With robberies on the increase this year, the Neighborhood Center for Greater Omaha wants to help by handing out free security cameras. They are available to businesses and homeowners, especially those in target areas. Graffiti removal kits are also available.

The most recent Omaha robbery statistics available are for October 2008, which had 15 more robberies than October 2007. The fact that it's the holiday season, and we're in a poor economy right now, won't help those numbers.

Just overnight, at least two more armed robberies. First, the Sinclair Gas Station at 16th and Camden Streets around 10 p.m. Wednesday. Then, the LaQuinta Inn at 10760 M Street around 12:45 Thursday morning.

To deter robberies like these, as well as other crimes, the Neighborhood Center of Greater Omaha is handing out free security cameras. The hope is to deter crime or at least identify the criminals when they're caught on tape.

Crimes like the ones that hit Social Settlement, a non-profit that helps kids and seniors. In July, the playground there was tagged with graffiti and the windows broken out in the center's vans.

"For a non-profit, obviously we don't have those dollars to continually poor into new van windows and painting and so forth. It really cuts into what we're able to do for our programs," says Robert Patterson with Social Settlement.

When Patterson heard the Neighborhood Center was giving away free security cameras, he jumped at the offer immediately.

Crystal Rhoades with the Neighborhood Center of Greater Omaha says, "inevitably, it's just to reduce the overall amount of crime. We've seen a lot of graffiti, we've seen a lot of break-ins, we've seen a lot of vandalism."

The center hopes the cameras will help Omaha's neighborhoods and businesses while hindering criminals.

"If people are in fear that they might be caught or they might be seen committing the crime, they are less likely to do that. All of the research and crime data shows that," adds Rhoades.

There are also free graffiti removal kits available. In addition, there is a limited supply of paint and paint brushes, as well as graffiti repellent. The repellent can be put on an area that is frequently tagged, allowing the graffiti applied after to be wiped off with a damp cloth or sponge.

The 80 free cameras and 20 graffiti removal kits are available on a first come, first served basis. Preference for the cameras is given to those in the Weed and Seed Program areas of Northeast and Southeast Omaha. To see about getting a kit, just call Crystal Rhoades at the Neighborhood Center. The number is (402) 561-7569.