I had a VERY SCARY experience yesterday!

[revvinkevin]

After I got home from work yesterday afternoon, I discovered SOMEONE had been IN MY HOUSE... and it was NOT my father or my roommate! Someone broke into my house!

Whoever he was came in through my roommates bedroom window, rummaged through all the dresser drawers and storage closets in two bedrooms! I called the police and an officer showed up to take the report and check for fingerprints. He finally managed to find one, but it looked like it might have been smeared.

FORTUNATELY they did not take very much, he did NOT take my check or my expensive Nikon digital camera (which was sitting on my desk), my check book or a large number of other stuff.

But he DID take my iPod Touch (of course the ONE day I forgot to take it with me to work!) and my roommate had an old PC laptop computer. So far those are the only things missing!

After the police officer was here for about 30 minutes did it really start to sink in and I started stressing about it! GAWD this is a TERRIBLE FEELING! ARRRGGG!!!

 

[andrewinorlando]

It's a terrible violation of privacy and one's personal space, but you will get over it in time. It just feels so "icky" at first, knowing some stranger was in your place going through your personal things. Just lock those doors and windows!! Folks would be surprised if they were to realize just how easy it is to break into the average home.

 

[iheartmaytag]

I don't think I ever felt more violated

Than when my home ws broken into. They didn't stay long enough to steal anything, but the thought that someone was in my home, touching my things was worse than if they had cleaned me out.

 

[parunner58]

Kevin, I am so sorry to hear what had happened. The same thing happened to us in 1982, but we were not so lucky. I found out when i went to the bank on the first Saturday when they opened. Our guy was a "neat freak bandit" did not mess up the place. The bank teller told up the checking account was over drawn. I would check your checkbook to make sure all the checks are in there, our guy took some out of the back of the book and took my social security card and my un-opened envelope that had my car registration in it. So he had ID to write the checks. Luckily a neighbor let us know who it might have been. He was caught, wound up being the boyfriend of the lady down the hall, was given two weeks to get his affairs in order before going to jail and did this to buy going away gifts for friends and family. He was being put in jail for tring to buy guns from an undercover state cop, stealing from Ingersoll-Rand corporation, and stealing a horse. He was sent to Greatford Prison in Jersey and was out in 6 months and back in her apartment. We did complain and she was asked to move out. He left our apartment and went on a shopping spree, but everyone that sold stuff to him ID'ed him when the cops showed his picture. he bought a ski jacket, BB gun,, walkman, microwave, diamond ring.

 

[jakeseacrest]

Disturbing to say the least! My reasoning is you enter my house, you lose a knee or a nut...depending on how I feel that day! A few years ago some moron tried to break into my sister's car in the driveway...they didn't expect me and my brother in law to chase them in a foot of snow while we were barefoot!

 

[ptcruiser51]

Different Feelings

My apartment was robbed around 1985. I didn't realize it until I went to my bedroom and letters I had kept were scattered on my bed, opened and apparently read! Like Kevin, my expensive camera was on my desk. I always keep around $200 cash in my desk, it was untouched! What they did was take a gym bag out of my closet and dump the contents of my jewelry box into it. Can you believe I actually laughed? Of all things, I am not one for jewelry of any kind - it contained only "junk" stuff that I had accumulated. Cheap cufflinks, tie tacs, that sort of thing. The only thing of sentiment was a cheap wristwatch my aunt had given me for 8th grade graduation. Cops told me I would probably find other things missing. They were right! A month later I was going to bingo and discovered my bingo chips were missing! In the usual metal can marked "Bingo", along with dotters and a few coins. WTF?!? Again, I laughed at the sheer silliness.

At the time there was a hot-sheet motel down the block (since demolished) that was housing welfare families imported from Newark. Other robberies took place with similar odd things stolen, cops figured kids.

My parents were also robbed about the same time while they were on vacation. Mattress pulled off the bed, drawers rifled, also (!) personal letters opened and read. Cops suspected girls, they took my OL's perfumes and nail polish. Cripes.

 

[thomasortega]

Well, that's a terrible experience, but not so bad as having a bullet next to the heart as a souvenir.

 

[jeffg]

The only experience I've had with this kind of violation is a mugging in West Hollywood, about 20 years ago. They took my $93 in cash but handed my wallet back (which was my main concern).

Strange as it might sound, instead of fighting with the two guys (one of whom was about 6'4" and holding a crowbar), I just looked at them with compassion and I could see/feel their aggression and rage just melt away.

 

[bugsyjones]

My house was robbed in December. It seems kind of unusual as I live out in the country. I suppose that makes it all the better target as there are few 'looky-loos' to catch you in the act.

They kicked in the front door and ransacked the bedroom. They didn't take much of value. They took some pocket knives, garage sale purchased watch (that didn't work) and some loose change.

The other rooms looked untouched until I realized my digital camera was missing. It was only worth $100 anyway. I'm just glad we weren't cleaned out.

I had alot of other things laying out in the open that anyone could grab, but they didn't.

The things they took weren't worth anything at all. Now I don't take chances. I've doubled up on the door locks and I have an alarm system now.

I feel your pain!

~Tim

 

[jakeseacrest]

Long story and kinda long...I apologize. Back in the 70s my mom and her friend went out one night and my mom had a weird feeling when she dropped off her friend. When she got home she called her to see if she was ok. Just as her friend was picking up the phone and started to yell, the phone went dead. My mom called the police and my dad started the car to go over there. Her friend had went into the house and took a shower before bed. When she opened the bathroom door, a man was in her house and started to beat her senseless. The cops got there after my parents did and had to pull my mom off of the guy. My mom still asks what was she thinking going into that house without waiting for the cops and it was over 30 years ago. Her friend had only minor injuries thank god. That story scared me for most of my childhood.

