On Oct. 17 at around 12:30 p.m., while the family was out, alert residents on Snyder Avenue in Willow Glen successfully thwarted an attempted burglary in the Murphy household.

According to San Jose Police Department spokeswoman officer Gina Teeporten, two neighbors called 911 to report the incident. And one man who saw the break-in chased the two individuals on foot, but according to the police the men got away.

When police officers arrived on the scene they found no evidence of anything stolen from the home, Teeporten said. She also confirmed that the screen from a side window had been removed, enabling the men to enter the dwelling.

Officers said it was the quick action of the neighbors that prevented the burglary.

Neighbor Terry Johnson, who lives next door to the Murphy home, said she saw and heard a commotion outside her house. Her boyfriend, Don Harker, was on the roof fixing an antenna, she said, when Harker saw two men run through their yard. Then she heard Harker yell for someone to call 911, Johnson said, which alerted her to the situation. Johnson then saw the men run through the yard also.

According to Johnson there were actually three individuals involved in the attempted burglary, but the police department could not confirm the presence of a third person.

Johnson also said she noticed a woman on the street frantically calling the police from a cell phone, as well as a neighbor chasing the two men down the street.

Five police cars arrived on the scene within minutes of the 911 call, Johnson said.

"I was impressed we had so much attention from the police," she said.

Homeowner Sean Murphy, who confirmed that nothing was taken, was grateful for the police's prompt response.

"The police department has been great," he said. "And in the past, when questionable stuff has gone on in the neighborhood, they have always been there quickly."

But Murphy is especially thankful for the neighborhood sleuths who noticed the men breaking into his home.

"We all keep an eye out for each other," he said. "And the whole reason these guys didn't steal anything is because our neighbors were so diligent."

After the attempted burglary, Murphy said he and his neighbors planned to be more alert to anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. "There are a lot of families with kids," he added.

The incident, however, has not affected the way Murphy feels about his neighborhood.

"Of all the places we have lived, this is the most secure I have ever felt," he said. "This is one of the best neighborhoods I have lived in. This happened, but it hasn't made us paranoid."