The home was an absolute mess — drawers emptied and the TV gone.
Times have been difficult lately for Lake Highlands physician Jim Caddell. His fiancée’s 21-year-old daughter was dying with cancer. On the July 4 weekend, he was out of town visiting her with family. If that wasn’t bad enough, his home was broken into while he was away and ransacked — adding to an already stressful situation. Margaret Hirschman, a friend who spoke for the family, was checking on the home for Caddell when she witnessed the burglar’s work first-hand.
“While he was out of town, someone had gotten a crowbar, pried open the garage door and came in through the backdoor,” says Hirschman, who also lives in Lake Highlands. “I was watching the house and coming over twice a day.
“It scared me to death because I didn’t know if they were still in the house. I noticed his big TV and everything was gone. I went outside and called the police.”
The crook made off with a 42-inch TV, stereo equipment, CDs and prescription drugs — items valued at more than $7,500. Police lifted some fingerprints from the scene, Hirschman says.
The timing couldn’t have been worse for Caddell, who was forced to return for a day from being with loved ones. His fiancée’s daughter passed away July 11.
“Anything that could go wrong went wrong. It’s been very devastating for the family,” Hirschman says. “That’s all he needed was to come back and see the house ransacked. I just hope the police find who did it.”
Lt. Gloria Perez with the Dallas Police Northeast Patrol Division says medication isn’t usually targeted in burglaries, but a crafty crook might decide to grab some for later experimentation.
“Prescription drugs are not frequently stolen from homes,” she says. “Depending on the type of prescription, it may be taken if the burglar knows he can mix it with another drug to use or sell.”
Perez offers some tips residents should keep in mind to prevent burglaries while they are away.
“Always activate your alarm system. Leave an outside light on and (set) timers on inside lights so they come on at different times of the evening,” she says. “This can also be done with radios. Have a relative or friend go by the residence to pick up mail and newspapers daily. Notify neighbors to keep an eye on the house. Refrain from putting wreaths of flowers in front porch or any other indicators of a death in the family.”
She also recommends installing alarm sensors on garage doors and locking the door with an object between the rail and door.
