NJTman

Friend of mine's property was broken into this week, and it brought back memories.

In the late 80's I was still living at home with mom, when I came home from school in the mid afternoon. Instead of going upstairs to take a nap, I fell asleep on the couch in the LR. Mom came home after 4:00 sometime, went upstairs to change, and started freaking out. We'd been robbed

They took my hunting shotgun, coins, and some gold jewelry, amongst other things. I remember how violated I felt when it happened, yet helpless to do anything about it. I guess being young, I got over it really quick.... although I don't really remember much as it was so long ago.

We installed bars on the basement windows, and life went on. Never got hit again, but I often wondered if they were coming back to get more.

A few years went by and I met a guy who "claimed" to know the guy who burglarized my mom's home. He said that he (a former burglar) and this guy "Richard" were buddies. They used to get together once a week or so, with a few other "burglar types" and discuss the scores they made in the previous week. You know... Diner food and boasting of your stupidity...


Oh well. I guess it's just a matter of luck...

Tallguy67

NJT, DW and I have been robbed twice. The first time was the most bothersome. We went to sleep about 11pm and for some bizarre reason we closed the bedroom door. It turns out we didn't latch the front door properly. When I got up at 6am to go to work, I realized we had been robbed. All that got taken was a small stereo, not even worth making an insurance claim for. However the fact that it happened while we were asleep really upset us. If the bedroom door had been open, our two 10lb lap dogs would have heard the noise and would have gotten up. That would have gotten me up. The way the house was laid out, as soon as I was out of the bedroom I would have been between the exit and where the robber would have been with them blocked in the living room. That is how bad things happen - a cornered robber who had to go past me to get out of the house and with two small dogs yapping around his feet. We were thankful for how things worked out but the feeling of violation was the problem and we didn't really sleep well for a few days.
The second time we got robbed was after we moved out here to the sticks. We came home about 8pm from spending Christmas Day in the city with the family. Someone had kicked in the front door, stole a bunch of jewelry, some DVD's, any cash they could come across and the precious pump action Remington .22LR that my grandfather had when he was young and that he had given to me (and about 500 rounds of 22LR).
Again, we could have gotten off way worse but the insurance company welched on paying for the rifle as I had accidentally let my possession license lapse. I was really ticked because the police didn't even care about the possession license, as long as the rifle was registered - it was. Actually, the insurance company welched on everything they could in that claim, but that is a story for another day.

Again, the biggest problem was the feeling of violation and being afraid to go to sleep that night.

So yes, been robbed twice, once in the city and once out here in the sticks.

madhat

Sorry to hear your problems, fellas. It sucks.

Some guy broke into my first apartment, OL and I were asleep in the bedroom, it was around 2 of 3 in the morning.

I ran out clothed in my birthday suit, that was the end of that robbery. Cops got him shortly after that.

Shovelhead

You ment besides every April 15th?.........

Lary Ellis (Top)

I worked a grave yard shift at a 7/11 when I was 17 and a guy came in and stuck a .45 in my face and demanded the money...I had a old hickory police billy club hanging on a leather strap under the cash register and I grabbed it as I pretended to open the cash drawer.

I hit the guy so hard in the neck and lower head that I thought I killed him....he went down hard to the left and I went out the back door to the right just in case he could see well enough to pop a cap in my butt.

I saw him from around the corner of the store stumble to a vehicle holding his head at a weird angle and drive away. I wouldn't be surprised if he still has neck trouble to this day as the billy club split from the force of the blow I gave him.

I think what saved him was I caught him with the center part of the club instead of the heavier end.....other wise I believe it would have been a home run

Cop told me later when filling out the report I was crazy for trying that as ONLY highly trained police officers like himself (fresh from the academy) were capable of attempting such a thing in a dangerous situation like that. I was supposed to give up the money like a good sheep.

I told him that in my opinion if a guy is crazy enough to stick a .45 in your face he is crazy enough to pull the trigger so you better react if you have an opening. That just got me one of these...

cougar

March 1980. 2 dead, 2 injured in a home invasion. 2 guys walked into a friends house looking for drugs and money. I was 1 of the injured.

NJTman

Wow....


Glad you made it out ok. my story was a insignificant compared to that one...

