So Houston has now become the new temporary home to thousands of “refugees” from Louisiana. Many fled here on their own before Katrina hit in addition to the approximate 19,000 that have so far been bussed in to the Astrodome, Reliant Arena, and now the George R. Brown convention center. Over 220,000 refugees have already come to Texas. With all these new temporary residents, I find that I have a few concerns – Mainly regarding crime rates, regardless of what the Police Department or Media is saying. I know people with personal accounts of increased vandalism, theft, prowling, etc. as a direct result of our recent visitors.

One family stated their typically quiet neighborhood near the Astrodome has become prowling grounds for bored refugees, and in the first night alone, they had to call the police several times because some stranger was wandering around their house, knocking on windows or doors, etc. This family is now terrified that their house will be broken into and has resorted to guarding their front door with a shotgun.

Someone else I know was the victim of a family of claimed refugees, who, after eating a nice expensive dinner and telling the waiter afterwards that they were from Louisiana and couldn’t pay, broke into my friends car along with 2 others in the restaurant parking lot.

There are many more similar experiences fellow Houstonians have to share, and after a few weeks I guarantee that HPD will be changing their story. If you are the victim of a crime, or even harassment by our visitors, I would suggest you notify the police! Once they begin to see the resulting crime rate they will realize that harsher steps are needed to control these people.

I sympathize with what they have been through, and am deeply saddened by what has happened, but this does NOT give them the right to act like morons, hoodlums, and thugs. I will gladly treat any one of them I come into contact with; with the same respect and dignity I would anyone else including my own family members. I would gladly offer any assistance I can within reason. But I guarantee I will not put up with someones ignorance, disrespect, and unthankfulness – and if they expect Houstonians to continue helping them and offering our support they should acknowledge and accept what they can get with dignity rather than an indignant attitude towards us.

It will be interesting to compare the Houston crime rates for July, August, and September. Come back and check it out, as sometime around the middle to end of October I should have the September crime stats online and we’ll see what the results are.