Omaha, NE - An alert for homeowners. Lock your doors and be aware of who is in your neighborhood. An increase in burglaries this year has Omaha police busy and neighbors taking action.

Police officers keep watch just moments after three burglars ransack a quiet home. It's a sign of a growing problem in Omaha. "As we pulled into our driveway, they come running out of the next-door neighbor's house and got into their car," said neighbor, Kay DeBoer.

One woman's quick action interrupts the crime. She gets the criminals' license plate number right before they take off. After the break-in, the suspects booked it up this hill and down the street. An hour later, police track down and arrest three suspects. While the homeowner is relieved, she says time and again, burglars have targeted her quiet neighborhood. "Those people have been broken into, those people have been broken into, and now us," said home-owner, Sharon Childers.

Omaha police statistics show in the last year, the number of burglaries around town increased 4.5%. That's 107 more homeowners victimized. With a jump like that, these neighbors say they'll continue to keep a look-out for anything suspicious. "There's the hero, our neighbor who was paying attention," said Childers. "You think it's usually going to happen at night but its broad daylight so you never know where it's going to happen," said DeBoers.

To avoid getting burglarized, make your home look occupied. Leave lights on when you're not home, have trusted neighbors pick up your mail and newspapers outside your door, and even have others shovel your driveway if you're away on a trip.

Omaha police also encourage homeowners to take inventory of the valuables in their houses, including writing down the serial numbers.

Posted by: Reporter, Erika Summers, esummers@action3news.com