Frightening Scenarios in DC as Wave of Burglaries End with Arrests

Police say they have made arrests in two waves of burglaries, in Bloomingdale and Trinidad, that have terrified residents in recent weeks. Break-ins were reported at nearly a dozen homes and businesses, and several were particularly unsettling because they occurred while residents were at home.

One Victim’s Account:

The victim awoke early Wednesday to noises in the second-floor hallway of her Northwest Washington home, she told police. She stayed in bed, terrified, and within moments, an intruder entered her bedroom. She kept her eyes shut, sensing the flicker of a flashlight. Then came the sound of someone rummaging through her belongings. For 10 more minutes, her home on Adams Street in Bloomingdale was ransacked before the burglar left and she felt safe to dial 911.

Another Victim:

When the woman entered the living room of her T Street rowhouse, which has been in her family for generations, she was shocked to discover that someone had broken in during the short time she had been asleep… …“It’s a scary moment, knowing someone was in here,” she said… …The woman’s dog hadn't barked, and somehow a house full of family members had heard nothing, she said.

These are a couple of scenarios that no one should have to experience; waking up to the sounds of an intruder inside of your home is terrifying. The daytime isn’t necessarily any safer either – imagine coming home early from work to find an intruder in your home! It may be unavoidable, but it is strongly advised to avoid confronting a burglar under those circumstances. There’s just no telling how a burglar will react to being caught in the act.

Summer Brings Greater Risk

For a lot of people across the country, summer is the season of R & R, meaning rest and relaxation. For home security though, there is a different meaning to R & R, risk and robbery. As the article mentions:

Burglars have found easier targets in the 5th District because of lax home security in the summertime, police said.

As we've mentioned before, summer is the time of year when homes are at the greatest risk of being burglarized. The higher risks can be attributed to more doors and windows being left open as well as families leaving for extended periods to go on vacation. Commander Andrew Solberg offers simple, but solid advice for the summer:

“In some cases, people get in through unlocked windows,” Solberg said. “I know you want the breeze, but please lock your windows.”

The summer breeze is nice, but leaving your window open only makes it easier for burglars. Statistically speaking, after the front and back door, windows are the next most common points of entry for burglars no matter what the season. Summer just presents more of an opportunity for your home to be targeted if you’re not extra careful, so make sure to lock your windows and doors.

How to Stay Safe

We’d like to remind everyone that despite how burglaries may be portrayed in movies and television, they are rarely planned or organized. On the contrary, burglaries are more likely to be random and opportunistic. This means that if these burglars aren’t presented with the opportunity, there is a much lesser chance that they will try to break into your home. So don’t give them a chance and protect your home.

No one wants feel like their loved ones are at risk. No one wants to live in a home without a sense of security. Our top priority at FrontPoint Security is to take away those fears and help give you peace of mind. There’s a reason why FrontPoint is the leader in wireless home security and the #1 rated alarm company in the US: we provide a level of service that is unmatched. Just let us know if you’re ready to make the switch to a safer, smarter and simpler security system. Whether you’re sleeping, coming home from work, or just catching up on rest and relaxation, you should be able to have peace of mind. Enjoy the rest of the summer and as always, be safe.