On Nov. 28, my family was the victim of a crime.

A young man stole my daughter’s car from our driveway. About a mile from our house, he totaled the car and injured himself.

He was not seriously injured and was released from the hospital a few days later. He then was arrested and put in jail.

It was not long after that that his family posted bail and he was released. As of this writing, he was awaiting arraignment.

While he is out free, my daughter faces the financial burden of replacing her car and the items that were in the vehicle, and dealing with her insurance company.

Thieves like this need to stop being burdens on society and their families. They should get a job or go to school and become productive members of their community.

Just as important, they should show remorse for their bad life choices and make positive changes in their lives.

Meanwhile, families of such individuals need to stop posting bail, especially if their crimes are escalating. As the seriousness of crimes escalates, the prospect of people getting hurt increases.

In dealing with such cases, the judicial system must hold these individuals accountable and make them pay appropriately.

It is clear that our quiet, safe neighborhood is becoming not so safe.

There is a strong feeling of being violated after an incident like the one involving my daughter’s car takes place.

We all need to increase our awareness and make necessary changes to keep our families safe.