The flat screen TV that hung on the wall was stolen by robbers on New Year's Eve. Eric Bower said the intruders came in through the back door of his girlfriends home while they were out for the night.
"Went through everything, ended up taking a few things including the TV, some cash and cell phone and things like that," said Bower.
At least three homes on the block of Willis Street have been robbed-- and a total of nine in the area have been hit in the last couple of weeks.
Madera resident Joann Cook said, "It makes you nervous because you have little kids, we have elderly people here."
Detective Shawn Bushey said right now they have no suspects because robbers seem to strike working families in the middle of the day while no one is home. He said, "What they've been taking are guns, jewelry, electronic items like PlayStations, wii's ... things they can turn around and sell."
Bushey said thieves are also looking for easy access into houses. For example, "Some people crack their bedroom window for air, or the bathroom thinking no one's coming in-- well they do.
Madera resident David Boyle said, "They threw a brick through the window." Boyle said the house next door to him and a home down the street were broken into-- and neighbors are beginning to take action. "The burglar alarm company has been here and put in an alarm system." And now this neighborhood is on alert, looking out for robbers who have been watching their routines.
Cook said, "We can tell who's car belongs, if there's a strange car we can say we have cell phone numbers and ask if anyone is working at your home that day, if not, we know something is going on."
Madera Police Detectives have some tips on how residents can protect themselves. Police said if you have a house alarm, set it-- lock weapons and store jewelry in a safe, and write down the model and serial numbers on electronics, and keep them in a safe place.
