DENVER - Christmas is still more than a week away, and it seems a Grinch is already at work.
Intruders have stolen nearly $1,000 worth of presents from the home of a 27-year-old nurse's assistant in the Denver neighborhood, the Highlands.
The woman did not want to share her identity with 9NEWS. But she hit on the very essence of what someone feels like, after their home is burglarized, especially around Christmas.
"Christmas is over," she said.
Her Christmas tree is probably one of the most beautifully decorated trees in all of Denver.
"It was," she said.
No one should ever have to say that, this close to the holiday.
The intruders broke into her house through a back-room window.
"They used one of my neighbor's chairs [to climb up]," she said. "It's just devastating."
In addition to the presents, the burglars stole two TV's, a Macbook, and a camera, along with a satellite box.
"They've just won the lottery," she said. "Somebody comes along that probably doesn't work, doesn't care, obviously, and they violate other people's stuff."
The stuff can be replaced, she said, but innocence cannot.
"It's just that feeling that you are not safe," she said. "I just don't want this to happen to anyone else."
Here are some tips to prevent your home from getting burglarized:
-Invest in deadbolt locks that have a minimum throw of at least 2 inches.
- The strike plate, the part between the door frame and the door where the bolt goes through, should be secured with at least 3-inch screws. That would make it hard for a burglar to kick the door in.
- Always lock your doors, even if you are home.
- Install motion lights around main entry points.
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