I came home from dinner with my hubby and friends to find our front door knocked in and our house robbed-again. We are in the midst of switching alarm monitoring companies so no police response to our alarm but it did seem to scare the robbers off as they only took our big tv in the living room and laptop and camera bag with it's digital video camera, digital camera and brand new never used underwater digital video camera as well as our ipod bag with 2 ipods and an itouch. Officer felt like there were 2 of them-one to work on tv in the living room and the other ran into our study and grabbed our electronics bags.
This is our 2nd robbery in just over 4 years-last time they cleaned us out-no alarm back then and they were clearly in our house for a pretty good while as they went through all of our drawers, closets and such-didn't do that this time. Last time they took all of my heirloom jewelry as well as hubby's deceased father's wedding ring and other sentimental items. This time at least it was all easily replaceable except for some pictures saved to the laptop that hubby hadn't backed up.
Officer recommended leaving on a radio or tv when not home-that's what he does. He said he has a video camera pointed at his front door and an unmonitored alarm system as well.
I just needed to vent a bit-thanks and be safe ya'll because there are some real @$$holes out there.
Replies
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margarita brocolia
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I am really sorry to hear this BbA!..:angry:
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Do you have a dog? We always hope that if any potential burglars are "casing our home out" that the barking of our dog will make them decide otherwise.... :idontno:
But she would only bark if they rang the doorbell (not likely to happen). If they could just walked in I'm afraid she might not do anything.
I hope police can retrieve your property. It would be hard to feel safe after being violated like this.
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I am really sorry to hear this BbA!..:angry:
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Do you have a dog? We always hope that if any potential burglars are "casing our home out" that the barking of our dog will make them decide otherwise.... :idontno:
But she would only bark if they rang the doorbell (not likely to happen). If they could just walked in I'm afraid she might not do anything.
I hope police can retrieve your property. It would be hard to feel safe after being violated like this.
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Beach Fanatic
Hugs to you, that sucks. ::cuss::
Don't lose hope, the police may recover your things, you never know... good luck either way!
Don't lose hope, the police may recover your things, you never know... good luck either way!
Beach Fanatic
I am so sorry to hear that, it really is a horrible experience. I am just so glad you were not at home.
got any pics?
That stinks! You should call the Trunk Monkey folks and see of they have a "Home Edition".
Beach Fanatic
I am sorry this happened to you again--I know how it feels, had the same thing happen and many irreplaceable things taken.
I was fortunate though to have a tenacious detective working the case: six months later, he found the thief and recovered some of the more personal things--the story of how he tracked the guy down and recovered my things amazed me...
the LEOs were able to put the guy away again for a long time because he used a gun in the latest robbery.
Here's hoping you get the personal things back.
I was fortunate though to have a tenacious detective working the case: six months later, he found the thief and recovered some of the more personal things--the story of how he tracked the guy down and recovered my things amazed me...
the LEOs were able to put the guy away again for a long time because he used a gun in the latest robbery.
Here's hoping you get the personal things back.
beats on hood
So sorry this happened to you again, BeachbumAggie.
What's so frustrating is that even if one has a monitored alarm system, by the time the police get there, all they can do is file a police report. The police didn't even take fingerprints after our home invasion, even though I asked them to.:idontno:
Our perps got caught. They had robbed about 25 houses, and most of the items were in their house and were returned to the owners. Hopefully you will get your possessions back.
What's so frustrating is that even if one has a monitored alarm system, by the time the police get there, all they can do is file a police report. The police didn't even take fingerprints after our home invasion, even though I asked them to.:idontno:
Our perps got caught. They had robbed about 25 houses, and most of the items were in their house and were returned to the owners. Hopefully you will get your possessions back.
Beach FanaticAuthor
They didn't dust for prints this time either. They stole everything sentimental in our first robbery so this wasn't wasn't as upsetting in that way-electronics can be replaced. This time I'm just disappointed in people. I've spent most of my adult career investigating abuse, neglect and exploitation of the elderly and disabled adults of Texas and providing social services to those in need; this is just a bad reminder of how my clients often feel.
