The apartment downstairs was robbed today. The interesting part is that I talked to the robbers.

Actually, no, it wasn't interesting. Two teenage wanna-be gangbangers came up the stairs, just as I was going down them. It was early afternoon. I stopped at the top of the stairs. They asked if Alex was home. I said they had the wrong apartment. They left and walked across the muddy grass rather than using the walkway like normal people.

I had a weird feeling and walked around the grounds a little. I felt kind of like a dirty racist actually. What are teenage latinos doing in my neighborhood? Only white and Indian people live here. And some Asians. They're cool too.

The SWAT team guy who came to my door at one in the morning said that the perps were testing windows and sliding glass doors. If they ran across anyone unexpectedly, they would likely make an excuse and run off, just like they did with me. Today's robbery was something like the 5th in the last two weeks (counting our complex and the one next door.)

I feel bad that I came out after the place downstairs was robbed, but feel kind of good that I scared off robbers.

Lock your windows before you leave the house! And next time you look for an apartment, don't get one on the ground floor.