I should have stayed home...

[Effjay]

Yes, I should have stayed home...

 

After a fun day in Joshua Tree NP and evening around the campfire with BMWST folk, I bunked in Gregg's RV for the night. Upon waking this morning, Gregg told me he had a strange dream where his pool kept overflowing which was odd 'cus he has never had a pool!

 

Well, I too had a disturbing dream last night which in turn I shared with Gregg. Mine was that I arrived home from a trip to find my house front door ajar and the dog standing there looking at me nervously. I went in and found the house had been burglarized and everything of value stolen. So I left Joshua Tree at 7:30 this morning, pulled into the driveway at 10:45 and opened the garage door to go in through there. As I entered and bent down to greet my pooch, I spotted a piece of my late mother's jewelery on the carpet. Yep, I'd been robbed - 3 handguns and unsure what else. I thought all mom's jewelry was gone but it's all accounted for. Naturally, I had a deputy sheriff come over and take photos but no fingerprints were found (the perp wore gloves). A few minutes ago, I opened the fridge and discovered the perp robbed my beer and an unopened 1.5L primo bottle of chardonnay too! Not a good day for me...

 

Jeff

 

[JayW]

Ouch! I can only imagine how angry and frustrated you must be.

 

So have you talked to Gregg since he got home?

 

Jay

[ericfoerster]

Word of caution to you. If there was anything of value left behind there is a chance the suspect may return.

There is also a great chance that someone near you is the suspect. A young neighbor, druggie, or a unemployed older person still living at home with mom and dad.

Could have been someone who watched you leave on your scooter knowing you wouldn't return for at least a few hours.

 

Follow up on your report as early as possible. Detectives seem to work better when pushed a little. Find out which detective gets the case and phone at least once a week.

[Tony_K]

Wow, Sorry Jeff. Like Eric said sounds like it could be someone local or even knows you.

So far you know your guns are gone but jewelry was not... Hmmm.

 

That's a unnerving circumstance. Weapons are quick currency in some circles.

[Effjay]

Ouch! I can only imagine how angry and frustrated you must be. So have you talked to Gregg since he got home? Jay

Yep, I have. Having this happen gives me a better sense of what it feels like to be violated.

[Effjay]

Word of caution to you. If there was anything of value left behind there is a chance the suspect may return.

There is also a great chance that someone near you is the suspect. A young neighbor, druggie, or a unemployed older person still living at home with mom and dad.

Could have been someone who watched you leave on your scooter knowing you wouldn't return for at least a few hours.

 

Follow up on your report as early as possible. Detectives seem to work better when pushed a little. Find out which detective gets the case and phone at least once a week.

Actually, I took my Jeep TJ for this short trip. It's quite possible somebody was watching me load stuff, including sleeping bag, last night. I have a call into the deputy right now to report the beer/wine (also stole my cork/bottle opener) which might be indicative of a pattern. I also see how the perp(s) kept my pooch quiet for awhile - there is an empty container of salami in the fridge and wasn't empty before. Unhealthy for him, but at least he is still alive this evening.

[Whip]

I'm sorry......I can't imagine how angry it would make me....

 

 

[Effjay]

That's a unnerving circumstance. Weapons are quick currency in some circles.

I'd love to get those weapons back - mainly to avoid being used in a crime. I will follow up with detectives as soon as the report is in their hands.

[Paul_Burkett]

That has to be one of the worst feelings to have, just knowing that people are waiting to prey on you as soon as your house is vulnerable to them. Was it a forced enterance or perhaps they had a key?

I think that security systems are going to be the next big ticket item that home owners are going to be investing in. Too many people are getting burglerised these days, and no matter how well armed they are, if you are not home, you are not well protected.

[Effjay]

That has to be one of the worst feelings to have, just knowing that people are waiting to prey on you as soon as your house is vulnerable to them. Was it a forced enterance or perhaps they had a key?

