Anyone else had their home burglarized?

[keving]

The week before Christmas my home was burglarized. It's sucks! They took a lot of stuff. I've slept on the couch in the living room since then only getting like 3 hours of sleep a night. We are still finding stuff missing.

By the way, we believe they were going around the neighborhood knocking on doors asking to hang Christmas lights for money. While making some repairs to my house, I talked with my mailman who says he remembers a certain vehicle in my driveway that day. He remembered it because he's never seen it before.

It was pretty bold of them to back up to my front door and start loading up in the middle of the day!

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Were any of your things recovered? Did the police every call to follow up? How did the dealings with the insurance go?

[PennyQuilts]

Someone stole my doorknobs a few weeks ago but the house was vacant - not nearly so much a violation as what you are going through. We've had some breakins in our neighborhood. Someone broke into the neighbor's house during the day, ransacked it and beat up the golden retriever. The whole neighborhood is horrified over that. That guy better hope no one gets hold of him because he is utterly hated in this neck of the woods. We've had some cars broken into, also. GPS are being taken. We think it is kids. I don't keep my GPS in the car.

[Kerry]

When I was kid someone broke into our house while we were on vacation and stole everything, even some of the appliances. It is the reason I moved out of California as soon as I was old enough. We also had a car stolen by someone that broke into our home during the night and got the keys.

The only way we were able to recover anything was what my dad could find, and could prove ownership of, at local pawn shops. There was some stuff he found but couldn't back because he couldn't prove we owned it (serial numbers, receipts, and photographs). Now a day it is a little easier because all of the pawn shops are required to collect the name of anyone pawning items and all of the items are put in a single database. Now all you have to do is prove one item was yours and you can get all of the other stuff pawned by the same person. Plus, they can find the person that did the pawning.

The bottom line for us is that we only recovered about 10% and never caught the people that did it.

[bornhere]

This goes back to my complaint that pawn shops are basically fencing operations carrying a few legit goods for cover. I think burglaries would go down dramatically if pawn shops were illegal.

[Karried]

omg, that is so horrible! I'm so sorry that happened to you.

One consolation, at least they didn't come in at night while you were home.

Can you get an alarm, a big dog or a gun?

You might want to put an alert on your credit cards ( call credit reporting agencies) just in case they snagged one ...also, put deadbolts on your doors and alert all of your neighbors to keep an eye out for one another.

So sorry. I imagine it's a horrible feeling of vulnerability and helpless anger.

I think I would go get a License for a firearm, it would make me feel better.

[centralparker]

I had a break in several years ago. They only took a few things so I assume they were on foot. The main thing they got was my laptop. I actually did get it back about six months later. A crack dealer got busted, and my laptop was one of the items the cops seized. Being broken into is horrible, and I hated that someone had been in my house going through my things. I was also worried that they might have seen things they would want to come back for. The insurance was ok to deal with, they wanted documentation of the costs of the items. When the police came they weren't really interested in trying to solve the crime. They filled out the report for my insurance purposes, but didn't want to get fingerprints or anything. On the topic of pets, my dog was home but wasn't hurt. He acted really strangely when I got home, but I was so glad he wasn't hurt. I considered getting a gun, then decided against that. I thought about getting a really big dog (my dog is a Pug), but ultimately decided a good security system with plenty of sensors was the best bet.

[soonerguru]

I was burglarized once when I lived in a rental house. After that, I was somehow successful in convincing the landlord to install an alarm system. That turned out to be a good thing, as an unknown number of people tried to kick our door down when we were asleep. Fortunately, we were awakened at 5 a.m. to find the the would-be home invaders leaving the scene.

Alarms and dogs are good things.

[Kerry]

This goes back to my complaint that pawn shops are basically fencing operations carrying a few legit goods for cover. I think burglaries would go down dramatically if pawn shops were illegal.

Bornhere - you are right about that. While at OU I worked in the warehouse of a small Norman company. One of my co-wokers left and we hired a new kid that just didn't seem to be honest. A few months later I left but I stayed in contact with my manager. Not long after I quite, items started disappearing from the warehouse (chainsaws mostly). Acting on a hunch, my manager checked a local Norman pawn shop and saw one of our chainsaws sitting on a shelf (the name of the company was on a label on the box). This kid had pawned 10 brand new chainsaws over a period of a few weeks.

If I was running a legitmate business I would start to ask myself how/why an 18 year old is showing up with 10 $500 chainsaws still in the box. It might also occur to me to call the name of the company on the freaking mailing label stamped on the box to see if they were missing any chainsaws. However, if I was running a business where the fencing of stolen items wasn't unusal then I wouldn't do anything - just like the pawn shop did.

[Curt]

This goes back to my complaint that pawn shops are basically fencing operations carrying a few legit goods for cover. I think burglaries would go down dramatically if pawn shops were illegal.