 

[earthling177]

Kevin, sorry to hear it, I hope things improve for y'all!

 

[laundromat]

Hollywood

When I lived in Florida, I had a neighbor who was always away. She was a flight attendanr for Delta Airlines and was in the process of selling her house. She came home one day to find an empty house. Somebody brought a moving van and took everything she owned!!!We were shocked and said that all of us as neighbors,assumed that she had sent the "movers" to get her stuff.When I was younger,our neighbors were all close knit and were all good "watchdogs". Even if you farted sideways,they'd call or come over to be sure everything was alright.

 

[yogitunes]

I was robbed 3 times at the same house (1983 to 1985)...they came thru the window each time, ransacked the house, first time it was the nephews of my BF boss, so we couldn't prosecute, next time was a neighbor down the street, third time we got cleaned out of a lot of stuff, and I know if a robber really wants toget in he will, but I wasn't making it easy anymore, all the windows had a holed drilled in and screwed shut whenever I left the house, I may return to a HOT house during the smmer, but at least it never happened again, they stole tyoical things lie camera and stereos and tv's....but they also took the ice cubes and trays, and the beer in the fridge, towels and soaps out of the bathoom, clothes out of the closet, not to mention socks and underwear, WTF, were they trying on my stuff?...but yeah violated and you alwayswonder was someone watching us thru the windows for weeks....an alarm system as never installed because we lived in the country and would take for ever for the cops to get there.....

but like I said, if they want in, there gonna, bt I ave one hell of a system now, it talks to me, "frontdoor open", "intruder alert, basement location", "fire emergency, al personnel must evacuate immediately", it will tell you which exact window is being open, and the call center is a split second a way, they can hear you all over the house talking, and I have a huge house, an amazing system.....

bt sorr kevin, that youhad to experince, it wll pass in time...take care....martin

 

[dogboy44]

AUGH!

I have had that 3 times, one was a home invasion and we were held at gunpoint. It was very scary and amazing at the same time what runs thru your head when you think you are going to be killed. Summer is a good time for this sort of thing, windows open day and night, and extreme heat makes people crazy.

I feel for you Kevin. So sorry to hear this.

 

[qsd-dan]

My reasoning is you enter my house, you lose a knee or a nut

Screw that! You come into my house unwelcome and you lose your LIFE!! Dead men/woman can't sue! This is a very important factor in ass-backwards California where criminals win court cases for getting injured for the crimes THEY committed.

Never had a break in because we've always had dogs. Got close one time when someone pulled the screen off of our front window YEARS ago during the wee hours. My English Springer went ballistic (best dog I EVER owned) and scared him/her off. Become a dog owner and give the dog access to both house and yard. Too many people have their dog permanently outside which doesn't help any when the criminal is inside the house.

 

[animasinsulinpu]

Break -in

That's what I say. "Before you break-into my house, make sure you picked out what color of body bag that you would like to be transported to the mortuary in because you WILL be" I think they also make designer patterns also. I will check.....Bill in Az....

 

[xraytech]

We have never been robbed, but as a child it was repeated so many times about when in the early 70's my grandmother was robbed, it was in the summer, grandpap was working the 3-11 shift and grandma packed up her 64 Impala SS with all 4 kids and went 1.5 miles down the road to visit my great grandmother, they returned around dusk, and as pulling in she was yelling at mother and my aunt about leaving the light on in their bedroom, and as doing it my aunt watched the light go out, and as they were stopping the carthey watched the 2 robbers run out the back door, which both were armed. Had it not been for the noise from the cherry bomb muffler on that car they would have entered the house. They only took some good diamond rings, and a coffee can of change, they never went through the closets because they were all crammed full of stuff so it was too time consuming to look through, they went through the fridge, and even ripped the door off of the chest freezer because it was locked(I guess a lot of peopl emust hide money in the freezer)
They robbers broke the panes of glass out of the kitchen door, grandma always shut and locked the windows before she left, and now the doors get locked, plus they all have dead bolts, there are 3 locks on the cellar door.After that story being repeated all the time, I have always kept doors locked, storm doors locked too, windows locked.
And if anyone were to enter my home they would not be leaving alive, weather I shoot them, stab them with my cutco knife, or strangle them with something or all of the above.
And grandma at 73 years old has told most of the town that if they think they are entering their house she is going to shoot them 5 times. She has her 38mm gun and we regulary practicve using it so she is ready if she ever needs it.

Sorry to hear about your break in Kevin, at least they didnt steal anything with personal info

 

[iheartmaytag]

My Insruance agent

said when our house was broken into, to expect another break in within a few weeks.

Robbers will usually break in and steal stuff, then wait a few weeks for the insurance settlement to come in and you replace the TV and computer. Then they break in and steal the new stuff. He said he has had clients that were robbed three times within a short time.

When I bought my house two years ago, the ladies already had an alarm system installed. I had it upgraded and feel a little more secure when I'm gone. When I'm home there is a 357 to help with security detail.

BTW--I was the totally rotten neighbor that sat and watched a neighbor move all day long. A moving van showed up about 8:30. The men were in uniform. I watched them carry out everything, thought it was kind of funny that they were taking the carpet. That night they came home from work and they weren't moving. Guess it pays to know your neighbors and some of their personal business.

 

[ronhic]

My parents were broken into about 10yrs ago on New Years Eve whilst they were away....

They gained access through the only window that can't readily be seen either from the street or from neighbours...the laundry...though they must have made a hell of a racket with things falling off the window sill into the (large) stainless steel tub...

So what did they take...a coffee jar of commemorative 50c pieces....that was all the cash in the house. They left the camera that was on the dining table, the DVD player (and they were expensive then) and even mums jewelery that was in the same room as the coins but a different drawer...

Needless to say, the horse has bolted but they now have an alarm!