EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso Police announced Thursday that in the first six weeks of 2009 crime was up three percent compared to the same time last year, but burglaries, however, are up 25 percent.

Last month Lower Valley resident Rudy Ledesma returned home from vacation to find his home burglarized.

"They broke in through this window right here," Ledesma said. “They opened it up and everything and they were able just to come in here and they basically went into our closets and they took our jewelry."

Burglars made off with $30,000 worth of jewelry and accessories.

While life goes on, the feeling of violation after someone entered their home has had the Ledesma's uneasy ever since.

“This is something that is sacred to you, to your own home and you always want to feel comfortable and at peace in your home," Ledesma said.

The Ledesma's aren't the only ones finding themselves the recent victims of burglars. With the 25 percent increase in burglaries, some areas are being hit especially hard.

In West El Paso burglaries are up over 30 percent, while Pebble Hills has seen an over 50 percent increase. Burglars’ favorite area seems to be Northeast El Paso, which has seen a 90 percent increase in the crime.

"The economic downturn we do believe is having an impact on it," said Darrel Petry, of El Paso Police said.

While people are looking for money and good, police offer some tips to avoid being hit.

"A lot of the times people will go in the front door, they’ll leave their cars unsecured, they'll go in through a window enter in the home," Petry said.

Petry recommends always locking up and lighting up your home.

If you have an alarm like the Ledesma's, it only works if you arm it.

“Now we just arm the alarm, every time he leave the house it is armed," Ledesma said.