Thieves target big TVs

Among the many staples of Thanksgiving Day is football, an American pastime that usually requires a television to enjoy. But a number of unfortunate Odessans can scratch the big game off their list of things to do today while recovering from a large turkey dinner.

Televisions, particularly flat-screens, are vanishing from Odessa living rooms at an increasingly high rate, police reports show. Five were reported missing Sunday, and nine total were taken during the weekend.

In the past month, at least 28 televisions have been reported missing from Odessa residences and businesses, Odessa Police Department records show.

"They’re hot items," Cpl. Sherrie Carruth said. "As far as burglaries go, those are what’s going to be taken."

Carruth said it’s normal for police to see a spike in burglaries around the holidays, particularly during tough economic times.

In most of the burglaries, the victims reported someone breaking into their home and leaving with a flat-screen television, other electronics, jewelry and sometimes cash. An overwhelming majority of the reporting victims have been women. One was even in jail when someone took a television and 50 DVDs from her residence.

Kathie Tillotson of Odessa said she was asleep about 3:30 a.m. one morning this month when two men entered her home and hauled off a 40-inch Sony flat-screen television.

"I was in a panic," she said. "I walked down the hall, and I really thought it was a cat in my house."

Tillotson said the men had skinny legs and were wearing "hoodies," though she didn’t get a good look at them. She said she thinks someone swiped her keys in the days before the burglary because the men didn’t break any windows when they entered.

"They had stolen my cell phone and disconnected all of my phone lines," she said.

Detective Cpl. Rene Chavez of the OPD said police have caught a few of the burglars but don’t have many strong leads in the most recent rash of burglaries.

"It’s not just one set or group of people," he said. "It’s various groups. We have caught some and they’ve been filed on, but they won’t give up how many they’ve done in the past."

Some of the stolen televisions sets are worth up to $2,000, which Carruth said people should bear in mind if someone is selling one on the street.

"If someone is tying to sell you a nice TV for $200, that’s a red flag," she said.

Chavez said police also can charge people in possession of stolen televisions.

"The majority of the TVs are being sold on the street," he said. "These people are approaching anybody, even strangers, just to get them off their hands, and they’ll sell them dirt cheap."

Carruth recommends recording the serial number on a television so police can track it if it’s ever stolen.

"That’s the best thing that helps us when we’re investigating," she said.

Chavez also stressed the importance of locking doors.

As far as the big game Thursday, Tillotson said she has an older model television she can use so she won’t miss out on the action.