I raced inside to join the meeting via a land-line and on the computer, bringing in my range bag. Nothing unusual outside - my neighborhood is typically pretty quiet during the workday as many of the homes hold dual-income families.
I got a call on my cell phone from the dealership that my car was ready to be picked up (it was being serviced and I had driven my wife's car to the range). I asked my wife if she could drive me to pick it up - it's just a bit over a mile a way, but with the heat (it was 90 degrees), I did not feel like walking it in the middle of the day. We told the kids to stay in the basement and not answer the door, and that we'd be back in a minute.
I walked out the front door to be greeted by one marked county sheriff's car, two unmarked cars, and one van marked "Forensics" at my next-door neighbor's house! Walked over immediately to find out from the deputy that they had been burglarized. Then my neighbor came out, and corrected the deputy - it was a home invasion!
My neighbor is from Norway originally. They just got back from vacation a couple days ago after a week at the beach. His brother was visiting, so they decided to take him out to see the local area. They left their 12-year old and 8-year old sons at home.
Around 12:45pm - just 15 minutes after I got home - a car pulled up in front of the house. Someone called them asking for "Mark" - the oldest said they had the wrong number. A minute later a man rang the door bell repeatedly - about 6 times. The boys did not answer. The man went around to the back - they have a walk-out basement just like I do. The oldest called his father, who told him to go to the deck (above the basement level) and open and slam the door several times. Needless to say my neighbor started racing home immediately. His oldest son then called back to say the guy was trying to kick the basement door in. He told him to call "911", and he did as well. He's were it gets irritating - apparently 911 was answered by a operator in the neighboring country and state (we live less than 2 miles from the border), who told my neighbor he'd have to call the local police. He did, only to be informed that we live outside of the city, and he'd have to call the sheriff's office. No one offered to transfer him to the correct number!
My neighbor was going nuts - driving 85-90 mph to get home. Meanwhile, the intruder managed to kick in the door and enter, and grabbed both kids, forcing them to go through the house and point out the valuables before he threw them in a bedroom. We didn't hear a thing - living in an all-brick home is very quiet. I feel so bad for those kids - they are in shock - and darn lucky they were not hurt or worse. I just wish that scumbag had been trying to kick in the door 15 minutes earlier when I got home, as I would have heard it, and having just come from the range, was very well prepared to handle it!
The sheriff thinks this is the same person who has been burglarizing cars and homes throughout the area. Last week a couple neighborhoods down he struck while a young lady was home, and locked her in a pantry. He doesn't appear to be afraid of people being home, and is getting more brazen.
My wife and kids are freaked out. I will be replacing the front doors, which I never liked, as they have large glass panels. Going to replace my basement door as well with a solid one (no windows), as well as the interior door leading down to the basement with a metal one with a deadbolt. That's all going to cost several thousand, but I just won't feel safe traveling again until we beef up security a bit - and travel I must for my job.
I don't live in what I would call, by any stretch of the imagination, a "high crime neighborhood". Can't believe how bad things are getting… When I grew up we never locked the door - would even forget to do so when we went on vacation. I mourn the loss of those days - and the virtual prison my kids live in compared to what I enjoyed when I grew up...
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- lookout, there's a dog...!