Break in

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE — Elizabeth Maynard, 43, may have interrupted a burglar at work at her mother’s house.

When the Mountlake Terrace woman came home early from work on June 1, she discovered the broken kitchen window, the open cupboards and items carelessly tossed on the floor.

The television was pulled halfway out of the entertainment center as if someone was unplugging it, but instead dashed out of the back door — which was wide open.

The thieves got away with a laptop computer, a guitar, a CD player and some CDs, probably worth about $2,000 total.

That list does not account for what was really taken, said Sharon Maynard, 65. Maynard, her family and her neighbors have lost their sense of safety and dignity.

“It is very shocking to me,” she said. “We do not treat each other this way.”

Maynard said she could be afraid or dismiss it as the “reality of life,” but she’ s not.

“It shouldn’t be happening. We should know about it. We should know about what is going on in our community and that is the citizens’ responsibility in my mind,” she said

As a member of the Mountlake Terrace Citizen Voices, Sharon Maynard is organizing a public meeting next week about property crimes.

Police chief Scott Smith has been invited to discuss what is happening, what police officers are doing and how residents can help. Sharon Maynard hopes residents share their own stories and ideas. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Mountlake Terrace Library.

“This is happening all over. This is not just Mountlake Terrace,” Maynard said. “I think these (thefts) happen more when people are not aware and are not watching out for each other and calling police when they see something suspicious.”

The police chief agreed that the best way residents can prevent theft is to know each other. If you know your neighbors, you will know when someone or something is suspicious.

He also recommended securing all windows and doors with deadbolt locks that go into a solid casing.

The city of Mountlake Terrace is not experiencing an increase in burglaries or a serial burglar at this time, the police chief said. The city experiences about 8 to 12 burglaries a month, he said. Most of those involve suspects entering unlocked doors or windows, he said.

In 2005, the Mountlake Terrace Police responded to 43 property crimes for every 1,000 residents. Property crimes include burglaries, automobile thefts and other thefts. That is exactly the same as the county average, the police chief said.

Lynnwood Police responded to 82 property crimes for every 1,000 residents — which is the highest rate among Snohomish County cities. Brier Police responded to 15 property crimes for every 1,000 residents — which is the lowest rate in the county.

“We are not going to be able to stop every crime that happens in a town of 20,000 people,” the police chief said. “It is unfortunate, but it is a reality of the world we live in. We will strive to do our best to prevent it and we will strive to do our best to apprehend those who commit crimes. But that is the best we can do.”