Woman burgled while sleeping

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

BLUEWATER VILLAGE — A 92-year-old female resident of Bluewater Village was burglarized while she was asleep, said Cibola County Sheriff's Lt. Harry Hall.

"She was taking a nap and someone broke into her house and took her purse and went through several drawers," he said.

"They also opened her vehicle doors in the garage."

Hall said the woman did not lock her door and did not hear the burglar.

Family members told deputies she is not forgetful and is not the type to leave her purse somewhere and forget, he said.

"The front door is a hollow door, and not a good one for the front door of a house," Hall said.

He recommended getting a solid door, or a door alarm that is available locally and relatively inexpensive.

"Some people have those door alarms when they travel and put them on the door to their motel rooms," he said.

He also said "lock your doors."

Taken from her residence on Jan. 5 were a black purse with safety pins holding the straps in place.

In the purse were her driver's license, about $40 in cash and change, a Smith's shopping card, a nail file and a black wallet with pictures of her children, Hall said.

"The elderly usually do not have a lot of money in their purses," he said.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (505) 287-8400. All calls are confidential and rewards are often offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved in cases.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197, or e-mail: jimtiffin1@msn.com.