Are Game Rooms Causing an Increase in Crime in Lubbock?
A family in Lubbock County says that they've been experiencing an increase in crime on their property following the opening of game rooms nearby.
KAMC News reports that the Thomas family has owned their property along Slaton Highway for more than 100 years, but with the opening of game rooms nearby, they've noticed a change.
One family member said that when the first one opened, things weren't so bad. However, things got worse once other game rooms opened. The family has since had several unwanted visitors on their property allegedly begging for money, stealing and even threatening them.
One member of the household said:
The situations that bother me the most involve my kids, people talking to my kids, people driving to my house, like a man was sitting in my front yard, maybe a foot away from my porch, talking to my kid at 6:30 in the morning. I didn’t even know game rooms opened that early.
There was a lady that thought my kids were her kids and that we had kidnapped her kids an we had to call the cops and they took her to jail.
My daughter won't even walk 10 feet to the dumpster even though we live in the middle of a cotton field.
Eighty-six-year-old Helen Thomas said:
Some of them come up to your door when you’re in bed asleep about three o’clock in the morning.
I think that the law enforcement needs to be more aware of the problem and keep a closer eye on it.
KAMC News actually discussed the surge of game rooms popping up along the Slaton Highway in February 2021. Pam Sumrall, who lives close to the game rooms, says that even though game rooms are legal in the state of Texas, she isn't convinced activities happening inside are.
Lubbock County Commissioner Jason Corley said that the game rooms were possibly participating in illegal activities like drug dealing, prostitution or even giving away cash as prizes.
The Thomas family said they're hoping that more can be done by local law enforcement to ensure the area's safety.
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