Someone breaks into a car in Dallas at least 66 times a day. Some might say it happens so often because the punishment does not fit the crime.

Under the law, burglars who break into cars repeatedly are charged only with a misdemeanor.

When Sharon Wetzel walked out of her child's school one recent evening she saw the whole dash of her car had been pulled out. A burglar had popped out the passenger window, and in a few seconds, swiped the stereo. It wasn't the first time Wetzel had been a victim of car burglars.

"Once in front of our house and once at another store, in front of a store, during the day," Wetzel said.

But when vehicle burglars are caught, they face only a Class-A misdemeanor, even if they broke into multiple cars or trucks.

The maximum sentence is a year in the county jail, but the average term in Dallas County is about 130 days.

When the Texas Legislature meets next month, Republican Representative Dan Branch of Dallas hopes to toughen the law. Branch says the third conviction for burglarizing a vehicle should be a felony.

"To me, if you've got a repeat offender, those are the types that should be subject to the state jail felony and get two years or enhanced felony convictions," said Rep. Branch.

Sharon Wetzel supports that idea, saying it's about time, "especially since it's happening so much," she said. "I mean, they need to do a little bit more about it, not just a slap on the wrist."

A similar bill failed two years ago because of concerns that longer sentences would add too many inmates to the prison system.

Branch said some of those concerns have been worked out, and he is optimistic his bill will pass.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com.