We Were Robbed Today

[susiestar]

Star's list is excellent, but I would use aluminum bottles filled with marbles or those glass beads used for flower arranging (by the fake flowers in Walmart for a buck or two). If someone tries the knob the glass bottle may break. That will make it tough on a barefoot burglar but there are not many of those. If you get a cheap aluminum water bottle at walmart (or buy a bottle of Think Wine from Portugal [$9] that comes in an aluminum bottle and will relax you before you fill it with marbles!) and put marbles in it you will be woken up by the noise and you won't have to clean up the bits of glass that will be all over. Plus you get to try a new wine recommended in the Food Network magazine!

Star is very right about it taking time to work through all the emotions. And about getting something for your nerves to keep on hand.

Many hugs.

 

[jal]

Star and susiestar...Thank you. As I have said before this is soooo new to us. We've lived in our home for about 12 years and have never had reason to worry. Our town is so small - maybe 2500 people and in an area that is close to the shoreline and is known for its "famous" residents too (not that that's a deterrent). (Hearts&Roses - Lower Middlesex County). It never happened here much at all until the economy tanked the other year and people became desperate. Both husband and I grew up maybe 5 miles from where we now live (& we were in 2 separate towns to boost) and neither one of our households locked doors when we were in school as kids. We also never locked cars growing up. We have in the past years. It is so sad to live in this time in this area. It has happened to others, but like I said you never think it'll happen to you. What a wake up call. I REALLY THANK ALL OF YOU for the awesome suggestions.

I will give it a few more days to see if my nerves calm down. Last night, being the first night, I was on high alert. husband had a softball game and I encouraged him to go, but I really in my heart felt he should stay home, but I wasn't scared. Our neighbor, single woman, has 3 dogs (a German Shepard among them), a loaded .45 and her ex is a state cop. She offered any assistance, if needed. So I felt mostly at ease. It was more today, taking the day off, husband working that I felt I had to be alert. Not leaving screen doors open, etc. Tonight I feel OK. They aren't coming back, there's nothing left, unless they have a hand truck and a large vehicle. UGH...I thank ALL of you. Your support is appreciated and beyond immediate family, the only thing I have. For that, I am grateful.

 

[DammitJanet]

I can send you a very loving 8 month old pitbull puppy! She doesnt eat up the house I swear. Loves a kennel for sleeping at night. Shhhhh...I think she is all wagging tail and grins. The closest thing she has done to hurt me is bowl me over in the bed when she tries to jump on me to give me kisses...lol.

 

[Abbey]

So sorry this happened. It does feel like an invasion of privacy. My house was burglarized a few years back. Many lessons learned from that. They threw a huge rock through my car window and used the garage door opener to get into the house. This all happened while I was asleep upstairs and didn't hear a thing. Scared the living daylights out of me. So, I no longer leave my garage opener in my car. I also lock the door leading into the house. I lived in a very affluent neighborhood in Vegas where you would think things like this wouldn't happen. Guess not. The cops won't even come out to investigate. They've got murders and such to deal with, not a home invasion.

Hope they find who did this to you and you get your jewelry back.

Abbey

 

[jal]

Abbey - really good point about the garage door opener. I think we'll start taking them in with us.

Janet - thank you. She sounds sweet....I'm just not ready for another big doggie yet, plus I don't trust difficult child to listen and not bother any dog. Luckily our boston is very docile with him or he might be missing limbs at this point!

 

[Fran]

How infuriating that someone would take what is not theirs to take. I'm sorry for you but glad your pup is ok.
I did watch the show "It takes a Thief" and got some good suggestions. Being home alone during the day is a bit worrisome for me since
most people work outside their house during the day when B & E's happen. I don't want to be here if they decide to pick my house. I never leave the garage door openers
in my car and always, always lock the door from garage to house. I never have cash in the house so they would come up empty.
My puppies make a lot of noise and aren't very nice to people who come to the door and I keep my doors all locked when I'm home alone and
take every precaution to make it too much work to chose my house.
I'm sure that it's just a random house choice but it still makes you want to pack up and leave. I hope they catch them. Public flogging may be the way to go if they do catch them.

 

[Suz]

JAL, I was burglarized almost 40 years ago and it made a lifetime impact on my sense of safety and what I'll do to insure it. I'm so sorry.

Suz

 

[vja4Him]

I've been through this myself .... Terrible feeling of being violated. And I know who did it, but the police would not even investigate. They told me that I have no proof! I know who did it for sure. They took some things that belonged to my grandfather which cannot be replaced.

My father's home (different state) was broken into. The thieves stole all of our family history, including my grandmother's diary! I can't believe it! Most of it probably ended up in a dumpster. What a tragedy. Not really valuable stuff, bunch of old pictures (that can never be replaced). My father was just putting they together to send to me too. They also stole all of my grandparents really cool stuff (like an old rifle from the 1800s), the old tar bucket that my grandmother's parents brought with them in a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail, and lots more old stuff. Gone forever .....

 

[TerryJ2]

Great ideas, Star.
How are you doing, Jal?

 

[jal]

Hi TerryJ2,

We are hanging in there. Haven't heard of any leads from the police and I haven't seen anything of mine on Craigslist. I woke about 4 am this morning and had a little trouble going back to sleep with all those worries going thru my mind, but I managed to get back to slumber land. Feel a little funny having windows open at night (it's warm now), but we are doing OK.

difficult child is doing well. He went thru hiding anything I had left the night it happened, but hasn't done it since and hasn't mentioned it since Sunday.

Thank you for checking in on me!