CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- On Monday morning burglars hit Oxford Park, breaking into three houses in a matter of minutes.

"It's very personal and I hate it," said Nettie Culp, one of the victims. "I don't want anybody in my house when I'm not here and I feel very violated." 

Culp says the thieves kicked in a rear patio door, dragged her television outside and ransacked the place, including her bedroom.

"You couldn't walk in here," she said. "There was clothes and jewelry just thrown everywhere. The drawers were out."

Despite the events in Oxford Park, police say things are looking up in the South Division.

In the first six months of the year, break-ins were up 23 percent. Now, those numbers are in the negative by 3.8 percent, which is a swing of nearly 27 percent.

Police have stepped up patrols in hot spots and have been paying personal visits to burglary suspects to let them know they are being watched.

"Based on the intel that we're getting from talking to these suspects, they realize we now have a new strategy," said Capt. Rod Golding.

Part of that new strategy is a patrol car stationed in Oxford Park -- a comforting sign for residents following Monday's break-ins.

"The lady that was working here said there a police car out there, and I said, 'That's wonderful,'" Culp said.

Burglary numbers for the rest of the city have been trending downward, but they are still up by 1.9 percent.

To view CMPD's crime statistics, click here.