The forum--which actually made headlines in India and brought in the FBI--addressed an ongoing series of burglaries targeting Indian-American communities in Cupertino, Sunnyvale and San Jose. This year there have been 134 burglaries in Cupertino, 49 of them against those of Indian heritage.

The Indian community has grown increasingly impatient over the lack of progress in solving the crimes.

As a result, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Westside Substation organized the Nov. 17 event. The one thing all at the meeting agreed on is that help is needed, but they were divided on how to get that help.

"We need your help, it's up to the community to come together to solve this," said John Hirokawa, a captain with the substation, who was on the defensive most of the evening. "If we have no leads, we can't solve the crimes," he said.

Those in the audience, though, expected the police to discuss the progress made on the cases.

"You have provided little evidence that something has been done to solve these crimes," Raj Abhyanker said during a question and answer session.

"Most people know what to do to protect themselves," he said, referring to a lengthy presentation by law enforcement officials on how residents can protect their homes.

"This has been going on so long; there is fraud in the investigation," said Sri Ram, whose Cupertino home was burgled in 1998. Ram also voiced a common opinion in the audience that the lack of progress could lead to a violent encounter with an intruder. "If nothing is done, there could be a worst-case scenario," he said.

Hirokawa, though, stuck to his guns. "We cannot arrest the problem

away," he said. "There is no way to prevent every residential burglary."

Even so, the audience of more than 50 pressed the police officials at the meeting for answers. In addition to Hirokawa, two detectives, a district attorney and two FBI special agents were present.

"We want answers on who is behind it," said a Sunnyvale resident who gave his name as Krishna, "and they are telling us how to safeguard our homes?" He suggested creating a reward program.

A former Cupertino resident was among the many in the audience critical of the substation's poor response time. "The burglars went straight for the jewelry," she said, noting the typical pattern in the crimes. "We had to wait 45 minutes for police to show up; it was not a priority (for them)."

The long wait for police that some residents said they experienced led some to suggest more resources be allocated.

"The council is the final authority," Hirokawa said of the substation's budget of $7 million. "We're like a menu, whatever it is you want to pay for, the council will have to give it to you."

In keeping with the combative tone of the evening, Abhyanker also spoke to Hirokawa on another topic. "I am appalled and disgusted," he said of a flier critical of his run for Cupertino's city council. The flier was created with the support of Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith, who oversees the substation, and other public safety officials. "What have I done to warrant such an attack?" Abhyanker asked Hirokawa.

Hirokawa declined to comment.

For more information on the forum and for burglary prevention tips, click on www.cupertino.org and scroll down the In the Spotlight menu on the right side of the page.