My house was broken into 11 years ago. My wife and I were fortunate enough that nothing much was taken. Our dog (who luckily was locked in his kennel) was not harmed.

Besides the front door frame and a couple of dresser drawers, no severe damage was done to the house.

The unease and feelings of violation stick with you, even all these years later. Like I said, I'm one of the lucky ones; many aren't so fortunate.

According to recent FBI crime data, the problem has only worsened in Washington.

How bad is it here in Washington? FBI crime data analysis shows that Washington has the HIGHEST burglary rate in the United States.

Seven times higher than the ranking last-place state of New Hampshire and more than double the average national rate.

According to the stats (analyzed by Suzuki Law Offices), there are 548.4 burglaries for every 100,000 residents in Washington. In New Hampshire, there was only 76.2 for every 100,000.

Burglaries and crime have been on the rise every year, and there are many possible reasons for this: economic times, labor issues, mental health issues, drug abuse, community and family issues.

There's no easy issue to point to and fix, which is frustrating for everyone.

How can you safeguard yourself and your belongings? Lock up your belongings, keep things out of sight, and invest in security cameras and alarms. Travel in groups and use the buddy system when you're out in public.

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