Posted by Lock-It-Or-Lose-It?, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 10:43 am

So much for "Lock It or Lose It". If she hadn't been home, this perp would have broken through her otherwise locked window and burgled her home.

Maybe it's time to consider bars on ground floor windows here in Palo Alto?

Posted by Nearby neighbor, a resident of the Green Acres neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 12:01 pm

We live up the street on Maybell and the police and their German Shephered K9 came and sniffed around our house looking for the would be burgler. I learned about this when I came home from a back to school night and my middle and high schooler were home alone. I was alarmed to learn the police tapped on the window to ask the kids if they had seen anything. I was glad to hear the police were vigilant as the attempted burglary was several blocks from my home. However, it is a wake up call to be super VIGILANT. This was taking place early evening when most people are home. Lock up and keep an eye out!!!

Posted by Lena, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 12:56 pm

Better have your 44's in your holster and ready.

Posted by Concerned in Barron Park, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 1:21 pm

Would love to know what the response time was after the call was made to the police.

Posted by Enough!, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 1:46 pm

Why? If you are calling in a noise complaint, that's a valid question. In the case of a live prowler, the PAPD response times are typically top notch.

Posted by Top Notch, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 1:58 pm

Ok, let's quantify "typically top notch" (whatever that means) and get specific about the response time in this particular case.

Posted by neighbor, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 3:47 pm

I feel like our neighborhood is always crawling with police. It keeps us safe, reduces response time but almost feels like we are being watched.

Posted by yuare, a resident of the Green Acres neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 4:21 pm

you are being watched by them. they ask questions about you when they interrogate people. you will naturally reference people you know and they will ask questions about THEM! you dsay ''yeah .i go there all the time ,they know me''. then they will ask questions about people who dont really know YOU! police are afraid of YOU! YOU have more social standing and probably have te ''45''. thyre afraid of YOU!

Posted by StartledU, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 7:52 pm

This happened to ME yesterday evening! It took no less than 10 minutes for the police to arrive after I called 911.

Posted by Mr.Recycle, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Aug 23, 2012 at 11:43 pm

10 minute response for a 911 call about a burglary? That's actually pretty awful. In 2005 the average response time for an emergency call was 4:49.

Posted by musical, a resident of the Palo Verde neighborhood, on Aug 24, 2012 at 5:41 am

We don't have all the facts here, and probably shouldn't be openly discussing police tactics lest the thieves infer better escape plans. Usually the person who calls 911 stays on the line and is prompted to provide additional information until police arrive. If the burglar had already fled and the reporting party was no longer in immediate danger, then police might have put more urgency into setting up a perimeter than arriving at the residence. I don't know.