As a resident of Houghton, I am very grateful to Rocio Vela Fuentes and the Kirkland Reporter (4/2/09) for alerting the public to the recent break-in and burglary of her home in the middle of an April day. In a neighborhood where one does not see or even hear of local crime, routine safety precautions can be easily dismissed as unnecessary and even foolish. While, sadly, I am fully aware that forcible entry is beyond the control of even the most conscientious home owner, awareness is a basic component of prevention. I for one needed that” heads up.”

J. Quill, Kirkland