Security / Privacy

An intruder's footprints were in the fresh fallen snow in the back yard. I got out the flashlight and followed the prints down the alley where they continued in the next door neighbors back yard over the chain link fence, and then into our friend Dook's back yard. I called her on the phone to have her take a look out her back window. She of course became alarmed and I reported the suspicious circumstances to the police. Withing two minutes, two officers were in our back yard following the prints. Dook called back and said someone had knocked at her renter's door inquiring where the basement half-address is to the house in between us, that is vacant and for rent. Apparently very bold potential renters. Mystery solved. Rental housing is so scarce that renters must be competitive. We have to turn the security alarm back on.

I checked out Google's "street view" of our address, and was astounded how you can look into yards. I saw our camper parked out back and Nan's garage door open across the street. I emailed her to warn her her absentee landlord might be calling to warn her about compromising the security to their shared garage. She might even see her smoking though the front window. I proceeded around the block in "street view" and observed Dook hand watering her front yard. She would freak out if she knew how invasive Google can be. Next time she visits I will show her over a glass of wine.