HOUSTON — Victims of burglary and theft in Houston are facing additional frustrations as the Houston Police Department (HPD) fails to return recovered stolen property in a timely manner, with some cases lingering for months or even years.
A recent analysis by KHOU 11 Investigates sheds light on HPD’s troubling record of property return, revealing that many items are left in the department’s evidence logs despite the closure of criminal cases.
The statistics regarding HPD’s clearance rate for burglary and theft cases are discouraging, with about a 5% clearance rate in 2024, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety Uniform Crime Reporting System.
For victims like Trenton Nzekwesi, the woes are compounded when stolen items are recovered but never returned. Nzekwesi had his car stolen in June 2023 and managed to track it down using a mobile app, leading to the arrest of the suspect, Javius Williams.
While his vehicle was returned, Nzekwesi lamented the lack of communication from HPD regarding his stolen jewelry — diamond bracelets and rings worth an estimated $20,000 — which remain unreturned nearly a year later.
“You can’t get your stuff until the case is over,” he recalled being told, but after months of trying to follow up with various detectives, he has not received any updates.
Court records indicated that the case against Williams was dismissed in October 2024 after he pleaded guilty to a separate crime, but Nzekwesi never received notification that he could reclaim his valuables.
“I never got an email, never got a text,” he remarked regarding the lack of communication from the department. “It shouldn’t have taken a news reporter to tell you that the case was closed.”
This experience was not an isolated incident, as Myah Williams faced similar frustrations when her wedding ring was stolen from her vehicle in May 2022.
Police recovered her ring from a pawn shop, and it was properly tagged into evidence at the HPD property room. However, the situation took a toll on her well-being. Williams expressed her aggravation due to the lack of information regarding her stolen property.
“It’s frustrating. It’s aggravating,” she said as she learned the ring remained in the HPD property room, even after the suspect, Freddy Aragon, pleaded guilty in February 2023 and received one year of deferred adjudication.
Evidence logs reveal that a variety of items, including digital cameras, bicycles, AirPods, Air Jordan shoes, and power tools have similarly been left in the property room without being returned.
Victims have expressed their feelings of being victimized twice: once by the individuals who stole their property and then again by HPD’s lack of communication and follow-up.
“Not just by the person who stole the item, but the Houston Police Department as well, by not even following up, communicating, giving any type of information or knowledge about the case,” Williams noted.
In response to the growing concern regarding the delayed return of stolen property, an HPD spokesperson acknowledged the issue and emphasized the department’s commitment to resolving it.
“In both of these cases, the HPD Property Division disposition team is working to resolve these dispositions in a timely manner,” the spokesperson stated.
They also highlighted that proper procedures must be followed when returning property. HPD must send a Motion to Restore Personal Property to the chief prosecutor to authorize the return of items.
Currently, HPD is reportedly working with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to enhance notification procedures that will allow for quicker updates on disposed cases.
HPD expressed a desire to improve their processes in an effort to expedite the return of evidentiary property to rightful owners.
Furthermore, not only valuable items are affected, but also various pieces of evidence with little or no value, like burglary tools, surveillance videos, and shell cases, remain on police property room shelves.
For victims awaiting the return of stolen items, HPD has provided contact numbers. For items stolen from vehicles, victims can reach the HPD Auto Theft Division at 713-308-3500, while those with items stolen from their homes or businesses can contact the HPD Burglary and Theft Division at 713-308-0900.
The experiences of Nzekwesi and Williams shed light on a significant concern — the process surrounding the return of recovered property is not only inefficient but also deeply disheartening for victims who are yearning for closure.
The recent revelations call for more accountability and better communication practices from the Houston Police Department to restore trust with the community it serves.
image source from：https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/houston-police-evidence-property-crime-victims/285-42ad3885-313f-4019-bb95-8e456c075597
