At a Glance
- 90 car burglaries and 71 building burglaries in 2024 (Jan-Oct)
- 35 car burglaries and 32 building burglaries in 2025 (Jan-Oct)
- DWI incidents rose from 45 to 81 between 2024 and 2025
- Why it matters: The crackdown shows a sharp drop in burglaries but a rise in drunk driving, affecting community safety.
Hutto Police Department has stepped up its efforts to fight vehicle and building burglaries as the town grows. Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough says thieves are targeting new developments, breaking into unoccupied homes and stealing valuables. The department’s strategy includes new officers, a crime analyst, and stronger community ties.
Police Crackdown on Burglaries
With rapid population growth, thieves are exploiting new construction sites and vacant properties.
Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough stated:
> “They are typically going through and checking the doors, they will go through and look inside the vehicles for valuables.”
Yarbrough also noted that groups of thieves have been targeting vehicles in the community.
| Year | Car Burglaries | Building Burglaries |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 (Jan-Oct) | 90 | 71 |
| 2025 (Jan-Oct) | 35 | 32 |
The numbers illustrate a nearly 60% drop in car burglaries and a 55% drop in building burglaries from 2024 to 2025.
Community Engagement and Crime Analysis
To support the crackdown, the department added new officers, hired a crime analyst, and increased community outreach.
Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough stated:
> “We allow that crime analyst to take the information we are providing, if there is suspicious activity, or if there are several burglaries committed in a community.”
Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough added:
> “People have learned the risk is not worth the reward here.”
- New officers deployed to patrol high-risk areas
- Crime analyst monitors trends and shares data with patrol
- Regular community meetings to discuss safety concerns
DWI Trend
While burglary rates fell, the department noted a rise in DWI incidents.
| Year | DWI Incidents (Jan-Oct) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 45 |
| 2025 | 81 |
Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough stated:
> “The increase is because we have put an emphasis on getting drunk drivers off the streets and have cracked down more on drunk drivers.”
John Hanks said:
> “You are constantly hearing chief Yarbrough say stuff, his face is known.”
John Hanks added:
> “He is out there, his officers, his lieutenant, his sergeants, they are out there they talk to people.”
Key Takeaways
- Burglary rates dropped by over 50% from 2024 to 2025
- DWI incidents more than doubled, prompting a renewed enforcement push
- Community outreach and crime analysis are central to the department’s strategy
Hutto’s focused approach has yielded tangible results in burglary reduction, but the uptick in drunk driving highlights ongoing challenges for local law enforcement.
