MADEIRA, Ohio – Jeff Cohen learned his lesson the hard way: Thieves can strike anywhere, anytime – even in a nice quiet neighborhood like Madeira, even in broad daylight.
"Lesson learned. If you've got nice things, put them away," Cohen advises.
A burglar broke into Cohen's house on Miami Avenue just before 1 p.m. Monday and got away with about $5,000 worth of women's jewelry.
"Had 30 or 40 missed phone calls and texts and then my wife finally got a hold of me and said the house had been robbed," he said.
Police say it's not uncommon for break-ins to spike during the holidays.
"People will do desperate things at any time, especially around here when people are at work all day and it might be easy to gain entry to someone's home without anyone noticing," Cohen said.
Neighbors said they spotted a suspicious person going door to door. One woman said the man tried to get through her door.
"They were banging on her door and actually tried to go in, but it was locked and she said she just peeked out the window and was watching them and that's when she called police," Cohen said.
Police say it's always best to keep doors and windows locked and valuables stored away.
"The less they can have access to the better," said Cohen.
The suspect is described as a man in his 30s. Witnesses say he got away in a older gray sedan missing a hubcap. A blonde female is believed to be the driver. Anyone with info about the car or persons involved is asked to call Madeira police at 513-272-4214.
