Thursday, November 15, 2012

Living in 2012

Let me explain how I now have to live circa 2012:

I must at all times:
  • Be sure to keep all doors and windows locked, even when home
  • Remove every last item from our vehicles and carry them inside each day and/or trip
  • Lock the door from my garage to the inside of my house
  • Manually lock my garage door from the inside, at all times
Here's why;

Some thugs, punks, sorry s.o.b's, decided it was OK to break into our truck.  Since it's too big for our garage it gets parked in the driveway.  Wouldn't think this would be a big deal, since it WAS locked. We are neurotic about locking our car.

It along with my MP3 player, the corresponding cords and cables, were all hidden inside the glove box, not out in the open where they could see them.  So even though we hid them, it is still not enough! 

It gets even scarier!  Then the jack balls, decided to take our garage door opener from the truck, use it and gain access to the SUV in the garage.  They proceeded to steel the GPS that was in there, as well as the Moose's prescription glasses.  What in the world would they do with his glasses?  They skipped over his shotgun.  I guess it wouldn't fit into the pockets on their pants.

We count our blessings they decided to keep to the cars, and not work their way in to our home.  This happened while we were sleeping.   You see, we don't lock the door from the garage to the house.  What for?  The garage door is down when you go to bed at night!  Who would think to keep your garage door opener on your person?  If these are "just kids" as the police seem to think, then why are they brazen enough to not just stick to the easy target outside on the driveway, but actually enter our house as we slept!!

We and our dog, did not hear a thing.  It's on the opposite side of our house, and unless you are close to the garage, you do not hear the garage door.  I'm creeped out!

Of course, the police think we left the car open.  Then may I ask, why did it happen again the next night?  We cleaned out any remaining items and double checked that the car was indeed LOCKED!  Of course we took the extra step, after already knowing you were violated to begin with!  So how, did the truck end up open again this morning?  Creepy, and disgusting all at the same time.

I had to file a police report, change the remote garage door openers, and get the Moose some new glasses.  The other stuff is inconsequential.  But really?!

I know, generally speaking I'm naive about many things.  I want to believe the glass is half full, not empty, and that people are generally good.  I am having to re-evaluate my interpretation of the human race.  If this is living in 2012, I can hardly wait for 2013.

15 comments:

  1. It will only get worse.

    I'm glad you two didn't get hurt. Home invasions are my greatest fear. I no longer depend on my dog at night. She is older and seems to sleep very hard at times.

    I'm stunned they didn't grab the shot gun. Funny I read this today just now. I had earlier today been considering the lock issue on the door that goes into our garage.

    This crap the police gave you is tired and worn out. Who the heck leave their cars unlocked these days?

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    1. Matt,

      While I'm not happy I had to have this happen, I am happy that maybe by you reading it you'll make the change you were considering on your door into your garage, and save you the agony of such an event. Thanks for following along. Glad to see (read) you're back.

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  2. Hell fire ! I think you've come to know how much I mistrust all around me. City life most definitely is getting worse all the time. Times are getting tough for a lot of people, so petty theft is on the rise. Especially for the under 25 crowd.
    How soon until major crime with violence starts occurring on a regular basis...
    Guess ya gotta get your place sold soon and move on out to the compound eh.
    Harbor freight sells a motion sensor for under twenty bucks which will alert you to the presence of any one in the area. We use one here at the house, cheap alarm system. I had thought of them for the retreat also, they will broadcast up to 150 ft. from the sensor.

    Sure sorry to hear of the trouble. More than anything it does indeed creep one out. Especially when they come back for seconds...

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Spud, yes I know it's getting worse. A friend of ours, Officer R.R. of the sheriffs dept stopped by to check on us, and that was nice. He stated crime is definately UP! We live in a gated community, and it's a friendly reminder that it doesn't matter where you live, you may be the next target.. keep'em loaded

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  3. Izzy,

    Out of curiosity do you have a political sticker on your vehicle? Or an NRA sticker?

