Back a few months ago, I reported that I was home, about Noon, on a Thursday, working in my kitchen, when there was a frantic knocking at my front door.

When I went to answer, a young Latino in a knit cap asked, “Hey is Ray home?” I told him nobody by that name lived here.

I went out onto the driveway, and saw that a pickup truck had been backed up, as if ready to unload or load up, and as the truck pulled away, I noted the license plate and called the cops.

Four hours later, the LAPD called and said they had just driven down my street and saw nothing matching that description.  

I found out the next day, that this method of knocking on a door, and asking for a name is the new modus operandi of the burglar. If nobody answers, they go around back, and smash a window or kick down a door. It takes only minutes and they come in and destroy and steal and invade our homes……

Everyone should be alert, all the time, because we have almost minimal police protection in Van Nuys.  It is not safe to walk around at night, and it is practically unsafe to be inside your home during the day….

Today, my neighbors down the street reported again, that they had answered the door from people claiming to look for somebody who didn’t live there.

Merry Christmas.