Burglary

[Harritwo]

Came home at Lunch on Thursday and found a broken window. Believing that they may still be inside, I dialed the 911 and requested police presence.

They searched my house and allowed us entry. It appears that the scum was in my house for about an hour. No guns, Electronics, or Christmas presents from under the tree were taken,

The upstairs was ransacked, some drugs were taken, a lockbox with cash and credit cards were taken, jewelry was taken, and Christmas gifts that had yet to be wrapped and were in a bedroom waiting to be wrapped were taken.

A rock the size of my fist was used to gain entry. They smashed a double pane window on the side of my house, went out the back.

It appears they also tried to make entry into my neighbors house.

While it is like closing the barn door after all the cows have left, we have installed an alarm system, cameras, and motion sensors.

The police took fingerprints, photos, and spent about 2 hours gathering evidence. They also came back the next day and checked on my wife to see how she was dealing with it.

Today, it hit her like a ton of bricks. I had to leave at 6:00 this morning she didnt want to stay by herself.

She is a CCW holder and has her own Diamond Back 9. Even with her CCW, the alarm and a panic button, she doesnt want to be home by herself.

A thief has taken her feeling of safety and it is hard to see, I pray we get our sense of security back soon.

Has anyone ever dealt with something like this? Do you have any suggestions for us?

The jewelry has sentimental value to her, the cash and credit cards and merchandise can all be replaced. Her sense of security is what I am most concerned about.

George

 

[Leardriver]

The sense of violation and loss of security is a tough one. Maybe time helps, but your mind will always return to the day.
We have a 200 pound St Bernard who would slobber a burglar to death, but his bark will give you chills. Do you have a canine early warning system?

 

[Bob_VT]

Canine support is great............. just comfort and support your wife. There is no single easy solution. Hopefully the jewelry will surface...........

Give your wife all the support and love she needs.

 

[alldodge]

It takes time but you will be ok, but will never forget it. The scum that did it was a drug user, so they are looking for non-confrontational break in. The last think they want is to find someone at home. Most case out the area and know no one is home. They knock on the door and if no answer they break in.

 

[poconojoe]

Sorry to hear about this.
Had this happen years ago. It takes a long time to get over being violated. It was similar to your experience. Shotgun sitting in corner untouched, impression in bed where someone sat. Jewelry, not real expensive, but sentimental value. My grandmas ring for instance.
People suck.

 

[southkogs]

I grew up in a rougher area, and we were broken into a couple of times. And my grandparents were broken into as well, living in an even rougher part of town.

From my experience. You don't ever quite get completely over the violation. It changes how you perceive home and protecting home. You do eventually feel safe again, but it does mean you make changes. And Bob's suggestion of a dog (if you don't have one) is excellent. Better than anything else, a dog deters a lot just by being present. A big bark helps.

What has helped is to work up some kind of plan - the "bug out" plan, so to speak. In our house, everyone knows in the event of a break in (or what have you) there is a route you scramble. It puts you behind two locked doors with a phone and shotgun - in a worst case scenario, you know you have a little time while the cavalry comes in. There's even a plan for the "all clear". Hope we never have to figure out if it really works.

Sorry y'all have to go through this. It stinks.

 

[fishrdan]

We have bad a couple break-ins over the years in our neighborhood, been here 25 years. Even though we have not been hit, my wife is still on edge for months afterwards. I hope you wife gets back to feeling secure in your home quickly.

We have had "unsavory" neighbors in the rental house next door, seems they will fill the house with anyone who has a pulse and paying rent, oblivious of the thousands of dollars of damage they will cause. When the last batch moved out, I installed 6-7 fake cameras high up on the eves, to dissuade further unsavory types from moving in. No one in the neighborhood knows they are fake, and they look very real from 10' since I added CAT5 cable to them and ran it into the house. The new neighbors in the rental house are a very nice family...... $40 for the fake cameras = priceless!

A full real system would have been better and I think what you did was a good idea, especially for your wife's peace of mind.

 

[avenger79]

had one try to come into our house while the girlfriend was in the shower. he met our boxer. he managed to get out and close the door before she got him.

girlfriend starting learning how to shoot the next day.

I will say when I got the boxer the girlfriend wasn't all that happy about it, when it was time for her last trip to the vet the girlfriend had a hard time letting go. her ashes still sit next to my girlfriends chair in the living room. now and then she wonders aloud what would have happened without the dog.

 

[Harritwo]

We are working on getting over it. It was a rude awakening. I grew up where we left the keys in the vehicles, windows down, guns in the back. 7 years ago, we moved Daddy and Mom to the city from the country. When I listed the house for sale, I had to change the locks because we didnt know where the keys were. It had never been locked with a key.

We went in and out through the garage and the front door and back door were locked only at night.

Today, My wife locks the door and sets the alarm as soon as she is inside,. or sets the alarm as she is leaving.

Big difference in the way it was 2 weeks ago.

Thank everyone for the thoughts and prayers.

 

[Redfred1]

We have bad a couple break-ins over the years in our neighborhood, been here 25 years. Even though we have not been hit, my wife is still on edge for months afterwards. I hope you wife gets back to feeling secure in your home quickly.

I installed 6-7 fake cameras high up on the eves, to dissuade further unsavory types from moving in. No one in the neighborhood knows they are fake, and they look very real from 10' since I added CAT5 cable to them and ran it into the house. The new neighbors in the rental house are a very nice family...... $40 for the fake cameras = priceless!

A full real system would have been better and I think what you did was a good idea, especially for your wife's peace of mind.

Fake cameras have been around a while; I have some too! A Company installed system can be costly; are a basic system; and each thing you add (motion detectors; glass breaks; etc) adds to the price. They will also hang you with a monitering fee; some locales make you get a permit. You can get a cheap unit and go wild! Hard wire is better; wireless units is expensive. You can even program some to call your mobile phone in case of a alarm.
Won't disagree with a dog!

 

[SkiGuy1980]

Harritwo... I had an upbringing similar to yours. Never a locked door... and never a problem... but someone looking for an easy buck (or drugs) seems to be the way things are now. About 13 years ago the kids and I were watching movies upstairs... we'd been up there most of the night... unaware that someone was in the house on the 1st floor. Apparently they ducked into the family room when my wife came home and I came down to meet her. We weren't aware they had been there till we heard them run out after we went up to bed! Nothing much was disturbed and police figured it had been kids... scared us pretty bad anyway.
We put in a security system. I looked at shotguns, but I just wasn't familiar enough to be comfortable with them. Long story, sorry. Anyway... I'd say it was probably 6 months before things returned to normal without being jumpy.
Sorry you guys went through that. Wishing the best for you and your wife.

 

[dwco5051]

Cheap alarm system - keep a set of your vehicle keys next to your bed at night if your car/truck has an alarm system. Hear a noise outside push alarm button. Don't know how it works on bad guys but it keeps the bears and raccoons out of the garbage and off the porch. Our house is in the middle of 25 acres of woods so this may not work in the city where it seems car alarms are constantly going off.

 

[southkogs]

^^^^^ Similarly, I had a bud with a motion sensor that would turn on outside lights, and initiate a dog bark recording. You can find the dog bark motion sensor online.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Luckily we have never been robbed. We are in a neighbourhood of seasonal lake homes. It was a problem years ago but has gone to zero here where we are. Down the lakeshore it still happens every winter. Mostly kids looking for free booze and somewhere to hang out. However if someone did try and come in when I am home is in for a rude awakening. We have very strict gun laws here in Canada. Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

Time heals all wounds, hang in there.