    So kids/gangs have been targeting vehicles with these type of stickers. We removed our NRA stickers from our trucks.

    We have also locked out garage door from the inside and removed the door with the pulley off track. You mentioned you sleep on the other side of the house, may I recommend you pick up a portable alarm (there at most $10.00 and hang on the door handle with a sensor that gets placed between the door and the door jam). You can place this on the inside of the door going into the house from the garage. If someone were to open the door, this alarm will go off (loudly) giving you time to prerpare to arm yourself, and you'll know when someone has come in through the garage.

    Be careful and continue to keep things locked.

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    Replies
    1. Sandy,

      No political stickers, I live in a very liberal part of Florida, and I don't want to make myself into a target. We will keep our garage door locked from the inside as well. I am definately going to look into the portable alarm.

      Unfortunately we got very comfortable, who wouldn't after 40+ years of living peacefully, with no issues, theft or otherwise in your life. It's a shame, unfortunately, I think it's going to continue to get worse.

      Thanks for replying, and the sound advice. Stay safe.

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  4. Damn! I hate to hear about this Izzy. We live on a dead end dirt road but Justin started insisting we lock our vehicles every night. We now do it out of habit.

    I agree with everyone else, get a "gate alarm" we have one at our Country House that alerts us to any visitors well before they come down the drive (over 1000'). And, I just picked up a $5 300' one (at an Estate Sale) to use at our City House, which we installed last weekend.

    Just be sure to put it up high enough to catch the bad guys & not the racoons invading.

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you were a step ahead of me! We'll be looking for the alarms this weekend. Thanks for your continued support. I feel like I have friends all over the country and count you among them.

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  5. Sorry to hear of your troubles. Above replies are good ideas. Try a motion sensor light facing your driveway also. Whenever I cut the grass in the front yard I LOCK my back door.. lived for over 8 yrs in Chicago. Also I have a florescent light near my side garage door at the back of my house, dusk to dawn and it's lasted for at least 8hrs a night for over 6 years now.This is in a first ring suburb of St Paul MN. Good luck Enjoy your blog!

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    Replies
    1. Stan,

      Thanks for taking the time to comment. I appreciate the insight, and we have a motion sensor facing the driveway, but had it turned off. Shame on us! It's back on. I'm glad we learned an inexpensive lesson. It's more of a hassle than anything. But one we don't want repeated.

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  6. I'm so sorry. It takes it toll emotionally, but don't let it control you. I've been there..but we lived in a city then. It just doesn't matter any more. You made me rethink things that I should have a long time ago. Where we live it's easy to forget we have locks, but sadly we have seen a change up here too and have to work to remember to lock EVERYTHING. It sounds silly but I was afraid for my chickens on Halloween. Kids can be crazy you know. I did lock my cats up like they say you should on Halloween.
    His glasses....really...what jerks!

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    Replies
    1. I'm glad you are rethinking things. It's a very clear reminder to me that I no longer live in that safe secure little town I grew up in. I lock everything up now, and between the Moose and me, it's checked at least 4 times before we go to bed!

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  7. Sorry this happened to you. It is so creepy to think someone will invade your home like that. I have actually been burgled twice. Once by teens and once by druggies when we were at our "compound" for the weekend. Because my husband was on strike I went back alone after the weekend because I had to work and left him and my daughter at our new place. When I got there the back door and a window were open and everything in the house except the large furniture was gone and there was a kitchen knife on the floor of my daughters room. THAT was the worst. Police took a report and said to turn it into our insurance. They even knew who did it but said they keep arresting them and they keep getting released. No wonder people are taking things into their own hands.

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    1. I agree to the comment about people taking it into their own hands. We had two such this past week in central Florida. Two separate cases, and in both one of the "thugs" was shot to death by the homeowner. What choice do we really have?

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  8. So sorry to hear about this, Izzy. How scary to have your sense of security compromised. Praying for you and yours,

    Lisa

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