Exactly what I have awlways beleived

[Curt]

I was burglarized once when I lived in a rental house. After that, I was somehow successful in convincing the landlord to install an alarm system. That turned out to be a good thing, as an unknown number of people tried to kick our door down when we were asleep. Fortunately, we were awakened at 5 a.m. to find the the would-be home invaders leaving the scene.

Alarms and dogs are good things.

The last thing anyone would see if they broke into my home while I was sleeping is a naked white guy with a shotgun then it's boom boom out go the lights.

[Curt]

The week before Christmas my home was burglarized. It's sucks! They took a lot of stuff. I've slept on the couch in the living room since then only getting like 3 hours of sleep a night. We are still finding stuff missing.

By the way, we believe they were going around the neighborhood knocking on doors asking to hang Christmas lights for money. While making some repairs to my house, I talked with my mailman who says he remembers a certain vehicle in my driveway that day. He remembered it because he's never seen it before.

It was pretty bold of them to back up to my front door and start loading up in the middle of the day!

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Were any of your things recovered? Did the police every call to follow up? How did the dealings with the insurance go?

This is a good example for watching out for those you know. If you see anything at all out of the ordinary call the cops. It's their job so dont feel like you are putting them out it could in fact be putting someone behind bars that belongs off the streets. Thankfully we have the Castle Doctrine in place here so if someone enters my property unlawfully I can and will shoot without the fear of being prosecuted or sued.

[Luke]

My house was broken into two years ago. Thankfully, our alarm system ran him off without him getting anything. Nevertheless, despite leaving a cell phone that must have fallen out of his (or her) pocket the Del City police said that wasn't enough to go after someone.

Pfff...

[TaoMaas]

This goes back to my complaint that pawn shops are basically fencing operations carrying a few legit goods for cover. I think burglaries would go down dramatically if pawn shops were illegal.

I don't doubt that there are shady pawnshops, but I think the majority of them try to be careful about the merchandise they carry. As someone pointed out, there are regulations and systems in place now to make it much easier to track stolen goods. Did break-ins go down when the regulations were put in place? No, not significantly. Shutting down pawnshops wouldn't eliminate break-ins. The burglars would just find other markets for their goods...flea markets, auctions, garage sales, or just selling to other shady folks.

[Kerry]

The police just don't seem to be interested in investigating property crime. I guess that is why we have so much of it.

[PennyQuilts]

We just had a terrible event in my area. Right before Christmas, before school let out, a teenager with a history of burglary broke into the home of a school volunteer. He apparently figured no one would be at home because she was at the school. Unfortunately, one of her sons was home from college and sleeping on the couch. The burglar shot and killed the son to keep him from recognizing him (they'd been to the same school and he knew him by sight). Not long after that (the murderer didn't leave!) the mother came home and was murdered, too. Again, apparently to keep her from recognizing him. Her other son, age sixteen, came home from school and found the bodies.

Several of the guy's buddies helped him hide the gun and the trinkets he stole. His low life girlfriend tried to give him an alibi. He was caught because he was seen in the area, his prints were everywhere and they found the stuff. His buddies all gave him up and the girlfriend came clean under pressure, too.

[Kerry]

I don't doubt that there are shady pawnshops, but I think the majority of them try to be careful about the merchandise they carry. As someone pointed out, there are regulations and systems in place now to make it much easier to track stolen goods. Did break-ins go down when the regulations were put in place? No, not significantly. Shutting down pawnshops wouldn't eliminate break-ins. The burglars would just find other markets for their goods...flea markets, auctions, garage sales, or just selling to other shady folks.

They might find other places to sell the stolen goods but the amount they receive for selling their ill-gotten booty would go way down, and thus make the occupation of thief a low paying enterprise that wouldn't feed the drug and alcohol habits these people are generally trying to fund.

Springfield NRA Meeting

LENNY
Assault weapons have gotten a lot of bad press lately, but they're manufactured for a reason: to take out today's modern super animals, such as the flying squirrel, and the electric eel.

HOMER
Learning something, Marge?

MARGE
Hmm...

Moe approaches the podium.

MOE
Uh, hi, I'm Moe S.

CROWD
Hi, Moe.

MOE
Yeah, so last night I was closing up the bar, when some young punk comes in and tries to stick me up.

The crowd gasps.

SIDESHOW MEL
Whatever did you do, Moe?

MOE
Well, it coulda been a real ugly situation, but I managed to shoot him in the spine. (crowd applaud) Yeah, I guess the next place he robs better have a ramp! Ha ha!

[TaoMaas]

They might find other places to sell the stolen goods but the amount they receive for selling their ill-gotten booty would go way down, and thus make the occupation of thief a low paying enterprise that wouldn't feed the drug and alcohol habits these people are generally trying to fund.