 

There was no forced entry but upon inspection; rear patio slider with pet door insert and wood rod "lock" in bottom channel had rod out, front door unlocked and all else secure. I believe entry was through garage door and exit through front door. Patio rear slider might have been to distract dog outside while perp(s) were busy.

 

Timeframe: left 08:00 after house security check and watching garage door roll fully down. Neighbors either side tell me garage door was open Saturday morning and closed before Saturday evening. Other neighbor buddy around the corner walked his dog shortly after I left at 08:00 and my garage door was down then. He also reported a (now suspect) vehicle parked just around the corner, but in full view of me backing out of my driveway. I've heard about cell code scanners - are there also garage remote control scanners?

[barryNmarin]

Jeff, I'm real sorry about the rip-off and I agree with previous posters re the culprit's ID. If someone knows you are gone for an overnighter and wants to rob you then there is not much you can do to keep them out. Locks won't do it. It is so easy to break a window or slider and let oneself into a residence. They won't spend time outside the home trying to figure out how to get in. That sense of personal violation makes it hard to get over until and unless the perp is caught. Maybe a sting is in order after a period of time. Anyway I hope you don't let this get your dobber down! See you in Torrey.

[JR356]

Sorry to hear of your losses.

I've been victim of house break in and vehicle break in,you just can't describe that feeling the moment you realize what has happened.

 

Does your garage door have a lock feature?if so,then put that to use or physically bolt the door down and exit thru a main house door.

 

Do you have a deadbolt on the garage to house door?If not,get one.

 

Since there were reports that your garage door was up,that as you stated

was likely the entry point.

 

If you don't have one of the rolling code garage openers then yes,they can scan your code.

 

JR356

[Paul_Burkett]

I have thought about this and wanted to mention something to my friends here. Now maybe it is none of my business, but I have seen one of my "Facebook Friends" say that he was off for another 48 hour shift at his work. I thought that he was leaving his wife and house vulnerable to any perp that was watching the web or his house for an opportunity to do dirty deeds. The second time that my parents went to Arizona for the winter, their house was burglarized and vandalized, after that they got a security company to electronically watch over their house. Nothing happened after that.

We seem to be too trusting because we tell everyone that we are going to rallies and on long vacations and will be spending the entire summer away from our vacant houses, expecting nothing to ever happen to us because it's us and we have never had anything happen to us....yet.

Times are changing and people are getting desperate. I am seeing more people at intersections with their cardboard signs saying that they are homeless, broke and hungry and have a family to support. The old saying that loose lips sink ships may soon become loose lips gets your house broken into and everything have of value to the perp stolen and possibly harm done to the person you left to guard the castle.

Maybe I am wrong to bring this up, maybe it is time to be careful about what we put on the keyboard.

[Effjay]

Does your garage door have a lock feature?if so,then put that to use or physically bolt the door down and exit thru a main house door.

 

Do you have a deadbolt on the garage to house door?If not,get one.

 

Since there were reports that your garage door was up,that as you stated

was likely the entry point.

 

If you don't have one of the rolling code garage openers then yes,they can scan your code.

 

JR356

Garage door switch has a shutoff, but I was complacent this being just prox 24 hrs away. Yes I thought mine had rolling codes but apparently not. A deadbolt on the side garage entry door but not on the garage entry door to house (which likewise wasn't locked). All my goof...

 

[Effjay]

Maybe I am wrong to bring this up, maybe it is time to be careful about what we put on the keyboard.

The deputy sheriff asked about what I share on travel plans on internet forums and I replied we (I) don't show actual surname or home address in public forum. I do agree we all need to learn from my misfortune and reassess our personal security.

 

Jeff

[tbloomq]

I do agree we all need to learn from my misfortune and reassess our personal security.

 

Jeff

 

Jeff, Sorry to hear about your misfortune. So the only thing that was stolen was the beer, wine and guns? They didn't take the stereo or TVs? I agree that it sounds like some young kids wanted to steal your beer and then they found your guns.

 

I've had ADT in my last three homes. Well worth the $35/mon fees and it does reduce your homeowners insurance provided you get fire protection too. As for the overflowing pool, ADT does offer a water sensor that could detect a broken pipe filling the basement or crawlspace.

