Grinch in the Doggie Door

Well, another Christmas has come and gone. Many of us got to see family and receive plenty of nice gifts for Christmas. Well, Christmas can also be bummer for people because Christmas is also a busy time for crooks who would rather steal, than work. One California found this out the hard way.

A family in southern California is finding out about the Grinch the hard way.  A brazen group of thieves apparently entered the Gmelich home through the doggie door and made off with televisions, presents from under a Christmas tree, and an urn containing ashes of their grandparents.

"They literally stole my mom and dad," Gmelich told NBC News. The thieves, who are still on the loose, left behind fingerprints and footprints, and that afternoon, a neighbor's security camera caught them walking out with items from Gmelich's home. He told KTLA that they took between two and five minutes to pull off the holiday heist.

The doggie door is normally used for Gmelich's 100-pound pooch, Guffman, who he said is more of a lover than a fighter.

"Once they got in, he probably befriended them because he's a friendly guy," Gmelich told NBC News.

The worst loss in the theft, Gmelich said, was the stuff he'll never get back: the ashes, his grandfather's World War II medals, and his father’s Vietnam medals and ribbons.

 

 

Advent: This is a reason I always recommend multiple layers of security in your home. Even if the Gmelichs had an alarm system, they didn’t consider the doggie door. Obviously, the Gmelich’s 100 lb pooch was not a layer of protection. If they would of had a motion detector, invisible ink on their property, inside locking door chains, or even electrical fence wiring, they could possibly still have their belongings, and their Christmas too. I can guarantee that those extra layers of protection are still cheaper than what it will cost to replace those things that can be replaced.

Never underestimate a crook. Most crooks are unemployed and have nothing to do all day but think up ways to rob you blind. They have nothing to lose and all the time they need.

Protect yourself now.