Family shaken after daytime break-in in Waterloo’s Old Beechwood neighbourhood

A Waterloo family says they feel unsafe after a daytime break-in left their home ransacked and valuables stolen. CTV's Hannah Schmidt has the story.

A young family in Waterloo’s Old Beechwood neighbourhood has been left shaken after a daytime break-in that saw thousands of dollars in valuables stolen.

The family said jewelry, watches, gold, silver, cash and sentimental items tied to their children were taken from their Craigleith Drive home.

Waterloo Regional Police are investigating the incident, which the family said happened while they were not home for a short period on Friday afternoon.

The family said what’s left behind is not just damage — but a lasting sense of violation.

“They looked at our documents, they looked at our pictures, they looked at everything,” said Shefali Katna, one of the homeowners. “They know how we look. They know how my kids look. Where are we safe if we are not safe in our own house?”

The neighbourhood, known for its quiet streets and family-friendly atmosphere, is now being viewed differently by the family.

“I mean, it’s a neighbourhood that I would always strive to get into. You know, it was probably one of the more prestigious ones in our mind… there’s a sense of community here,” said Katna’s husband, Ryan Carr. “Everybody knows everybody. And frankly, everybody feels safe. Or at least we did, until something like this happened.”

The family said they never expected something like this could happen in their community.

“Wasn’t even a thought…never, ever would have thought or considered something like this could happen,” Carr said.

‘Everything was upside down’

The family described returning home and realizing something was wrong almost immediately.

“As soon as I went to close the backyard door, I saw the lock was all broken… my first thought was maybe someone forgot to close it. But when I looked closely, I realized that was not the case,” Katna explained.

What followed was a rapid realization that the home had been searched.

“I went upstairs and everything was upside down… closets, rooms, everything was on the floor. I just started realizing what happened,” Katna said.

“They took the time to pull out the screen to get this latch open, because this would have been closed,” Carr explained, as he pointed to their now damaged back door. “[They] pushed [the screen] aside. Then used some type of instrument to break open the door.”

Police were called shortly after at approximately 4:15 p.m.

Fear, shock and questions about safety

For the family, the emotional impact has been immediate and ongoing.

“First thoughts — why us? Not that you wish it upon anyone… but what makes us a target? Could we have done more?” Carr said.

“I just the thought that what if they’re still in the house and they do something with my kids?” Katna said. “I picked them up them and went outside the house. The whole thing was just so shocking.”

They said the hardest part is the sense of intrusion into their personal space.

“What do we need to do moving forward? Do we need more cameras? Do we need floodlights? Do we need to take more measures?” Carr said. “I grew up here and I wanted to be back here, and I think that’s a testament to how this neighborhood is traditionally considered. Now, some of that image just seems to be shattered.”

The emotional toll has extended to their children as well.

“[My son] was asking, is the bad person coming back… and that just tears your heart out,” Carr said.

Despite the shock, the family said they are trying to move forward while adjusting how they live in their own home.

“We are a very normal family… just a normal middle-class family trying to live our life,” Katna said. “Just support each other, band together as a community, whether it’s Beechwood or whether it’s any neighborhood, you’re stronger together.”

Police remind residents to stay vigilant

Waterloo Regional Police are urging residents to take preventative steps, including locking doors at all times, and keeping valuables out of sight.

“Waterloo Regional Police urges residents to keep all doors securely locked at all times, even when you are at home, and to avoid leaving valuables in plain sights inside or outside your property,” police said in an email statement to CTV News. “Building a connection with your neighbours or practicing neighbourhood watch principles can also provide added security. Your neighbours can be your best ally against property crime. By staying in communication, they become familiar with your routines and are more likely to notice unusual or suspicious activity. If you are away for an extended period of time and want your home to appear occupied, consider asking a trusted neighbour to collect your mail, take in/out the trash, park one of their vehicles in your driveway and check on your property.”

Break-ins reflect shifting crime trends, analyst warns

Former OPP commissioner and CTV public safety analyst Chris Lewis says daytime residential break-ins are not new — but the trend is evolving.

“We’ve been seeing daylight break-ins ever since time began… but what’s changed, in my view, is they were once kind of rural properties, houses far apart, and kind of easier to go in and out and be undetected,” he said. “Quite often now, [break-ins are] in neighbourhoods that are rather affluent. And so, people are more apt to have valuables in their home.”

Lewis said offenders are also becoming more confident.

“Thieves are becoming more brazen and bolder. I mean, we’re seeing daylight smash and grabs at jewelry stores and malls. The fact that people are going into homes where they view there may be something of value, kind of fits into that whole perspective. And quite often they don’t know anybody’s home. If your garage door is open, then that gives them an access point.”

He added that perceived safety in a neighbourhood can also create vulnerability.

“If the thieves perceive that homes are relatively secure, and have cameras and an alarm system, things like that are going to deter people from going to those homes. But at the same time, you just can’t fortify your home so that nobody could get in. I mean, that’s just not reasonable,” he said.

Lewis stresses simple prevention measures can make a difference.

“The whole thing is to really deter them or slow them down so that police or security professionals are able to get there in a timely way. But really, what you want to do is stop it from occurring. Bearing in mind that’s not totally possible, just do your best. Make sure your house looks secure, lived in, and occupied. You’re less likely to be targeted…really that kind of neighborhood watch philosophy where everybody looks out for one another is really important as well.”