Resident Recounts Home Invasion

The Ksiazkowski family of Simms Road feels lucky after a scary home invasion Thursday around 10 a.m. Patricia Ksiazkowski told friends and family through an e-mail how it happened and wants all her neighbors to be on guard for more sudden attacks.

"I want to let you know about our home invasion that took place shortly before 10 a.m. this morning so that you would be aware  and be alerted to  of any strangers or strange cars in the neighborhood and to let your neighbors know also.  Thankfully,  neither Ted nor I was hurt. The police do not think these guys will come back to this neighborhood again, but in the next breath they told us that there was another home invasion about three weeks ago on Newton Terrace - not very far from us." she said in the e-mail.

She then told of how the invaders went about their business.

"So, here's how they did it.  I'm sitting in my front room, just getting ready to start doing some of my reports, when my little dog starts barking.  My golden retriever is outside in the fenced in backyard, with my daughter's golden retriever, whom we're watching while she's on her honeymoon.   I tell Angel to be quite, which she does, but then the door bell rings.  When I go to the side door, you know, the one we always use at the driveway, there's no one there, plus no package.  Thinking it might be a new UPS driver, I look out the dining room window to see if anyone is at the front door.  I don't see anyone, but most times the UPS drivers just rings the bell and leaves, so I open that door. 

"Big mistake, I will never do that again in my life.  This really creepy guy is standing there in a dark navy blue mechanics style jumpsuit; he's right up to the threshold, and he has a clipboard in his hand.  At first, I thought he needed me to sign for a delivery (with ordering Christmas presents and getting wedding gifts these guys have been here a lot lately).  He doesn't say anything, so I say excuse me and almost immediately I knew something was wrong; I tried to shut the door put he pushed it in partway, I was able to shut it a little bit more  but then he was able to force his way in, threw me on the floor, then just stared at me as if he didn't know what he was going to do next.  Clearly, I can see his face and identify him.  Then he reaches into his coat, pulls out a knit hat and puts it on, down over his eyes.  Then he runs upstairs while I'm screaming for Ted. 

"Next, his accomplice must think everything is ok for him to come in, so he comes through the front door also and goes right through the dining room and heads for the back family room at which time Ted is now coming out and they meet in the hall.  Ted is having a lot of problems with his back lately, even more problems with his knees and is pretty much walking with a cane.  Thank God they didn't knock him down. 

"By now I'm running to the group home across the street as there's usually someone there, plus I know my neighbors on each side of me are not home.   Apparently they got scared with all the commotion so they left in just a few minutes without taking anything (as far as I can tell)  Their car was parked on my side of the street, hidden by Lonnie's hedges, but before they got into the car they went into their trunk. 

"Ted is convinced that they were going into the car for a weapon and come back to get me as I could clearly identify them; the police do not agree.  However, with their hasty exit, they left behind their clipboard with a catalog with a mailing label on it (a Springfield address, full name Carlos  forgot the last name but the police have it and are talking to Springfield police).  They also left their pen and a few other papers that went flying, plus their duct tape and another pen must have fallen out of their pockets and was on the front lawn.  Very comforting when the police told us that the reason there was a knot in the duct tape was that way they could pull it faster to tie me up, then ransack the house, but most likely didn't want to mess with my 6-foot tall husband."

Patricia Ksiazkowski thinks there may have been some divine intervention that helped the burglars from doing further damage.

"Funny, while I was on the floor my hands were just inches away from my pocketbook which still held my little Our Lady of Fatima shrine/photos and my two sets of rosary beads, that I had used for three classes this week.  The good ones and the broken ones that get so much use as I often fall asleep with them and am way too rough on them; keep meaning to fix them, but then I only fall asleep on them and break them again so have given up.  I'd like to think that our Blessed Mother was watching over me and giving me the strength to push back and defend myself."

Patricia Ksiazkowski says she is hopeful the police will find the two men and arrest them.

"So, the police think they have some very good evidence, car, description, (they're doing an artist sketch, just like on TV).  If my glasses weren't knocked off during the scuffle I would have gotten their licence plates.  I only wish I had both big dogs in the house at the time and wonder if the guys saw or heard them in the back.  Maybe it was better as they might have hurt them; golden retrievers are not that vicious but I think my Brendon would have bit at least one of them if he could have; you should have seen him trying to get over the fence but he really can't jump it so never made it out of the back yard. 

Patricia Ksiazkowski sent out this warning.

"So, please be careful and share this with your neighbors - I'm worried about some of the older women on my street and will talk to them tomorrow  Also, please do not put this on Facebook, not sure how it works but don't want my daughter to see it and I'm not sure what she can see but don't want her to know until she gets home and we'll meet on Sunday."