She walks into her house and is afraid.

Afraid he is back. Afraid he is waiting.

It has been weeks since he broke into her home and stole her jewellery. Yet she can't shake the fear. It has changed the way she goes about her life.

"To know there's been a stranger touching your things, it's scary. It's bad enough they break into your home, but to do that" -- she can't even bring herself to speak of the thief's most despicable act -- "you wonder what kind of person does something like that. You wonder if it's a message. What else are they capable of?"

He's broken into nine houses on the Mountain since July. He's stolen thousands of dollars worth of jewellery, cash and small electronics. He took a cop's badge from one house. He's busted in doors and ransacked rooms.

Most disturbing of all, though, wasn't what he was taking. It was what he was leaving behind.

He's defecated at seven scenes. Usually he leaves his calling card in the back yard. Once on the kitchen floor. At another place, he left feces in a bikini and on the bed sheets.

The cops call him the Happy Crapper.

Cops have dark humour sometimes, but it doesn't mean they're not taking this guy seriously. Police will tell you it isn't unheard of for a young, nervous thief to lose control during a break-in. But this guy doesn't seem scared. He is brazen.

He does his entries between 6 and 10 p.m. while the homeowners are out. He goes through the front door, sometimes pushing in the window to get to the lock, sometimes shouldering the door open. Once inside, he sets up his escape route, unlocking other doors, opening windows. He brings drawers to the front door, rifling through contents while keeping watch on the street.

No, the Happy Crapper is likely doing his business for another reason. Maybe to add insult to injury. Maybe for sexual gratification.

His victims are terrified.

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