More on the break-in (see below). I live in a pretty nice area of Sacramento. Harbor Oaks Apartments in South Natomas to be exact. (I'll keep the apt # to myself for now.) It's a gated complex that you need a key to enter--though really all you have to do is wait for someone else to drive in and follow along. But I feel safe--there's no graffiti and no teenagers loitering about.

So I was somewhat surprised when I came out to my car two Thursdays ago to find the rear driver side window busted and the stero gone. But these things happen, right? That's city living. The most disturbing aspect was the police response. Which was absolutely nothing.

Being naive and new to the city, I went back inside to call the police. I never expected them to catch the asses or even dust the car for prints, but I thought at ealst they'd come out and take a report. No such luck. In fact, you can't even talk to a police officer unless someone's been raped or murdered. Anything less and the automated phone system directs you to go online to leave a report or go directly to a polive substation. So I did neither. I breifly thought about it just so the police would have a record of how pathetic a job they're doing at keeping crime in check, but I resisted.

Welcome to Sacramento.

Postscript: In all fairness, I still feel safe where I live and I still love living in Sacramento. I still love all that the city has to offer (i.e. theater, shopping, recreation). And I feel like my new car is much more secure. It has an alarm and the stereo is such that you need a code to use once the power is disconnected. Though I did just hear on the news this weekend that Sac has one of the highest rates of car break-ins in the country. Lovely.