Be alert: – local break-in and robbery of senior

Note to editor from resident: My mom was broken into earlier this week in Richmond. It was and continues to be very trying for her as (more importantly than what was taken) her home was ransacked and an element of privacy violated for sure. I am sharing this hoping that others may be helped by it…..by that I mean there were a few things mom did that kept her safe….one being not going into the house when she saw the door open…..also some info on Ottawa Police website that others need to be aware of.

letter to the editor from local resident

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]Last week my elderly mother’s home was broken into (mom is 83 years of age). The perpetrator (s) were brazen as these events occurred just after noon in the Village of Richmond…in broad daylight. My mother was returning home after a quick trip to the grocery store. As she pulled into the driveway, she noticed the door broken and partly open. Mom suspected someone could still be in the house so she immediately backed her car out of the laneway and headed over to my home a few blocks away. There she called me at work with the details and the police were subsequently called.

I will say that the Police were awesome; being both super professional and equally important to mom….very compassionate and caring. After the Police conducted their investigation, the Police escorted mom through her home and this is what appears to have taken place. After kicking open the door, the perpetrator (s) made their way throughout the house ransacking every room. Dresser drawers were removed and strewn about and everything inside them; thrown on the floor…clothes, pictures, books, trinkets, important papers etc. scattered everywhere; you could not see the floor!!!! How disheartening and discouraging for anyone let alone some of the most vulnerable and in this case my mother. Mom was very upset to say the least and though mom is a strong woman, this has taken away her sense of self security, independence and has made her feel violated

What was taken (which in the grand scheme of things is unimportant) was a bit of cash, some jewelry, some pills and a few others things. The important thing as we relayed to mom was that she was safe and not hurt (physically anyway). I am very proud of my mother and the way she has coped with this experience. If I could recommend one thing, it would be to ensure you have some kind of professional alarm system (which mom did not have).

Finally, I highly recommend that we all inform ourselves of additional measures that can be taken to ensure we are secure and safe. For Seniors specifically, there is excellent information on the Ottawa Police Website. Included in this is information about the Ottawa Police’s Home Security Inspection Program where police representatives will visit your home to provide a free safety audit.