Analysis: Here are the hot spots for Las Vegas home and business break-ins

By Pashtana Usufzy

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Metro Police were called to investigate about 1,230 burglary reports in November, not including automobile break-ins.

That averages out to about 41 reports a day.

A burglary is defined as entering a structure with the intent to commit a crime, Metro Police Officer Laura Meltzer said. It shouldn't be confused with a robbery, which is theft directly from a person.

Here's a breakdown of where most break-ins of houses, businesses and other buildings were reported last month.

Raw data was provided by crimemapping.com, and the numbers are based on reported burglaries, not incidents in which police verified that a burglary had occurred.

89108

Metro received 83 reports of burglaries to structures in this area, which is bounded by U.S. 95, Washington Avenue and Rancho Drive.

The ZIP code is the second most densely populated one on the list, with a total population of 70,123 in the 2010 U.S. Census.

Multiple burglaries were reported along Vegas Drive, including near the road's intersections with Decatur Boulevard, Torrey Pines Drive and Jones Boulevard.

89110

The most populated area on the list, this ZIP code had 70,994 residents as of the 2010 census.

The area generated 66 burglary reports, including several near the intersections of Bonanza Road and Nellis Boulevard as well as near Lamb Boulevard and Stewart Avenue.

The ZIP code is generally bounded by Pecos Road, Owens Avenue and Charleston Boulevard, stretching past Hollywood Boulevard on the east side.

89103

People in this area reported 60 burglaries.

The ZIP code, with 50,519 residents, had a number of reports in the area near Flamingo Road and Dean Martin Drive, as well as near Rochelle Avenue and Jones Boulevard.

The area is generally bounded by Spring Mountain Road, Rainbow Boulevard, Tropicana Avenue and Interstate 15.

89115

Home to 58,794 residents, this area generated 52 reports. Activity was heavier in areas near Lake Mead Boulevard and Walnut Road, and there were also several reports near Nellis Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue.

The area is generally bounded by Pecos Road, Owens Avenue, Nellis and Interstate 15.

89109

Given that this ZIP code includes much of the Las Vegas Strip, it's probably no surprise that Metro also received 52 reports of burglaries in this area.

The ZIP code has 7,770 residents and is bounded by Interstate 15, Tropicana Avenue, Koval Lane until Desert Inn Road, Maryland Parkway and Sahara Avenue.

Reports peaked near Las Vegas Boulevard's intersections with Harmon Avenue and Flamingo Road.

Tips from Metro Police to keep your home or business safe:

• Do the obvious. Metro suggests locking doors, securing windows and keeping a spare key with a trusted neighbor, rather than hiding it outside of the structure. Always break down boxes from any big purchase before throwing the boxes away. Consider investing in an alarm. Create layers of security to make it more difficult for an intruder.

• Get involved in the neighborhood watch and keep an eye out for security concerns like broken windows that could make it easier for an intruder to enter.

• Don't leave the garage door opener in any vehicle parked in the driveway, and lock the door between the garage and house.

• When on an extended vacation, ensure the house doesn't appear like an empty target by having a friend pick up your paper or mow your lawn. Make it look like someone is home.

• Consider scheduling an appointment with a crime prevention specialist. Metro offers a service that allows locals to better understand which parts of their homes are vulnerable to intruders. Residents can contact a crime prevention specialist at the nearest Metro area command to schedule a home assessment, during which the specialist discusses the door/window locks, lighting, landscaping, alarms, home contents and more. The free appointment lasts less than an hour.