I’m sorry to hear that you have to deal with this problem. We’ve been having more break-ins in our area as well, and in the past few weeks, have had someone ring the doorbell and run away a couple of times when we call out through the door (we never open it unless we’re expecting someone).
If you don’t have kids, Allan’s suggestion sounds perfectly good to me. The #1 and #2 suggestions I’ve heard from cops is to get a dog (which you already have) and get an alarm.
It’s GREAT to know your neighbors are watching out for each other. It might be a good idea to exchange phone numbers and maybe have a sort of informal watch schedule if it makes you all feel more secure.
