TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Police Captain Karen Tipler gave an hour-long talk to the Brookside neighbors Monday.
She offered basic tips, like locking doors, being aware of your surroundings, and more, but one theme was overarching. An issue no part of Tulsa can avoid.
"Homelessness, unsheltered folks, is a big issue, and it’s just not here. It’s everywhere," Tipler said.
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An official count by the city shows homelessness went up about 7% between 2022 and 2023. Tipler says those people — and others — are committing crimes in Brookside. Those surveyed say a lack of affordable housing and domestic violence are leading causes of homelessness.
Tipler says one valuable in particular -- when left in cars -- is ripe for theft.
"Firearms… that happens way too often in Tulsa. It happens quite a bit."
Thieves notice people are out of town, then jump on the chance to break into homes.
"Don’t overshare on social media … share that for when you get back into town," Tipler said.
We met Tim Clark at the meeting.
"Unfortunately, just two weeks ago, my next-door neighbor was putting a fence in their backyard."
And while that neighbor was in the backyard, they heard some rustling in the garage. They called Clark and asked him to check his security footage. He saw thieves stealing tools.
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"[My neighbors] were in the backyard, putting the fence in, and [thieves] stole their tools out of the garage while they were in the backyard," Clark said.
All because the neighbors left the garage open while they were in the backyard.
"We were both shocked by it pretty much, but you’ve gotta be pretty careful," Clark said.
There was one other topic that sparked a conversation: unleashed dogs.
One neighbor said last week a loose German shepherd tried to attack her and her dog. Luckily, she made it out OK. Tipler said, in that instance, pick up the phone and call animal control.
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