A thief entered my mother’s room at the care facility last night. Luckily, she and the other residents were together in the dining room, when a young man entered the building and started to rifle through rooms.

Mum’s was the fourth room that he entered and somehow he triggered an alarm in her room. Two staff members confronted him, but he managed to escape. He was going through Mum’s handbag when discovered. She had nothing of value in her handbag, just some store loyalty cards and about fifteen dollars in cash. My sister has all her important cards.

The police were called, naturally, but Mum was not told about what happened. They phoned my sister and she agreed not to tell Mum as nothing was lost (she probably won’t remember the money) and it is best not to worry her as she has started to really settle in now.

Obviously, the thief knew the routine as he struck when it was meal time aware the staff would be occupied with the residents in the dining room. Heartless to strike at people so vulnerable.

To think Mum lived all those years in her home, the last 12 alone and was never robbed, and here within her first month in a place we considered safer for her, she is a crime victim. The security of the facility has been my main concern since the night Mum wandered out into the street. I know they can’t lock them away, but I do think they should have more secure systems, such as locking the front door. They do at the facility where Mr FD’s Mum is a resident, though most of the ladies there are capable of answering a knock on the door from anyone wishing to enter. Mum’s companions all have walkers and are less mobile so staff would have to answer the door, but I do think it needs to be considered.

Well, no guess about who has gone to the top of the stick list – actually he will be lucky if he only gets the sticking he so richly deserves if I get my hands on him. One day he will be an old person, and I hope bad karma rains down on him!