Onemoparnut

The person T was refering to was me. I caught a guy stealing my dirt bikes early thursady morning. I made a mistake because I didn't really know what was going on and as a result he was able to get away. Had I known what was actually going on I would have do e things different. Sucks because now my wife and I are having a hard time sleeping I hope the police can catch him. He dropped his helmet when he ran form me when he saw the shot gun so I hope they can get something from it to identify him.

gorms

Does seem to happen when you least expect it. 2 years ago I noticed a dirt ring where my spare set of wheels and tires where sitting, could have been several days since it happened. I looked up and down for a truck with those wheels, never did find them.

A few months later I was at a fair with the wife and felt a little tug at my rear (wallet) and when I turned around the guy quickly copped up a conversation. I knew exactly what he was doing and played along. Sure enough, few seconds later he tried again and thats when I hurt him!!!

SIXSLUG

Had a rather odd looking fellow walk up to me and my wife in Seattle about 15 years ago and ask me for 20 bucks. I said no and proceeded to walk on towards our destination and he ran ahead and came toward me again demanding my wallet. I reached into my coat as I asked him where he would like to get shot as I pulled my S&W .44 out of a shoulder rig I had just bought for the trip. He turned and left...rather quickly and we never saw him again that night.

It was Fall in the Pacific NW so I had on an insulated windbreaker that helped conceal the 3", round butt 629 rather adequately. The rig, however, proved to be pretty lopsided, even with .44 specials in it so I rarely ever sling it on.

A home invasion would be a different story with me. 870 12 ga. riot with 8 shots of 00 buck is what I keep handy. We also use a danger word, which is meant to send everyone into a safe corner of the upstairs, so I can eliminate any threat without drawing fire in my family's general direction.

Gotta have a plan for fire and break ins no matter what or where.

NJTman

So much for me being discreet....


Hope you and your wife are coping well with that crappy situation there. More importantly, I'm hoping the neighbors are keeping watch on your home as well as the local PD.

Keep it loaded and by your side...even on trips to pee.... I'm sure over time, the "tenseness" will fade, but unfortunately, that A-hole took something from you guys without actually leaving with anything...


Peace of mind..

westcoaster

Got a call at work (1:00 on a Friday afternoon) a few weeks back from one of my neighbours. My alarm was ringing. Few seconds later he phoned to say the side light window was smashed and the front door was open...

The second my alarm went off one of the other neighbours looked out the window to see a brown guy skipping out of my house and into the drivers side of a waiting blue minivan. Neighbour dialed 911.
Nothing was taken, wife had an antique plastic purse on her night stand the guy threw on the floor, he grabbed the kids jewelry tree and tossed that beside the front door.
I think he had a little better than a minute in the house from the time he opened the front door to having the alarm go off.

Coincidently , we had just sold our car the night previous to another brown guy for $2700....

NJTman

Wow.... UPS has been really busy in your neighborhood lately, huh ???

high bid

Will agree, the biggest thing taken was our sense of peace and security in the home. Hit twice in less than 2 wks. Basic things the first go around and then literally almost everything taken the second go around. They came in thru the back door sometime mid-afternoon the 2nd time. They layout of our home...you cant hear anything downstairs so I slept w/a pistol they didnt find under my pillow for about 2 yrs. For about 2wks we'd go to look for something and then realize it was gone also. I know if either one of we're home it would have been a nasty situation on their part. Fast fwd to today, years later we still have not recovered and think about that one sentimental thing if we could get back....
Also changed things up at the house....alarm, 2 dogs, fence, gate and scattered guns/ammo for easy access. Time heals things, good luck!

tankeryanker

About 18 yrs ago someone broke into my shop & stole all my power tools. Neighbor got hit also but he found some of his stuff at the local pawn shop but I didn't see any of my stuff there. I had just put my watch dog of 14 yrs down weeks before. Now I won't be without a dog & I put rebar in the windows down in my shop & a home made alarm system in.

The only other incounter I had a few yrs ago was my dog was barking at 2am as I was getting ready for work. Went outside with my Glock & here is this stoned out of his mind tweeker thinking he was taking a short cut to his place a block away. The funny thing was he's saying don't shoot me man I'm your neighbor & I'm pretty stoned right now as he asumed the arrest postion against my fence. Haven't had any problems since & I see that tweeker walking to town now & then.