Bold burglars have a northwest Washington neighborhood on edge.
When Tracy Hart was away from her 16th Street Heights home Monday, someone broke in through her back door after climbing over a locked iron gate.
"I've tried to go over that myself,” she said. “Anyone could do it, but it takes some effort. It's not easy."
The burglars removed the screws from the deadbolt on the front door in order to escape after ransacking the home, Hart said.
Dan Mustico, who lives two doors down, said someone tried to kick in his door the same day.
Police department statistics show a 30 percent decrease in burglaries in the 4th District over the past month, but Hart, Mustico and their neighbors are concerned about what they describe as a concentrated spike in burglaries in recent weeks.
“We are hoping to meet with our councilman and talk to him about what he's hearing and what can be done about it,” Mustico said.
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The burglars are taking small valuables that are easy to conceal and carry, especially electronics.
