What good is the police force?

My sister-in-law died last fall. My husband and I are both disabled and my brother-in-law lives in another state and is also disabled. My husband and I have been attempting to clean out the house she lived in and the little house in the back. But it is taking us a very long time because she was a hoarder and left everything piled up to the ceiling.

We have had several break-ins. They broke in the first time and stole about $9,000 worth of electrical and hand tools. We reported it but we were both very ill and could not wait for the police officer to show up. We also live out of town. We boarded up the back door with boards to keep them from coming in. A few weeks later we returned to get more things cleaned out and the thief broke into the house again, breaking through the boards. We contacted the police and they came and looked around. They wanted to know what was missing we told them about the tools (told them my sister-in-laws name was engraved on almost every tool she owned), two brand new Nu-Wave ovens still in the boxes, several antique dishes, a bread maker, and gave him the full list. He wrote everything down. The people had dead bolted the front door and piled garbage on it so we could not get in through the front door but had to crawl through the back door between the boards. A few weeks later we had another break-in, this time they ripped out two air conditioners from the windows from the outside and took several plastic vats of items we had put together for a sale. They removed two drawers from a jewelry box and some jewelry and left one of the plastic bins we had filled up with items in the back yard for them to pick up later. Again they dead bolted the door and also stole several items from the little house. We again reported this to the police and they arrived. The police said they would watch the house and come by every 30 to 45 minutes but all they did was drive by. We left the lights on in the house in hopes this would keep them out but it didn't. Left a note on the doors telling the thief the police had been notified and fingerprints were taken and when they got arrested we would see them in court but this didn't stop them. When we returned they had stolen our two fans we brought to use to keep the air circulating, several nick-knacks, and an electrical lift chair. We called the police again. When he arrived he asked us how "we" thought they got into the house. Our son told him through the window and showed him. He said, "yes, looks like that is how they got in." Then wanted to know how they got the chair out of the house. We said through the front door apparently since it was the only door big enough for the chair to fit through. We asked him if he was going to take fingerprints or find out who was doing this. This is what he told us, "well, my hands are tied unless you know who is stealing your things." And I am standing there thinking to myself, "Do what? Isn't that your job?" My son told him if we knew who was stealing from the houses we wouldn't have to contact the police.

I am really aggravated right now. I thought it was the responsibility of the police department to protect and serve the public, not let thieves get away with whatever they want. And since when it is our responsibility to find out who the thieves are?

I can think of several violations these thieves are committing including, breaking and entering, invasion of private property, theft, destruction of property, but nothing is being done. Why? Do we not have any rights at all?