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Burgled

08:30 / 11.01.03

Someone broke into our house while I was at work this evening. My girlfriend had taken our daughter to the store to pick up the christmas photos. She was gone for 45 minutes.

Using a garden tool from the garage out back they pried open my daughters window in the back of the house, kicking over her fisher-price kitchen set and stepping on her books as they made their way inside. They went into our bedroom, took an empty plastic storage container and filled it with my dvd player and (at last count) 26 dvds. Motherfuckers took Bullitt, Donnie Darko and Muriels Wedding. Hope you enjoy Waterloo, assholes. They didn't touch any of the cds or the dvds on top of the book case. They didn't take the camera, cell phone, tv or computer. They walked past relatively large amounts of cash. And now I'm left wondering if they are going to come back for the rest of it. Renters insurance? Nope.

More importantly, my girlfriend doesn't feel safe here now. The house is really too small for us anyway but...I don't want to move because of this. Theres nothing to say this woln't happen somewhere else. >sigh< Fuck the dvds. I don't even care that someone looked through my stuff. But...they kicked over the kitchen my parents gave my daughter for christmas. She saw it laying on its side and yelled "Oh noooo! Kitchen!" as my girlfriend slowly came to the realization that someone had been (and still was for all she knew) in our house.

Someone frightened my family and I was, and am, powerless to stop it or defend them. Its a feeling of sadness and rage tempered only by the knowledge that my girls are ok.

Our Lady of The Two Towers

08:51 / 11.01.03

Yeah, it's the knowledge that they've been in there that is often worse than what they've actually taken. If they left loads of your stuff were they disturbed? I know that at work we've had huge problems with people stealing our DVDs, but I can't believe people would be breaking into private accomodation to do the same thing to your family.

And it's great that you're all okay.

09:11 / 11.01.03

Well, we only have one car so there is usually someone home. This morning a relative loaned us a van while they went on vacation. I have a feeling that our nextdoor neighbors teenage son saw them leave and knew no one was home. My girlfriend saw him and his mother standing on their front lawn when she left. I think he was moving out because there was a U-Haul truck in front of their house when I went to work. When I got home I went next door to tell them our house had been broken into around 8pm and the mother says "Oh, we weren't even home then. We didn't hear anything." Maybe she wasn't home. Maybe she left just after my girlfriend did. But I think her son is responsible.

Also, we're watching a friends 11 year old dog until Sunday night. The dog was in the house when whoever broke in. She has spent the majority of the evening laying on her pillow trying to sleep. I'm not sure if she just misses her owners, was scared by the intrusion, or what. I hope to God they didn't kick her or anything. Shes not whimpering and she seemed ok (if a little slow) when I took her for a walk a little while ago. We're going to have a friend that works at an animal shelter come take a look at her tomorrow morning.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

18:28 / 11.01.03

Not a lot I can say... but that truly sucks. I've only ever been mugged, rather than burgled, and while that made me horribly paranoid, at least I felt safe at home.

Get the dog checked out, because he/she can't tell you what happened (though it sounds from what you say like he/she is more scared than injured).

It does seem a weird bunch of stuff to steal while leaving other stuff... maybe the dog only started barking once they'd grabbed the initial stuff that took their fancy? Hopefully that meant they pegged it, realising there was a dog there, and therefore won't want to come back for the other stuff that they may (before noticing the dog) have thought they had all the time in the world to get.

Anyhoo... glad you're all okay, and hope the dog's okay.

And, once more, that truly sucks.

Nothing else I can say, really, other than

18:44 / 11.01.03

again there isn't much useful you can say at these times but i want to just say, you know, thinking of you guys.

19:30 / 11.01.03

That's shit. Hope everyone's doing okay, bio.

19:34 / 11.01.03

That's really awful. Sorry, man. Best wishes to you all...

19:48 / 11.01.03

Been there, it sucks. Hugs to all of you.

20:25 / 11.01.03

Yes, I've been burgled and the violation of what I thought was safe space was far worse than the stuff that was taken. The house belonged to him/them, not me - someone else's energy was there and it took a while to get rid of it. Some people never get over it; move if you have to. Or make your place more secure without feeling under siege. Good wishes you to, whatever you do.

21:55 / 11.01.03

Thanks all.

I'm walking around with a lot of extra energy right now, trying to keep myself busy... I took our case number and a list of the stolen dvds to a few of the local used/pawn shops in hopes that whoever took them thinks my taste in movies sucks and I took the dog squirrel chasing at the park (and she seemed just fine).

23:04 / 11.01.03

I feel for you. I've been burgled four times and I know how annoying, frustrating and depressing it is - especially without insurance. In my experience these people do have a tendency to come back, having gained a good idea on how much stuff there is and what transport they will need to shift it. It doesn't sound like the work of kids to me, they would have grabbed the cash and camera, small stuff that fits in pockets is usually their goal.

Get an alarm. It doesn't have to be anything amazing, just a single sensor unit with built in siren (the loudest and most annoying you can afford) that runs off batteries placed somewhere obvious but out of reach will usually be enough to scare them off. Mine also has flashing strobe light and only cost about $AUS70. Get a couple perhaps if there are more than one obvious entry targets.

It worked for me. I installed one in my home office the day after someone came in through the window in that room and stole only a few things and a few weeks later I came home to find that window had been opened again, the screen had been ripped but nobody had come through. I had the alarm facing directly towards that window.

Strange Machine Vs The Virus with Shoes

23:52 / 11.01.03

Burglary is a terrible thing.
But when my parent’s house was burgled, I was about 8 yrs. old and it didn’t bother me in the least. So my advice is that you should not try to dramatise/exaggerate things in front of your kids. Chances are it is nothing personnal.
I imagine that you only start to mentally associate property with yourself during your teens. Children are a lot more resilient to psychic invasion than adults. Install all your security devices or keep a weapon by your bed. Chances are this is a random occurrence, put up visible deterrents. If the burglar is intelligent he will probably wait 6 to 8 weeks to strike again.

01:06 / 12.01.03

Was burgled whilst we were still moving in to a new flat In Leith, Edinburgh. Hadn't even spent a night there. Police suggested we go to the pub on the corner where we could probably buy our stuff back, very cheaply.

Took a while to get over it but we did and didn't think much about it thereafter, though always left the place looking deceptively occupied when we went out and, coming home from holidays, my first thought was always to check the front door hadn't been kicked in. And it never has been. *touches wood*

I focused heavily on "nobody was hurt" and that material things can always be replaced, in time. Wasn't hard to look at it that way to be honest. But then all they took was the video machine (a desirable commodity in the early 80's). Smashed up the fancy cabinet I'd adapted for it, which really pissed me off. Had spent hours of labour on that.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

01:12 / 12.01.03

I know we don't always see eye-to-eye, dude, but I hope you'll accept my sincere commiserations at your robbedness. I fucking hate getting ripped off, and having your home invaded is the worst. Big hugs.

01:17 / 12.01.03

Heh. Um, did we have a fight I've forgotten about or have you been holding something back?

Thanks though.