Nancy Gray isn't happy that someone broke into her car during the night of Sept. 8 and took her Yashica camera. But what gives her "a sinking feeling" in her stomach is losing the film inside.
"It had pictures of my kids - their first day of school," she said. Her 5-year-old daughter just started kindergarten at Springer School. And that day her 3-year-old son began preschool. She's hoping the person who took the camera will return the film.
"They can keep the camera," she said, "but I want my film back. We had two cars broken into. One had the keys in it. I wish they'd taken that one. Cameras and cars can be replaced, but not pictures of your kids' first day of school."
Gray, who lives on La Prenda Road, was just one of nine Los Altos families who had a car broken into between Sept. 4-8. Two other cars were burglarized on Sept. 8. The remaining six were hit over Labor Day weekend, said Sgt. Mark Macaulay, of the Los Altos Police Department.
"All but one were unlocked vehicles," Macaulay said. "The common thing they look for are cell phones," he said. He warns cell-phone owners - take the phone out of the car and into the house.
"The thief can rack up hundreds of dollars of charges in hours," he said.
The streets hit by car break-ins include Ranchita Drive, Panchita Way, Sunshine Drive, Delphi Circle, Julie Lane and two homes on La Prenda.
Because the break-ins happened in different parts of town, the police do not assume it is one person or group. "It is not unusual to have two groups hitting us at the same time, some on one side of town, some on another," Macaulay said.
To return Nancy Gray's film, mail or drop it off at the Los Altos Town Crier, Attn: Joanne - returned film, 138 Main St., Los Altos, 94022. No questions asked.