The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office counts at least 50 burglaries all in the same senior living community in Mesa.
One victim who lives in Dreamland Villas said she came home to find her house ransacked.
A necklace and bracelet her father bought for her mother in the 20's were missing.
She said while the jewelry looked to be real jade and emerald, it wasn't real and just carries sentimental value.
"I want to know where they are because I want them back, I want them for my children," said the woman who assumes the burglars tried to pawn the jewelry for cash.
Though the house had been empty for months, she said the burglary happened on the day she came back to the Valley and just hours after security had done a regular checkup on her property.
More stunning than the break-in itself, she learned one of the crooks squeezed in though a tiny bathroom window not more than a foot wide and then went out the front door.
"I either caught them as they were in the house or just after they had left the house," she said.
There are a lot of snowbirds in the area, so deputies still say it’s a good idea to have someone check on your property when you're away.
Deputies also suggest adding lights on a timer.
Many residents said they have added security systems after learning about the rash of thefts.
