Bad, bad day indeed

Snakebreaker

Snakebreaker

Joined
Feb 7, 2013
Messages
1,859
Well since this is the forum I tend to haunt the most.....thought I would share an unfortunate turn of events yesterday. I arrived home just before 6 pm to find the front door unlocked. I knew my wife wasent home, so naturally some red flags went up immediately. Sure enough......we were the newest victims of home invasion.

Our home was ransacked and tore apart. A large TV was destroyed....she was missing much of her expensive jewelry.....a large sum of cash we had stored away was taken along with a laptop....IPad and 2 of the 3 prototype VTACs sent to me from Fehrman to test.

My bladed collection of tomahawks, fixed blades, kukris and Japanese swords were scattered all over the bedroom. I felt sick.

Called the wife and police immediately.....then the insurance company. Spent the next 8 hours filling out reports and following up on everything that would take place over the next week or two.

We are now at a casino trying to cut loose some as I write this.

What a shitty day.
 
That sucks man but at least you guy's are alright the stuff can be replaced. Smoke sent I have a special hatred for thieves they will someday pay.
 
Fortunately no one was home. Insurance will take care of most of the things covered under your homeowners policy. Maybe pick up an alarm system and a safe?
 
Hate to hear it, I hope you figure out who did it, or at least learn some security lessons from it. I have had my house broken in to several times more than I care to count) in most cases I actually got my stuff back, and in one case I caught the thief in the house and held him with a souvenir Katana (100% wall hanger) until the police came. Every time I changed something (unless you can guard your home 24/7 it's always vulnerable, but you can limit the damage or increase the work they have to do to get your stuff).

Check for cameras in the area, and consider that it might be someone you know. Good luck.
 
Sorry to hear man. Based on what was taken and where it was stored does it seem to be someone you know? Or any recent workers(cable guy etc.) in the house? Hope whoever did it trips and lands on the business end of one of those VTACS, thieves are truly scum.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Fortunately we have receipts and serial numbers for most items save the proto VTACs. Alarms are in the works. And yes......most items can be replaced and no one was hurt.......at least not yet. If I find out who, that may be a different story.

On a good note....we are still at the casino and are even up! Usually I think we are better off driving by the casino and just throwing the money out the window and head back home. At least that way we can save some time....lol.
 
For what it's worth here's the advice I give out way too often while standing in someones living room next to a broken doorjamb:

1) record all your serial numbers, either write them down or just take pics of the back panel and then save the SD card with the pics somewhere safe and apart from other valuables. With a serial number I can track your stuff from my computer nationwide if it shows up in a pawn shop, without it I can look at the local pawn shops if I have time and hope you scratched your name on it. 2) Reinforce your deadbolt at the frame (Lowes sells a steel bracket). It is ridiculously easy to kick in a standard door, even a metal one, that has a wood frame. 3) Sticks in the windows. 4) consider getting a game camera from Cabelas or another sporting goods store. They take very clear pics, even at night, and it's far cheaper than a security camera system. I use a Bushnell Trophy. Set it up inside or watching your driveway or carport. 5) If you get an alarm, even if it's just a DIY from the hardware store, get the loudest one you can find. Put a speaker outside as well as inside. Your neighbors will call in the noise complaint before the alarm company calls us. Also, I've been in houses and businesses where the alarm was so loud it was physically painful to be in the building for more than a few seconds. 6) Bolt down your little safes. Bolt them to something secure, I've seen folks who bolted the safe to a particle board shelf and guess what, the burglars just ripped out the shelf with the safe. 7) lights, outside, inside etc. 8) get renters insurance, back up your files, and keep the heirloom jewelry that cannot be replaced in a safe deposit box.
 
This sucks! I feel for you, my first car was stolen not long after I bought it and now I have a serious paranoia of this kind of thing. We currently live in down town albany ny, in what our landlord and others call "the student ghetto" lots of bars and college kids. My old lady is attending grad school here for her I.O. psych doctorate and unfortunately we've gotta be here cause we have a whole 2 bedroom house, rent is cheap and we have 2 85-95lb. dogs (they're well trained and my girl does agility competitions with the younger one) so rental houses that will take us are few and far between. We have a renters insurance policy and I rigged our house with a security system and infrared cameras as soon as we moved in, that plus me and the 70ish year old guy who lives next door are kinda known as the neighborhood hard asses, chasing off drug dealers and breaking up big brawls.
 
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Again....thanks. Sounds like a number of folks here can relate....unfortunately. Yes, it would be nice to find out that they somehow managed to hurt themselves on the VTACs or even if the officers involved (which I know first hand have been victims themselves) would in someway decide to bring the perp over and let me have a little fun with them. I know, I know......not likely.....but one can hope, right? Lol.
 
Well, crapola! Like I tried to get across to my students back when I had a real job trying to edumicate young 'uns, "Those who don't do what they're supposed to make life hard on the rest of society." :mad:
 
Sorry to hear about this. Not that it matters, but home invasion is when they deliberately show up when you are home. I hope things work out with the insurance company.
 
Thanks guys. I will keep this thread posted as things unfold. This has never happened to me and I never even gave it a thought. Its one of those things that you here about and just assume it will never happen to you. Kind of like how you never notice any station wagons on the road until you own one then you see them everywhere.....and no......I don't own a station wagon.....just saying.

Since it happened.....I've come to realize just how common this is and how many others have been affected as well.

If nothing else......hopefully this thread can bring on a little more awareness so some small measures can save the next person a huge emotional and financial headache.
 
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