CALVERT, Texas (KRHD) — A small Texas city tucked between Waco and Bryan has found itself at the top of an unexpected list — the most burglarized city in the state.
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Calvert, a community of fewer than 1,000 people along Highway 6, earned this distinction in a new SafeWise survey that analyzed FBI burglary data from 2023. The research found that while larger metropolitan areas like Houston, Dallas and San Antonio might seem like obvious candidates, Calvert's 16 reported burglaries that year translated to 1.65 burglaries per 100 residents.
"I thought it was kind of ludicrous because we are a little small town, so I knew it was kind of, kind of crazy," Calvert resident Kervin Babers said.
The Calvert resident feels the designation unfairly represents his community.
"Kind of puts a black eye on this little small community," Babers said.
Police Chief Cedric Watson expressed similar disbelief when he learned about the ranking.
"My reaction was like, no way, you know, it's a small town. How could it surpass that of a large metropolitan city? We're not that big in crime," Watson said.
Watson emphasized that the 2023 data reflects the past, not the current state of his department's efforts.
He said his team has focused on visibility and prevention by adding officers, increasing patrols and prioritizing neighborhood safety.
"Calvert is less than 1000 people, if not at 1000, and for something to come abroad, from two years ago. I was wondering what the heck was going on around here," Watson said.
The police chief acknowledged that improvements were needed in how situations were handled previously.
"From what I'm seeing and believing myself is that things just weren't happening the way they should have been happening," Watson said.
Despite the unwanted recognition, residents like Babers believe the community's character isn't defined by statistics.
"We are a good community. We just need more good things, positive things coming out of this community. So more people will want to come here," Babers said.
Watson said his department will continue working to ensure residents' safety remains a priority while keeping crime rates low.
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