Alarm Raised Regarding Property Crimes
As is standard practice at Mountainair Town Council meetings, the December 2, 2025, meeting, being the first meeting of the month, began with briefings from the town's department heads.
Mountainair Police Chief Paul Lucero began his briefing by explaining that there was good news. "So, we went down to 63 calls this month," Lucero explained, comparing the number to when he first began as police chief in Mountainair. At that time, there were 110 to 120 calls per month, according to Lucero.
Chief Lucero detailed that the bad news he had to brief the town council members: there was a rise in property crimes. "We've had about eight 'b-and-e' and burglaries... and that was just one month," Lucero said, using a common law enforcement abbreviation for "breaking and entering" crimes. Lucero explained that the property crimes tended to occur between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM.
Police Chief Lucero also briefed Mayor Peter Nieto and the town council on the efforts to find a certified police officer for the Mountainair Police Department. Lucero told the council he has received one new application, but the applicant was federally certified, but not state certified, and therefore may not qualify for the waiver required to work as a New Mexico law enforcement officer. He added that the applicant’s experience appears limited to federal or military-base security work rather than street policing.
Lucero said he is looking for candidates with at least five years of on-the-job experience and, most importantly, a clean record. That has proven difficult, Lucero noted. Qualified officers with clean backgrounds tend to seek higher-paying positions in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, or Bernalillo County, he said, while applicants who have been fired from other agencies often “shop around” smaller departments. Lucero emphasized that Mountainair conducts full background checks to avoid bringing on officers who were terminated for past misconduct while with other law enforcement agencies.
How to Avoid Becoming Prey
Most property crimes are “crimes of opportunity,” so the goal is to make your home and vehicle look like challenging targets and remove easy temptations. The tips below draw on guidance from law enforcement and crime‑prevention agencies.
Home security basics
- Always lock doors, windows, gates, garages and sheds, even if you are only stepping out for a short time. See Santa Ana Pueblo Police Department, Property crime tips and City of La Cañada Flintridge, Home Burglary Prevention.
- Install solid doors, deadbolt locks, and secure window latches. Repair broken locks, screens, fences, and gates promptly so the home looks well‑maintained and occupied. See Andover Companies, 18 Ways to Theft-Proof Your Home Inside and Out; and Home Burglary Prevention, supra.
- Use a monitored alarm system and/or visible security cameras or video doorbells; prominently display alarm or surveillance signs and stickers as a deterrent. See The Chubb Group, Home Burglary Prevention Tips; Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department, Crime Prevention Tips; and, Citrus Heights Police Department, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design.
Lighting, visibility, and appearance
- Keep the exterior well lit at night, especially doors, driveways and dark corners; motion‑activated lights add an extra layer of deterrence. See The Chubb Group, Six Tips on Home Burglary Prevention.
- Trim bushes, trees and other landscaping away from doors and windows so would‑be burglars have fewer places to hide, and keep yards free of trash, graffiti and signs of neglect. See Home Burglary Prevention, supra, and 18 Ways To Theft-Proof Your Home Inside and Out, supra.
- Use fencing, gates and clear property boundaries so it is obvious when someone is on your property who should not be. See Home Burglary Prevention, supra, and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, supra.
When You Are Away, Or The Property Is Unoccupied
- Make the home look lived‑in by using interior light timers, stopping mail and package delivery, and arranging for someone to cut grass or shovel snow when you are gone. See Six Tips on Home Burglary Prevention, supra.
- Ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on your place, pick up anything left at the door, and call the police if they see suspicious activity; let them know how to reach you in an emergency. See Property Crime Tips, supra.
- Avoid posting real‑time vacation plans or location updates on social media that advertise the home as empty. Ibid. Similarly, avoid using photos in Airbnb listings that identify the exact location of the property (or include the property's location in the image's EXIF data).
Vehicle and Driveway Safety
- Lock doors and roll up windows every time you park, even for “just a minute.” Activate any factory or aftermarket alarm or steering‑wheel lock, even in your own driveway. See City of Manhattan Beach, Prevent Vehicle Burglary and Lincolnwood Police Department, Burglary to Motor Vehicles.
- Do not leave valuables, bags, tools, electronics, firearms, or garage‑door openers in plain view; take them with you when you arrive at home. See Dallas Police Department, Motor Vehicle Burglary Tips (PDF).
Neighborhood awareness and reporting
- Get to know what is normal on your street, so it is easier to spot unfamiliar people or vehicles circling, loitering, or looking into yards and cars. See Property Crime Tips, supra.
- Call the Mountainair Police Department (505-847-9210) promptly about suspicious behavior, attempted door‑checks, prowlers, or thefts from yards and porches. If you do not feel something suspicious warrants a call, at least keep a log of unusual activity in your neighborhood, including descriptions of the individuals involved and the dates and times of events. See Burglary to Motor Vehicles and Motor Vehicle Burglary Tips, supra.
- Consider creating a neighborhood watch, group text of neighborhood residents, or a WhatsApp group chat, so residents can share crime alerts and safety information quickly without confronting suspects themselves. See Property Crime Tips, supra.