My 94 year old father in law was home alone yesterday when someone broke in a rear window while he was taking a nap. They started to ransack the house, after seeing him in a bed they woke him, wanted to know where he kept his money, and roughed him up before leaving. As best we can tell they didn't take anything, They really don't have much worth stealing anyway. He's a great guy and has been sharp as a tack until the last few months he's gotten much frailer. It's scary to think how easily this episode could have had been much more serious. I was at the house all afternoon with the LAPD and they did a fantastic job, they really took it serious and did a full forensics to get fingerprints, DNA from a blood sample, etc. It's scary to think that after 94 years of a peacefull life a guys not safe in his own bed. Life in the big city sucks.
Here's a link to a news story with a video. You may have to click on "Blind Man 94, beaten in his Van Nuys home."

http://cbs2.com/video/?cid=71#

That's really fuched up.

Hope he's alright...

Drew,


I saw your city on A&E last night.


The gangs of LA.


I couldn't believe it when they said that that city has about 1500 gangs in it.

Man I'm glad I don't live there.

Sounds like the cops need to get outa the way and let the citizens that live there take back the streets. down goes a punk down goes another punk and anudder,and anudder,anudder.etc.


Ron

That is terrible. I feel for him.

I used to love LA, but that was over 20 years ago.



M

that really sucks....should be mandatory shot to the head if they catch the a-hole that did that....

Sure glad to hear he's OK.

I'm glad to hear that he's doing better, I hope they catch these idiots.

Hey Andy... I'm sure glad he looks to be no worse for wear than he is. That in itself is huge. I hope he can get passed that feeling of being "invaded". That will likely be worst part of it.

There are certainly some evil mother fuchers out there. Even out in the sticks. You can just shoot 'em more easily out there, and you have lots more places to conveniently hide the evidence.

It takes a real coward & asshole to do something like this. To prey on the defenseless is totally criminal. Hope your father in law can put it out of his mind & continue on.

.....b

Maybe play it safe and move to post-Guliani NYC... practically a cop on every street corner these days...then again maybe that's b/c I live a few blocks from the UN, Grand Central, and the Empire State Bldg... Sho feel safe tho!

Sorry for your pops, hope he's able to shrug it off.

-pt

That really sucks Andy. I hope everything turns out reasonably OK, but I know that kind of bad memory is hard to shake. L.A. needs a serious "housecleaning" to get rid of the gangbangers and dirtbags. The sad fact is most of them don't even see any significant jail time IF they're caught at all.

That is why I moved out into the country. Very peaceful. But it sucks when you have to drive 40 miles to work....but well worth it.

Sorry to hear it but I'm glad he's alright. I had to call 911 last night because a guy came up to me with a crack pipe looking for a light outside my door (I live in LA too). The police on the line acted like it was no big deal. Ya, right... thanks guys.

Lets see, in the 4 years we've lived where we do, there have been a few incidents. Once when my inlaws were visiting, I looked out the window and there was a cop walking down the street with what looked a LOT like an M-16 or AR-15. Apparently there was a drug bust or something going on.

Then there was the chase that ended halfway down the block, where they blocked off the street, had guns drawn, etc.

Night before last I turn on the scanner and there's a hostage situation going on several blocks away. Ended peacefully, etc.

Its not just LA though. I grew up in San Diego and we had our share of events too. I can count maybe 4 or 5 high speed chases that ended near our house, the DEA chasing someone through my grandmother's yard, etc.

Where I live now and where I lived in San Diego are definitely nicer parts of town. If you live in California take a look sometime at the Megan's Law website, and that will give you a basic idea of where crime is concentrated. Generally speaking, as the average home price exceeds a bit over $1,000,000 the crime drops off quite a bit.

Probably the safest place I lived was Goleta, a 'suburb' of Santa Barbara. I could leave tools outside and not worry about them. Of course they would rust overnite, but thats what you get for living near the beach.

-Tony

I wish geography was the problem. Wherever you go, there you are...

Tony, I think that is because Goleta is the worlds only "volunteer" ghetto.... mostly students