The fear of many parents came true as an Oakland home was burglarized while a 13 year old girl was home alone. The call came into the Oakland police department from the girls mother who was not at home. She reported a burglary in process and that her daughter was hiding in a locked closet on the second floor. Local police rushed to the Ramapo River Reserve and captured two suspects.
One suspect, a 55 year old white male, sat in the get away car while the other suspect entered the house. As police responded to the crime, the alleged lookout, Michael Hirsch, alerted his cohort using a two way radio. The home intruder, Angelo Carzoglio, is described as a 44 year old white Hispanic, 5’10 and 319 pounds. Carzoglio’s attempts to evade police on foot were thwarted by Detective Mark Piercy, Oakland’s PBA President and lead detective on juvenile justice, who scuffled with the suspect prior to placing him in custody.
Carzoglio was charged with burglary, theft of movable property, conspiracy to commit burglary, possession of burglary tools, and possession of a radio used to intercept emergency calls, aggravated assault on a police officer, and hindering apprehension or prosecution. Hirsch faced similar charges except for the last two related to the assault on a police officer. Employing a radio to intercept emergency calls is a crime only when used in the course of committing a crime. Carzoglio is being held on $250,000 bail, and Hirsch on $150,000.
The comedy Home Alone has become a holiday movie staple with its young hero protecting the home from a pair of bumbling burglars, but its only a movie. In real life, its every parents greatest fear and a real threat to a child. Child Trends, a nonprofit research group in Washington, estimates that three million children nationwide under the age of 13 are left to care for themselves for at least a few hours a week on a regular basis, and many advocacy groups provide guidance on establishing rules and procedures for preparing children for this responsibility.
In the Oakland situation, reportedly everything was done right. Children home alone are usually instructed to try and leave the house through another door, and if this is not possible, to hide in a room that locks and has a telephone; or in a closet as the young Oakland girl did. They should never be under the impression that they can intimidate a burglar with a weapon as this almost always leads to the child being hurt.
Other precautions that can be instilled in youngsters coming home to an empty house is to be aware of anything suspicious, and not go in the home. If the door appears to have been forced, if a window has been broken, if a ladder has been put up against a window, or if a strange car is present, a child should call a contact number or seek a neighbor’s guidance. Also, children home alone should not respond at all to anyone knocking at the door. Even if they do not open the door, by inquiring as to who is there they have alerted a potential intruder that they are home alone.
It is unfortunate that the down turn in the economy traditionally leads to an increase in criminal activity. The recent incident in Oakland did not involve the use of weapons, but a robbery in May of 2008 did. The possibility of burglars using weapons makes precaution and preparation even more paramount.
The Journal offers congratulations to the quick thinking young adult and her mother, and the successful work of the Oakland Police Department.