Serious question, Kerry....how many times have you been in a pawnshop during the past year?

[OKCTalker]

Burgled many years ago. Didn't activate the alarm system before going out for the evening. Four teenagers on bikes kicked the back door, grabbed a laptop, guns and jewelry, stashed everything in pillowcases and put under a neighbor's bush for retrieval the next day by car. Everything was fenced in a C-store parking lot ("Pssst. Hey buddy - wanna buy a pocket watch?") except for one shotgun, found later by a mother vacuuming under the kid's bed. Serial number traced to police report. Chubb insurance paid everything.

Lessons learned: 1) Always arm the alarm system. 2) Post alarm company signs next to entry doors. 3) Install motion detectors on exterior security lights. 4) Use timers on a few interior lights. 5) Buy a shotgun and take a home defense shotgun course.

Simply, make your house a harder target than your neighbors. As the punch line goes, "I don't have to outrun the lion, I just have to outrun YOU."

[TaoMaas]

Simply, make your house a harder target than your neighbors. As the punch line goes, "I don't have to outrun the lion, I just have to outrun YOU."

A police officer who spoke to a club I belong to made this same point. He said, "Burglars are basically lazy. If they weren't, they'd have a real job. So if you can make it troublesome to break into your house, more than likely they'll move on to someplace else." His recommendations for the best home defense were a big dog and nosey neighbors. He also recommended using a pump shotgun, if folks were going to keep a gun for protection. He said that many times just the sound of racking the pump on a shotgun will deter burglars. It's one of the most recognizable sounds around.

[Karried]

oh yeah, a Motion sensor porch light, back door and garage ( of course, does no good during the day).

I hate criminals....

[westsidesooner]

Keving....Im glad your ok and weren't home.


The home behind us was broken into last summer. The older woman (very sweet woman) who lives there alone told me that she believes it was a group of people who had come to her home asking if they could do any yardwork/chores for her. She actually hired them once then asked them not to come back because they made her nervous. Her home was broken into the next week. That breakin changed the way we all feel in our neighborhood. Gone is the sense of security and innocence. After that the neighbor beside us installed lots of bright security lighting in his yard (like street light bright).........aarrgghh. While the lighting makes it safer, the lights are a real annoyance. I think burglars should be given much harsher sentences, and be made to do community service. They take away more than your possesions. They take away your peace as well.

And people wonder why I dont answer the door when Im not expecting company!!!

[Platemaker]

Actually yes.... this year has sucked royally.

My house was robbed in August... they took literally EVERYTHING all my clothes, work suits, art off the walls electronics... everything.... two weeks later my car was broken into... then the night of the Halloween parade my house was hit again... they allowed just enough time for my to replace stuff and stole it again... but also all the FOOD in the fridge this time. This was at 35th & Blackwelder... basically Putnam Heights. I thought it was a nice area.

ALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY!!!!!

Recovery??? NONE

Police help??? HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

Of course I've moved.

[TaoMaas]

... they allowed just enough time for my to replace stuff and stole it again...

That happened to a friend of mine who got broken into, too. The thieves came back exactly one year later and tried again. Luckily, my friend had used his insurance money to help secure his house and it slowed them down enough that they didn't really get anything. The timing made us wonder, "WTH? Do these guys have a 'come up' file or something?"...."Oops, it's January 24th. Time to hit the Johnson house again." Sheesh....

[fuzzytoad]

They might find other places to sell the stolen goods but the amount they receive for selling their ill-gotten booty would go way down, and thus make the occupation of thief a low paying enterprise that wouldn't feed the drug and alcohol habits these people are generally trying to fund.

you've obviously never sold anything to a pawnshop.

selling at a flea market, garage sale or craigslist is *much* more profitable.

[Centerback]

I couldn't disagree more with most of your negative comments about pawnshops.

In fact I used to oversee several pawnshops, including three in Norman. Each week we would submit digital records of all things pawned or sold to the respective police departments. These records would include the item make, model number, serial number and a detailed, physical description of the item.

If a person in our database was determined to have broken any laws in relation to any transaction at any of our stores, that person was permanently barred from pawning or selling anything to all of our stores.

Pawn shops are highly regulated, and police departments usually have very good relationships with the pawn shops in their jurisdiction. It is a statistical fact that less than one half of one percent of items pawned or sold are a result of ill-gotten means.

Now, that said, are there people in this world that operate outside the current system in place? Without question there are. However, I didn't and I do not believe any of my staff did. Why? Because you're fired, prosecuted, etc.

Final thought...If I pawned or bought a stolen item as a pawn shop, the police department has a record of it, the item is returned to it's rightful owner, I am out the money and my only recourse is to attempt to obtain restitution from the person who brought in the item in question. I can count the restitution checks I received on one hand.