Many Houstonians are worried they could soon be victims of crime after the number of robberies in the city has spiked in recent weeks, KPRC Local 2 reported Tuesday.

"I'm scared," an expectant mother said.

She said she is scared of being robbed when she leaves her Chinatown home.

Another Chinatown resident said he has already been a victim. His TV and computer were taken during a robbery.

"It's not acceptable," councilman M.J. Khan said. "It should not be acceptable to Houstonians. It is a serious issue. It is a problem which we have to tackle."

Houston police said robberies across the city have spiked over the past few weeks. Officials said 176 robberies were reported during the last week in August and 229 robberies were reported the next week.

"You just never know when something is going to happen," one Houstonian said.

There is also no telling where a person could be robbed or who else could be affected.

Robbery suspects led police on a chase in southeast Houston on Sept. 4. A man robbed a gas station and was fatally shot by the clerk on Sept. 5. An elementary school was locked down after a person was robbed nearby on Sept. 7.

Help could soon be on the way for Chinatown. The Houston City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a $4.2 million property on Harwin Drive for a new police substation to be built.

Police said they are looking for robbery hotspots across the city and plan to deploy more officers to those areas.

Officials said one of their best defenses against crime is help from the public. Police said they need Houstonians to report crimes against them and let them know about suspicious activity.

Anyone with information on any crime in Harris County is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.