HOUSTON -- Thieves hit more than a dozen vehicles parked in a west Houston METRO Park & Ride Lot. Now, officials plan to step up security in all of the lots, Local 2 reported Thursday.

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Commuters Upset At Vehicle Crime In Lots

The crooks stole one car and vandalized 14 others Wednesday afternoon at the Addicks Park & Ride lot, located at 14230 Old Katy Road near Highway 6. The thieves also ripped out the DVD players in some of the vehicles.

On Thursday, METRO officials assigned a special unit to patrol the 26 Park & Ride lots in Harris County.

"We're creating a Park & Ride task force. Fifteen officers will be assigned to this task force, " said Chief Tom Lambert, with the METRO Police Department.

But some commuters told Local 2 that it was too little too late.

Paula Keith said her truck was stolen last week at the Addicks lot. Three other vehicles were vandalized.

"It's an open invitation. 'Hey, we hit it last week and nobody caught us. Let's go back and get some more,'" Keith said.

Keith wants the lot to have full-time security guards and security cameras, like it used to.

The Addicks lot has security cameras, but they are not working. The police chief said they would be repaired.

In January, METRO fired the security guards who worked at all the Park & Ride lots.

Since then, the crime rate at Park & Ride lots has more than doubled. From January to March 2004, 44 crimes were reported. For the same time period this year, 90 crimes have been reported.

Lambert does not believe bringing back the security guards would be effective, and it would cost METRO nearly $1 million a year.

"They have no arrest authority. They have no capability of really responding and we didn't think we were getting the best benefit for that. That's why we made the change we made," he said.

Crime Stoppers is also offering a reward. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.