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Karen Scullin ReportingCrime across Utah is rising even in areas you might least expect. The city of Bountiful is being hit by burglars, pushing some crime statistics there through the roof.
We don't usually think of Bountiful as a hotbed for criminal activity and when it comes to violent crime it's not. But home and business burglaries have actually doubled this year.
Bountiful seems to be the bulls-eye for burglars. Homes and businesses are getting hit hard. For the first six months of this year there were about 150 burglaries. There were just half that in 2002.
Deanna Argyle/Burglary/Auto Theft Victim: “Bountiful supposed to be so safe and wonderful and nothing ever happens here. I just think nothing's ever reported here."
Janica Payne/Burglary Victim: “At first it's surprising because it's in Bountiful. You don't really hear about a lot of stuff. It happens more than we think, but it was a surprise."
Recently the stash in the safe at Blimpie’s restaurant was stolen. And Deanna Argyle woke to find her two vehicles swiped from her garage along with anything inside the cars.
Deanna Argyle: “they had everything. Credit cards, driver's license, stuff I don't even remember what was in my purse."
Police say a lot of residents in this quiet bedroom community simply need to wake up. They say property crime is a problem here and a lot of the break-ins can be prevented.
Lt. Steve Gray/Bountiful Police Dept.: “Cars in the garage, purses in the cars in the garage. The cars are unlocked. The keys are sometimes in the cars. About everything you can do wrong, they're doing wrong."
Deanna Argyle: “I guess on accident we left the garage door open. His keys were in the ignition; my keys were in the ignition. My purse was in the car."
Lt. Gray says even some businesses aren't locking up so it's no wonder criminals know where to go for an easy hit.
Lt. Steve Gray/Bountiful Police Dept.: “A lot of the guys that we catch and interview say they hit Bountiful because they think it's an easy mark, because people don't secure their stuff."
Now Blimpie's has since installed a new security system and Argyle says they've learned their lesson and hope their story will prevent others from becoming victims.
Police say they think a recent arrest in Woods Cross may put an end to some of the crimes, but not all of them.
