AS A wave of burglaries, break-ins and tyre slashings continue across the city, two victims have spoken out about their terrifying experiences.
The crime wave, which started in early December and peaked between Christmas and the New Year, has seen homes and cars targeted right across Griffith.
North Griffith resident Manuela Bordin has felt the offenders' wrath twice in the past two weeks.
First her house and car keys were stolen then the thieves came back for the car.
With the keys in unknown hands, the family had taken care to leave their other vehicles parked behind the car at all times so it could not be stolen.
But it was left exposed for less than two hours on Saturday night and the thieves took their chance.
Mrs Bordin said it was obvious the bandits had been watching the house for the 10 days between the two incidents.
"It's such an invasion of privacy," she said.
"We have lived in the house for 28 years and this is the first time we've had any trouble.
"It leaves you feeling frustrated and angry and very vulnerable."
The Bordins had the locks changed on their home but were not able to organise new locks for the car in time.
While the vehicle was found on Sunday night with only dirt and scratches on the outside and damage to the interior, Mrs Bordin said she felt uncomfortable driving it, knowing someone else had been inside.
"Even my kids say they hate sitting in the car now," she said.
While having an unknown intruder in the car was bad enough for Mrs Bordin, others have faced the horror of having a burglar in their home.
Collina resident Debbie Weeks woke up on December 30 to discover someone had been in her bedroom while she slept.
She was sleeping alone after banishing her husband to the back of the house on account of his snoring.
"I heard my husband's bedside drawer opening and thought he must have been called out to work," Mrs Weeks said.
"I waited to hear the roller door and, when I didn't, I got out of bed and looked through the window. His ute was still there so I just thought he had been looking for a heartburn tablet or something.
"It wasn't until the police came to the house the next morning that I realised someone had been in my bedroom and walked around my bed. I can't believe people would be that game to do it."
Mrs Weeks was awoken the following morning by police on her doorstep, advising her car had been stolen.
She did not realise she had been robbed until she took the officers into the kitchen to find cupboards open and her handbag missing.
"When I realised what had happened, I thought I was going to faint," Mrs Weeks said.
"The intrusion in my home is so much worse than our property being stolen.
"You can replace cars but it's a lot harder to get past the feeling of having someone in your home while you sleep.
"I've lived here for six years and never been worried but now my house is like Fort Knox."
Griffith police have deployed extra officers to the areas where break-ins have been most prominent and have confirmed they are "actively targeting" a handful of suspects.