Anticipating a home invasion shouldn't be the norm for anyone, but falling victim to a break-in seemed almost like a ticking time bomb for those living in Park Lane.
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An Orange resident since 2016, Glen Diemar says he's "been expecting" a home burglary for the past eight years after recalling a break and enter at a friend's home in the colour city before relocating to the city too.
On January 23, that bomb went off.
Mr Diemar says he came face-to-face with several knife-wielding intruders at around 10.40pm that Tuesday night.
"I was working at the dining table and after hearing the front door open, there were four blokes standing there with knives within a matter of seconds," he said.
"They would've seen me through the window from the street because they knew exactly where I was, so it was fully premeditated.
"It was only about half a second before one of the guys held a knife right up at my face about a metre away from me and I lost my shit after that, to put it bluntly."
'I'm pretty outnumbered here'
Thankful his wife, young children and elderly parents weren't involved in the incident, Mr Diemar says the intruders were spooked after he raised his voice.
Taking car keys from the bowl by the entryway, the intruders then fled the scene on foot with their jumper hoods only slightly concealing their identity.
The Park Lane homeowner then chased what ended up being a group of five men out of the cul de sac.
"I was yelling to our neighbours 'someone call the cops' before running after [the intruders] to the end of the street, which was about 100 metres before the cross intersection," Mr Diemar said.
"There was a getaway car waiting at the intersection with the engine running and the lights off, so there ended up being six people and I thought 'I'm pretty outnumbered here'.
"One of them lunged at me with a knife again and then hit me on the side of the jaw before running back to my house with the stolen keys."
'Expecting' intruders
With residents pouring out into the cul de sac by this stage, Mr Diemar says a neighbour "saw some of the teenagers" run to his wife's work car and start the engine.
One of the neighbours "grabbed [the intruder] by the neck" and pulled him out of the car and to the ground.
He says a getaway car - stolen earlier from Bourke and later found in Wellington - then entered the cul de sac.
A group member was reportedly seen by residents "swinging a metal pole" to keep neighbours at a distance before those involved entered the stolen vehicle and left the scene.
"I know it wasn't a personal attack against myself or our family, so I'm not emotionally upset or anything, but I've been expecting it," he said.
"Which is why I guess I didn't feel surprised when they came through the door, and in my view, those teenagers obviously have something seriously missing from their childhood, or they wouldn't be doing it.
"But nowhere else in my life have I lived with a pole next to my mattress."
Covering every base
Private closed-circuit television (CCTV) in Park Lane has caught people loitering up and down driveways in the past, residents say.
Footage has also captured people tinkering with both house and car handles.
"Every now and then you'll forget to lock your car or kids go out to grab something and don't lock it, but people have been rummaging through our cars and creeping around homes here for the past year," Mr Diemar said.
"The whole street is going pretty flat out with security now, we're all doing Crimsafe doors and have CCTV constantly rolling.
"But at what point does it slow down or stop? When someone's killed, or when an old lady's maimed?"
Protect thy neighbour
Park Lane neighbours launched their own WhatsApp community group chat, with roughly eight members communicating on suspicious activity in an attempt to band together and restore safety to their cul de sac.
Mr Diemar says police response to incidents in the area has also "been amazing".
He says officers are "clearly frustrated" with the rate of crime in Orange and appear "highly motivated" to resolve the ongoing lawlessness.
But at what point does it slow down or stop? When someone's killed, or when an old lady's maimed?
- Park Lane resident, Glen Diemar shares on January 23 home invasion.
The Central West Police District has commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the January 23 invasion.
As inquiries continue, anyone with information about this incident, or dashcam or CCTV from the area is urged by officers to contact Orange Police Station on (02) 6363 6399 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.