to the case yet. However, they assured the public that they plan to have someone on the case in the coming week.
As of now, Griffin is still waiting for answers. She remains hopeful that the man seen on the video will eventually be caught.
A call to action
If you recognize the man in the surveillance video, you’re urged to contact Crime Stoppers. HPD is actively seeking any tips that could lead to the capture of the suspect.
