Burglar strikes when people are asleep at home

Louis Plummer and his family woke up Wednesday morning to a scrub jay frantically pecking a window trying to get out of their Almond Street home. Then they noticed all the doors in their house were wide open, an overturned water glass on the floor and missing car keys, cash and an iPod.

An Ashland Police report indicated that a suspect entered Plummer's unlocked home and stole an iPod and $10 in cash from the house and $10 from their van parked in the driveway.

"It was a very rude way of waking up," he said. "I feel violated. And it's creepy to think someone was walking just 10 feet from where I sleep."

The Ashland Police Department received three reports in the past four days of residential burglaries. All three occurred during the night when victims were home with the suspect gaining entrance through unlocked doors. The suspect entered through the front door in two incidents and from a side door in another, reports said.

Police say a purse and book bag were taken from a Lit Way residence, and the book bag was recovered by a neighbor after it had been abandoned in their driveway.

A purse was taken from a Homes Avenue residence and was also recovered in a neighbor's driveway. Police said the purse had been rummaged through, but nothing had been taken.

Police are asking citizens to call if they observe any suspicious persons or activities in their neighborhoods.

Plummer said one of his neighbors later told him they saw a man peering into vehicles on Bush Street that night and that another neighbor brought her dogs inside the home when they started barking around 2:40 a.m.

"I think the dogs knew someone was prowling around," he said, adding that he's going to organize a neighborhood watch. "I didn't lock my doors because I feel we live in an incredibly safe town. But I'm going to now."

Deputy Chief Rich Walsh said, "Locking doors are extremely important in reducing risks to victims. If someone is brave enough to enter homes that they know the people are in, then there's more opportunity for a confrontation to occur."

Walsh said the three cases indicate that the suspect was probably just looking for cash.

"It also tells me that a person who's targeting residences when the parties are home knows they'll probably find wallets," he said.

Police are asking that anyone with information regarding the burglaries call Officer Bon Stewart at 482-5211 x2126.

Reach reporter Michele Mihalovich at 482-3456 x226 or mmihalovich@dailytidings.com.