Instead of the familiar sound of her alarm, Summerland resident Brittany Parkinson was woken just after 7 a.m. this morning by the sound of someone pounding on her door.

Related: Summerland Crime Severity Index on the rise

She opened the door of her parents’ home to find a woman, appearing in her mid-20s and approximately 5’5″ with curly pink hair in a messy bun and dark-rimmed glasses, staring at her. Parkinson said the woman claimed she knew the person who used to live in the home “last time she was in town in 1990.”

After sending the woman on her way, Parkinson reached out to her mother, Robina, who had left just before this incident for a dentist appointment. This is when she learned that this woman, and a male companion who was waiting in a black Suzuki Tracker with a white back in the cul de sac, had also run into her mother.

Related: Penticton city crime stats up slightly

“My mom left at 7 a.m. and almost hit a car with the same lady in it. She (told my mom) they were just enjoying the view,” said Parkinson. “Then five minutes after my mom drove away, she came down (to the front door) and rang the bell multiple times.”

“My mom said the man in the car was about the same height (as the woman) with a blonde ponytail and slim build.”

Parkinson said she and her mom now believe the pair were staking out the house to break-in. Their house, which is located in a secluded cul de sac, was the target of a break-in around the same time of year last year.

“We have a private front door, so it’s hard for people to see from the cul de sac,” said Parkinson. “My mom called the non-emergency line when I woke up and told her what happened. Apparently, there were two break-ins this morning already in Summerland.”

Related: Property crime on the rise in South Okanagan

Parkinson, who grew up in Summerland, said she used to feel “safe being home alone or walking down a dark street by (herself)”, but her perception of the community has shifted.

“With all the break-ins happening, it is kind of scary being home alone, never knowing if they’ll decide to come back and do something violent,” said Parkinson. “We were broken into last year and now, with this attempt, it definitely is scary and makes me realize that Summerland isn’t exactly the safe haven I thought it was when I was a kid.”

Summerland RCMP were not available for comment to confirm the other break-ins. Anyone with information about the pair are asked to contact the Summerland RCMP. More information to come as this story continues to unfold.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.