Heads Up – Theft and attempted break in

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Dear PoPville,

I live on the unit block of Hamilton Street NW and back on September 14th at a little after 9 am, someone attempted to break into my house. The alarm company was unable to reach me and the police were dispatched there. The cops told my friend who was able to go over, it didn’t look like anything was tampered with and didn’t see an attempt at a break in.

I arrived back at my home at 3:50 pm, parked my car behind my house and immediately from 100 feet back could see that not only was the screen raised but the window itself was also lifted. I can see where the police might think I left the screen up–which seems bizarre as every other window screen was down except the one by the kitchen which had also been raised. The fact of the matter is, if they had bothered to walk up the two steps on my back stoop they would be at eye level with the window and see that it was lifted off the sill, or even if they walked about five feet back from the house on the alley. (And yes this goes for my friend too who just took the police at their word and didn’t bother to look at the back of the house).

The window they tried to get in was, at least I thought, locked. But the last time I locked it the top portion had slipped down a little and it did not catch. However because the alarm was set, once they raised it the lower portion slipped by the sensor setting off the alarm and scaring the people away.

I called my friend, told her what had happened and she suggested I write my neighborhood representative to let them know. I’m not sure how current the lists are but I emailed a representative of ANC 4D05, at least according to the list I found from dc.gov but never received a response. I also called my alarm company–the main reason for doing both of these things is 1. to inform my neighborhood that while they were unsuccessful, our block was still targeted and 2. It is a statistic that should be reported and 3. I can’t believe the cops weren’t that thorough when they checked out my house.

The second incident happened sometime between 10:30 am and 7 pm on this Wednesday. I ordered items from Macy’s and the package was stolen off my front porch before I came home. I was surprised because this is the first time since I moved in, in May 2004 that I have had something stolen off my front porch, that’s not to say I have never had anything stolen before but this email is already long enough.