Glass businesses booming thanks to burglaries

Most break-ins are not as dramatic as the ones captured on surveillance video.

The preferred method of entry is a window. A woman, who didn't want to be identified, said she found that out the hard way Wednesday night.

"I've lived here for 25 years and it's very frustrating," the woman said. "This is the first time ever that anybody's ever went into my house."

Thousands of burglaries mean lots of extra business for window replacement companies like Binswanger.

"Probably in sales anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 per month in additional sales for the branch here," said manager Dennis Leister. "Yes, it's helped us. We haven't had any layoffs this year. We've got everybody employed and everybody busy."

Other window companies report a 20 to 30 percent jump in business. That may sound good, but the cost is too high even for the companies.

"Less crime is better even though it will affect our business, but as a whole for the community it would be better," Leister said.

The woman who was burglary victim Wednesday night is fortunate to have help.

"I got a friend that's going to put some glass in for me," she said. "If it was me that had to do it -- I don’t have money like that."

Source: WCNC.com