Law enforcement officials told the Jacksonville Daily News that while promoting a neighborhood watch program is an effective tool in the fight against crime, alarms can be a more effective way to stop robberies.
"We have not had a break-in yet this year where the home had an alarm system," Onslow County sheriff Ed Brown told the paper. "There are inexpensive electronics out there that people can purchase to prevent them from becoming victims of break-ins."
Officials also cited a growing trend in which most new robbery victims were under the age of 30. In many of those cases, police told the paper that many of the suspects were people who knew the victim, and had been previously invited inside the house.
Officials have been working to crack down on the area's crime problems. Last month, three U.S. Marines were arrested for a crime spree in the area during which they stole seven cars along with multiple guns and computers.
