What About Aliens?

This has nothing to do with aliens, but that song is in my head and now it’s in yours, ha!

Roommate and I got a typed note through our mail slot on Saturday, the 2nd. A concerned neighbor was writing to let us know that he (I’m assuming) was robbed in broad daylight the day before. He spoke with a neighbor who lives across the street and found out the they had also recently been robbed. He of course reported the robbery to the police and found out that there have been about 20 recent daylight burglaries in our neighborhood. He knows that the police haven’t bothered to alert us, so he took it upon himself to spread the word and to let us know what the police said.

Apparently whomever is doing this as at least not been violent as of yet. They (?) come in through windows that have not been shut and locked, since many people have been leaving the windows open for air during the day, even when only going out for a short time. According to the police (according to this note, which I have no reason to doubt), they’ll ring the doorbell or knock first to see if anyone is home. If someone answers the door, they’ll pretend to be lost or from a charity (I have to wonder if anyone’s given them money); if not they proceed to rob the place.

Roommate and I are pretty good about keeping things locked up when we aren't home, and looking before answering the door when we are home. We are very aware of our personal safety, but we are still creeped out. We have a small neighborhood that is generally safe, and thing is, where usually the neighbors know what is going on and spot weird stuff like that. There are enough people that I know are at home during the day and enough of the neighborhood-eyes-always-watching-out types. What mainly disturbs me is that with that many robberies of a similar pattern the police never told us anything; and I read the paper and watch the news. That bothers me, frankly.

Plus, it’s just creepy. I’ve gotten visits from the Sierra Club (I’m pretty sure, they had t-shirts and petitions and everything) and random campaigning for the latest politician. And we all know I know better than to think that any place is immune from crime. But just the broad daylight and the sneakiness creep me out. What if I’m napping? Or if I don’t hear the bell over a shower? Not that I’m obsessing over this, and I still generally feel safe-ish, but still, especially since Roommate is often not at home and is with Man-Friend.

I tend to have a bit more safety-anxiety in the summertime, just because, I guess. That’s when there tend to be more news reports about crazy people doing things and because in the land of non-airconditioning you leave the windows open and we live on the first floor. Nothing that is not handle-able, and nothing that disrupts my life or well-being, but it’s there.

So you know, creepy, is all I have to say.

I could also just choose to be anxious about aliens and other assorted worry-wasters and realize that I do what I can and the rest is just life (yes, I do already realize that at this pointJ).