[Mrs.Liberty]

I realize that not many are up at that time, but would one want to take the chance?
Unless he is skirting the buildings and keeping in the shadows away from the street light.

[spectre]

Well, Damon probably left the lights on downstairs if Brenda wasn't home yet. You know, before she woke him up to eat pizza. So the perp wasn't walking into a dark house, very risky move, don't cha think?

Now, if the crowd were all locked up in the "garage party", then the perp could have just walked in and up the stairs and out the front door. All kinds of theories in this case :~)

sw

[Luis Gonzalez]

"I realize that not many are up at that time, but would one want to take the chance?"

This may be about HAVING to take the chance, and not about "wanting" to take the chance.

"Unless he is skirting the buildings and keeping in the shadows away from the street light."

There's a shot of the streets where the van Dam's live on post #3, I don't see any street lights there.