San Jose

176 Burglaries in 90 Days: Residents of San Jose's Almaden Valley Neighborhood Say They're Under Attack

Residents of San Jose's Almaden Valley say they're under attack, with burglars targeting homes during the middle of the day.

In the last seven days, police say, 20 homes in the neighborhood have been hit. This comes weeks after neighbors hired a private security company to help improve safety.

Residents say the neighborhood used to be a place where people could leave the doors unlocked. Now, many are investing in alarms, dogs and private security.

Mary Ellen Distini says her neighborhood is at war with burglars. According to the San Jose Police Department, in the last 90 days, 176 burglaries have been reported in the Almaden Valley. Six homes were hit on Tuesday alone.

“The police are down on the men,” Distine said. “There isn’t enough to cover the area.”

The department has only two detectives investigating burglaries in San Jose, police said, compared to 18 back in 2008.

“We are not safe. We are not happy,” resident Tatiana Gorshkoe said. She said she is worried about her home and her well-being. “The kids come home after school during the daytime. That’s what’s really scary.”

Police said the thieves are generally breaking into empty homes, looking for jewelry and small electronics.

Investigators say they don’t have any leads and don’t know if the crimes are related. Their best advice: Lock your doors and invest in a security camera.

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