The TV was gone, but the dogs and cats were safe.

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Winston Tubb is an animal lover. He has lived in his Winnetka Heights home for 17 years, along with his four dogs and two cats. The four chihuahuas are a big part of his life at home. And as well as being a costly crime, a recent burglary also could have impacted the pets.

 

Returning from work one recent evening, the evidence of burglary was obvious.

 

“I walked in and the TV was gone,” Tubb says. “I just thought, ‘We’ve been robbed.’ One of my first thoughts was, ‘Are the animals OK?’”

 

A burglar made off with not only the television, but also video games, a digital camera, cash and an antique $50 bill from the 1800s — a total value of almost $5,500. But Tubb also was concerned that one of his pets had been injured.

 

“The smallest dog was a bit skittish, but she’s OK now. And one of the dog’s eyes was a little red. We think she may have been kicked,” he says.

 

The animals have since recovered, but Tubb is angry that someone entered his home and stole from him. He has not experienced a break-in in almost two decades.

 

“It’s pretty awful,” he says of the intrusion and burglary.

 

Dallas Police Deputy Chief Rick Watson of the Southwest Patrol Division says securing front and rear doors can be a key in crime prevention. He recommends a solid hardwood door with a two-inch deadbolt.

 

“That makes it very difficult to kick in a door,” Watson says.

 

And having a dog, like Tubb does, can often prevent criminals from entering a home.

 

“Dogs are a good deterrent because they make a lot of noise,” he says. “The suspect doesn’t know if someone is at home or if the dog is going to bite.”