They are quite common here in the big H, and there was a recent
spike in this neighborhood, but I think the perps got caught in the
act recently, and have invaded a new home with bars on it. :/
Also lots of thievery, breaking into cars, etc.
Myself, I'm usually in the back of the house, and I tend to keep
the bedroom door closed. That way if someone kicks the front door
in, I'll hear them and have time to grab my lead spitting device.
At first, they won't know where in the house I am at, so I feel I
should be ready for them by the time they stumble across the
right door. I think once they see what I have in store for them, they
will runnoft. Most crooks in this area are chicken@#$%s..
I also keep my IR trail camera watching my trucks and driveway.
It caught some clown trying to break into a car across the street on
Nov 19. But it was locked, and he gave up and walked back down
the driveway. He didn't seem to want to mess with my trucks.
Probably because I've spread the word around the neighborhood that
messing with my house or vehicles is dangerous to ones health,
after one of them broke into one a few months back.

I had a few crack heads living in a rent house around the corner for a
while... They seem to be gone now.
I had one come along a while back trying to hit me up for $$$, and
I asked him if he knew anything about who broke into my truck.
"I actually think he was the one that did it." He proclaimed total
innocence, and I said well, OK then.. I then told him the next one
I catch in my trucks will probably go home in a box. Haven't seen him
since. He's runnoft..
Here is the video of the car burglar in action.. This was about 2 AM in
the morning. Note the top right of the video, and the car across the
street.
http://home.comcast.net/~disk100/hummm.wmv
Luckily, I keep my newer car in the garage.. But I have a lot of tools in
those trucks. They broke into the front one facing the garage last time.
But they have broken into the other too.. Got a new floor jack, an
engine analyzer, old beater 2 meter ham radio out of that one facing the
street..
I've always got a weapon within arms reach when I'm here in the back
of the house.