Thief takes money, sense of security

For one retiree, the days of unlocked doors and a life unfettered by worries of crime have come to an end.

By JANE MEINHARDT

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 13, 2000

LARGO -- Age and circumstance have distilled life to a few simple pleasures for Craig Anderson.

Most of all, the 82-year-old widower enjoyed the peace and sense of security he found in a two-bedroom apartment off East Bay Drive in Largo. It has been his home for 20 years.

The walls and ceiling are yellowed by smoke from the Signature Lights he constantly clamps between his lips, and the carpet is worn thin. That mattered little to Anderson. He was content to spend much of his day in an easy chair, smoking, listening to music and watching television.

An intruder changed all that.

Sneaking into Anderson's apartment while he was asleep last Sunday, the cat burglar transformed Anderson from a man who never worried about locking his doors to someone who watches everyone who passes his apartment.

"Now, I'm going like this," said Anderson, rolling his eyes to look around and glancing over his shoulder.

Police say a 17-year-old boy from Anderson's neighborhood, someone he never met, broke into Anderson's apartment at 4:45 a.m. while Anderson was asleep in a bedroom. Anderson never heard anything.

The little electric cart Anderson uses to get around was in the living room. The boy turned it on, opened the sliding glass door, drove it down a wooden ramp and went for a joyride.

"He took that right out of here," Anderson said, shaking his head. "Unfortunately, I left the key in it. But I figured it was safe."

Returning to the apartment, the boy left the cart and began stealing valuables. He took Anderson's VCR, a CD player, a battery charger, cigarettes and beer. He didn't stop there.

The boy sneaked into the bedroom where Anderson slept. He found the man's trousers, reached into a pocket and took Anderson's wallet.

A neighbor who saw a boy leaving the apartment notified police. Within hours after breaking into the apartment, a 17-year-old was arrested.

"The first thing I knew about it all was when I woke up 'cause a cop was in my bedroom, telling me he needed to talk to me," Anderson said. "I guess you could say I'm a sound sleeper."

It was easy to get into Anderson's apartment. He felt so secure there that he never locked his sliding glass doors. He had a problem with his front door key, so that door also was unlocked.

"I've lived here 20 years and never bothered to lock them because it didn't seem necessary," he shrugged. "Everyone around here seemed friendly, and I've never had any problems with anyone."

Anderson knows he was lucky to get his belongings back, except for several hundred dollars missing from his wallet. A retired salesman for a records distributor, he had cashed his Social Security check and lost most of it.

Thin and soft-spoken, Anderson thought about the intangible things he lost. He paused and sighed.

"He was actually in my bedroom," Anderson said. "That's scary."

Alone after burying two wives and his beloved dog, Pepper, he still climbs on his electric cart each day for a trip to Kelly's Lounge, a neighborhood bar where he chats with friends and drinks beer. "I limit myself to two," he confided.

Anderson also continues to spend hours in his easy chair, smoking. But now, he does it behind locked doors and watches what goes on outside. Suspicion and worry disturb his simple life.

"I was dumbfounded when I woke up and found what happened," Anderson said. "I felt worse that it happened while I was asleep. You know what? I'm going to keep my doors locked now."

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