Beach Fanatic
So sorry you've had to endure this... not once but twice.
SoWal Expert
Thieves do suck! :angry:
If you have the space, I would recommend getting a home safe that is either too big or too attached to the house for them to move.
Hope they catch them, but I know it doesn't keep you from feeling violated.
If you have the space, I would recommend getting a home safe that is either too big or too attached to the house for them to move.
Hope they catch them, but I know it doesn't keep you from feeling violated.
Beach Fanatic
one of the positive things I got from my experience was that it helped me to learn to detach from "things." I had been working on the concept of detachment and not having much success...but after that weekend, not the next day, but weeks afterwards, I realized that I was better able to detach -- there was so much that I had to be thankful for, mostly that my son and I were safe...and while some of my things like my silver baby cup and spoon, and many things from all my travels...could never be replaced, I found that it did not matter anymore. Subsequently, I have realized that now I collect more experiences and less stuff, even on special trips.
So, maybe something like that will happen for you; and maybe you will also find a detective who won't give up on finding your things...that detective's stubborness helped me to feel better about people...because I had certainly felt violated and very disappointed in the human race.
So, maybe something like that will happen for you; and maybe you will also find a detective who won't give up on finding your things...that detective's stubborness helped me to feel better about people...because I had certainly felt violated and very disappointed in the human race.
SoWal Guide
BBA - glad you are safe and sound. I hope the thieves are caught and punished! how terrible to have your things taken from your home. it must feel awful to have your home invaded by people like that. hope those aholes do some time in the slammer and soon.
Beach Fanatic
So grateful you were not home when the thieves chose to break into your home. Glad you and hubby are safe, but so sorry about the violation of privacy and inconvience with the losses. Hopefully you will never have to experience this again!!
Beach Fanatic
Geez...what area do you live in?
Beach Fanatic
Does anybody know why the police don't dust for prints? I sort of thought that would be SOP.
SoWal Expert
After watching all the CSI type shows on TV, a normal person would think that all cops dust for prints at the scene of robberies, but the truth is that they don't. I don't know the reasons why, but probably due to lack of funds to run deep investigations for what they may consider to be smaller crimes. When I was small child, we were robbed and they stole a couple of guns in addition to other easy to sell items. This was in a rural area, and the Sheriff's deputy dusted for prints at the scene, though no one was ever caught. I'm not sure if they would have dusted for prints if the guns had not been stolen, but maybe that is "trigger" to dust.
BBAggie, was this your beach home in SoWal?
I cannot help but wonder if you posted your facebook status or photo while you were out, announcing to friends, and sometimes strangers, who we call our FB friends. How many FB friends are your "real" friends? There have been some recent cases of someone posting their location on FB, and while they are out, a FB friend breaks into their home and robs them. Just something to think about. Fortunately, the vast majority of people are not thieves, but it sucks when we are hit by the minority.
BBAggie, was this your beach home in SoWal?
I cannot help but wonder if you posted your facebook status or photo while you were out, announcing to friends, and sometimes strangers, who we call our FB friends. How many FB friends are your "real" friends? There have been some recent cases of someone posting their location on FB, and while they are out, a FB friend breaks into their home and robs them. Just something to think about. Fortunately, the vast majority of people are not thieves, but it sucks when we are hit by the minority.
beats on hood
After watching all the CSI type shows on TV, a normal person would think that all cops dust for prints at the scene of robberies, but the truth is that they don't. I don't know the reasons why, but probably due to lack of funds to run deep investigations for what they may consider to be smaller crimes. When I was small child, we were robbed and they stole a couple of guns in addition to other easy to sell items. This was in a rural area, and the Sheriff's deputy dusted for prints at the scene, though no one was ever caught. I'm not sure if they would have dusted for prints if the guns had not been stolen, but maybe that is "trigger" to dust.That's similar to how our break-in happened. I told a colleague (professor) that hubby was leaving for Japan, so our daughter and I were spending the weekend at Mom's. Apparently he told his wife, and his daughter overheard it. I was tired that day and decided to leave the next AM. His daughter and her husband broke into our house that night while we were in it.
