The Victim: Brian Lacroix
The Crime: Burglary
Date: Friday, May 21
Time: Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Location: 9000 block of Fairglen

The burglar swiped the TVs, the digital camera, and the Wii.

Brian Lacroix is an engineer for Yahoo and works much of the week at his Merriman Park North home. Unfortunately, on May 21 a burglar broke into his home.

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“They kicked in the back door, and I came home from work and saw it. That’s never a nice thing,” he says. “The funny thing is that I work from home most of the time, and that day I went into the office.”

The burglar made off with electronics, including a couple televisions and cameras, all valued at a total of more than $2,000. Unfortunately, the crook also looted Lacroix’s Nintendo Wii. The Wii had become a nice centerpiece for parties and get-togethers, Lacroix says, fun for everyone to participate in — smashing tennis balls, rolling bowling balls down the lane, and whacking away on the virtual golf course.

“It’s kind of a nice thing to play when you have a get-together,” he says. “It’s fun for everyone to play no matter what skill level.”

The burglary has made Lacroix more aware about possible weaknesses in his home for criminals, and prompted him to make some major changes.

“Since then we’ve installed video surveillance, upgraded our alarm system, and added strong deadbolts to the doors,” Lacroix says.

Dallas Police Officer A.J. Serratos with the Northeast Patrol Division says Lacroix is doing the right thing by adding extra surveillance. Any extra precaution might cause a thief to move to another home with less effective security measures.

“It’s very important to have a deadbolt on a door. It gives you that extra security,” he says. “An alarm system also provides you with an extra tool to fight burglars and keep your family and home safe.”

Lacroix said he is hoping his efforts pay off, and also has some other self-defense measures just in case a burglar tries to break in while he is at home. –SEAN CHAFFIN