Property crime on the rise in Austin

Lorene Lewis was off running some errands Wednesday, but when she heard about how quickly burglars are breaking into cars, she thought it best to take her purse.

"I went to get my purse because I was afraid I left it right on the front seat," Lewis said of a her sometimes frequent habit. "I do leave it in my car often." 

Patricia Carangi said it's easy to leave your purse behind when in a hurry. "Especially when I have to go in the store real quick, and maybe buy a drink or something at the gas station," Carangi said. "I'll leave it in the car and sometimes leave the car running."

Police said thieves know these driver habits, and unless you're in eminent danger, cops won't be rushing to your aid.

"If you're in fear in your closet we'll be there in a matter of minutes, I promise you we're second to none," police chief Art Acevedo said. "But if it's a property crime, the chances of you being on top of the list to respond, I apologize now, we have to prioritize."

Acevedo said the best way to deter crime is increased police presence, but there's not enough money to hire the nearly 700 cops needed to patrol a city this size.

Having multiple big events throughout the year which to continue to grow doesn't help either.

"South by Southwest, I love it, great vibe, I love it, but now it's going to how many days?"

"ACL now going to two weekends and every one of these things draws resources from the police department," he said.

The best advice to curb crime remains simple according to police. Don't leave your valuables behind, secure your car and your home, and thieves won't have a reason to break in.