BBAggie, was this your beach home in SoWal?
I cannot help but wonder if you posted your facebook status or photo while you were out, announcing to friends, and sometimes strangers, who we call our FB friends. How many FB friends are your "real" friends? There have been some recent cases of someone posting their location on FB, and while they are out, a FB friend breaks into their home and robs them. Just something to think about. Fortunately, the vast majority of people are not thieves, but it sucks when we are hit by the minority.
As I said in another post, they broke into about 25 homes. I sat in on the trial every day and heard testimony from one of her classmates who had told her that she was going out of town. The professor's daughter and son-in-law broke into the classmate's house that night. She's out of jail now, but her husband is still in jail because he raped some of the women in the homes they broke into. In one of their robberies, they stayed there so long that they made themselves a steak dinner!
Now I just don't tell anyone when we're leaving town. If someone says, for example, "Are you going anywhere over the holidays?", I say no.
Edited
Beach FanaticAuthor
We live in a nice professional, mostly double income area of Arlington, TX. We are actually a little on the younger end of the population of the neighborhood, but it's very much a family neighborhood.
No FB post but it was a workday, our recycle bin was out all day and I think that was an indicator that we weren't home, our front door is recessed so no one can see someone kick it down.
I have my privacy settings quite tight on my FB due to my working for the state government and just not wanting people I don't know or don't like to know my business. I must say that I'd never thought about someone I trust letting someone not trustworthy know, by accident, that I was out of town and could be robbed.
Last night we bought a new front door along with a security storm door that they say can withstand being beat on with a baseball bad and might crack after it's kicked about 15 times but won't give. My neighbor runs a security company and he's here now to install some upgraded security as well.
No FB post but it was a workday, our recycle bin was out all day and I think that was an indicator that we weren't home, our front door is recessed so no one can see someone kick it down.
I have my privacy settings quite tight on my FB due to my working for the state government and just not wanting people I don't know or don't like to know my business. I must say that I'd never thought about someone I trust letting someone not trustworthy know, by accident, that I was out of town and could be robbed.
Last night we bought a new front door along with a security storm door that they say can withstand being beat on with a baseball bad and might crack after it's kicked about 15 times but won't give. My neighbor runs a security company and he's here now to install some upgraded security as well.
SoWal Guide
I've heard more about FB lately with regard to personal security, robberies, ID theft/hacking etc. Glad I decided early on to never post anything personal, especially not about my kid, unless its just very vague (I also limit photo posts to almost never). Also, I never participated in any game or application on FB because it always requires pulling from my personal info and all my friends personal info. no thanks. who has the time anyway? Certainly, never announce a road trip. If you are like me, FB friends has expanded to include a whole bunch of people I really do not know that well and its just as well - I don't give it much time anyway.
Beach Fanatic
Area
I was wondering the same thing. I was actually robbed by someone working in my home for me and she lived across 98 off of 331. The police were not nice and did not make up a report so I'll never see my things again. It was all mostly jewelry and it was very sentimental to me. I moved here because the people are so nice and reading this worries me. I guess it happens everywhere?! Bad apples everywhere. I feel for the person who got robbed. It feels like your privacy has been invaded. I sincerely hope they find some of your things.
Geez...what area do you live in?
I was wondering the same thing. I was actually robbed by someone working in my home for me and she lived across 98 off of 331. The police were not nice and did not make up a report so I'll never see my things again. It was all mostly jewelry and it was very sentimental to me. I moved here because the people are so nice and reading this worries me. I guess it happens everywhere?! Bad apples everywhere. I feel for the person who got robbed. It feels like your privacy has been invaded. I sincerely hope they find some of your things.
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