BY STEVE WILSON

THE DAILY IBERIAN

Burglary victims Linda and Louis Boutte of New Iberia are “angry and frustrated.”

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Some time between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Friday, burglars broke into the Bouttes’ Caroline Street home on the city’s east side. After breaking into the house through a glass window and stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, the burglars attempted to steal other items as well, including a television.

“I understand that we are the 17th house in this area that’s been broken into,” Linda Boutte said.

Alton Darby Jr., owner of Darby Architects at 1010 S. Evangeline St., said his business was broken into Saturday, although nothing was stolen.

“The deputy who arrived didn’t take any fingerprints or anything,” Darby said. “He asked me my name and information, but that was about the extent of the investigation. Basically he said that this sort of thing has been happening all over this area.”

Darby added that this was the third time his business had been broken into over the past few years, and that he is afraid.

“I’m thinking about buying a gun,” he said.

New Iberia City Councilman Rocky Romero, whose district includes Caroline Street, said several residents have spoken with him about recent burglaries in the area.

“It seems like a trend,” Romero said. “It looked like they were targeting that area specifically.”

The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office would not confirm if there is a burglary problem in the Caroline Street/District 4 area. When asked about residents’ reports of more than a dozen burglaries, the IPSO referred The Daily Iberian to its patrol division, which has not answered questions for The Daily Iberian.

City Councilman David Broussard said although he had not received any specific reports of break-ins from his constituents, he is looking forward to the new Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol cars, which will be used exclusively towards patrolling New Iberia.

“Sheriff Ackal will help us tremendously when he patrols all the streets,” Broussard said.

Public Information Officer Wendall Raborn said when reported, burglary cases are forwarded to the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and cases are assigned by the supervisor. Raborn expects more officers to be added upon the completion of the newest class of deputy recruits.

“We’ll be able to add more officers to investigations,” Raborn said.

Between Jan. 1 and  Aug. 10, a total of 263 vehicle burglaries, 115 business burglaries and 295 residential burglaries have been reported to the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office. For 2007, those numbers were, 494, 240 and 512, respectively.

For information about burglaries in Iberia Parish, call the sheriff’s office at 369-3714.