 

Hope you can relax once you upgrade your security. To me that's the issue, personal security, not the stuff that was taken.

 

Tom

[glockster]

Sorry to here this Jeff. Had such a wonderful day out in the desert yesterday in the Jeeps.

 

I had 4 handguns stolen in 2000 and got 2 of them back within a year. I'm pretty sure I know who got mine but never persued it for other reasons. I claimed mine on my homeowners insurance and immediately bought a gun safe.

[Bullett]

I, am sorry to hear of your misfortune, Jeff.

 

I'm glad to hear the robbers didn't harm your dog.

[hANNAbONE]

nOT gOOD, Jeff...sorry to hear of it. Hope you get back what was taken. Best: -

[Mike O]

How unfortunate...Possessions can be replaced. Take care of your personal security and as others have said, a security upgrade will provide some solace.

 

Mike O

 

 

[BFish]

can imagime how you feel. at least no one was hurt. hang in there and soon it will be a distant memory. get creative with the new booby traps.

[Wooster]

I had 4 handguns stolen in 2000 and got 2 of them back within a year. I'm pretty sure I know who got mine but never persued it for other reasons. I claimed mine on my homeowners insurance and immediately bought a gun safe.

 

Heavy metal safe, while not failsafe, is money well spent.

 

Condolensces to the OP.

 

Wooster w/safe

[Lynn]

Sorry to hear you got hit....but I am really glad to hear that your dog was okay-other than (probably) an upset tummy.

 

When our house got robbed, we decided it must have been some really stupid kids who hit us. They took the worthless stuff, and left valuable small items (like coins and Mark's cameras) behind.

 

But, more than anything, what made us angry was that they left the door open and the cats/dog could have gotten out and gotten hurt. The rest of it was just stuff.

 

In fact, we thought one of the cats HAD escaped. We spent two hours looking for Ralph-the black cat-and I thought I had finally found him well after dark. I picked him up and started carrying him home. Then he dug in with his front claws....and I had to put him back (Ralph was declawed before we ever got him). We finally found the real Ralph hiding behind the water heater. Although I do think, given that the false Ralph was purring, we could have gained a cat out of the whole thing.

 

They never did catch the guys such that they could prove it...although they did catch some stupid kids hitting a house in the next block two weeks later (probably the same kids...but we will never know for sure). I hope you have better luck on that front.

 

 

[dhanson]

Sorry for the intrusion.

 

I used to elk hunt in wilderness CO., my Tundra was broken in while on 7 day camping hunt. Noticed later, broken glass in several different parking spots over time.

 

Cell does not work at trail head. I lost some expensive clothes and spare equipment, they used a ball peen hammer I left in the trailer to break my window.

[tgregg]

Ouch! I can only imagine how angry and frustrated you must be.

 

So have you talked to Gregg since he got home?

 

Jay

 

Yes, and I still don't have a pool :=) I'm suggesting to Jeff he do what we did and move up out of the city.

[Dennis Andress]

I'm sorry to hear that Jeff....

 

Dennis

[4wheeldog]

Fire the dog.

 

That is all I have.

[eddd]

Sorry to hear about the break in.

 

I'd just like to add that while a monitored system is fine, IMHO it should be supplemented with sirens...multiple, really loud...inside and outside sirens.

 

The panel provided by an alarm company will likely have a small gelcell battery, but you will need more power. The alarm panel should have the capability of triggering addition devices. You can then provide an additional 12 volt battery to power several sirens. With the extra sirens, inside and outside, there is just no way a burglar will stick around. Inside sirens are most important when it comes to getting the dirtbag out of the house.

[bendbill]

Sorry about your break in, Jeff. Criminals are vermin [apologies to vermin]. I hope you'll still make Torrey.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

That has to be one of the worst feelings to have, just knowing that people are waiting to prey on you as soon as your house is vulnerable to them. Was it a forced enterance or perhaps they had a key?

I think that security systems are going to be the next big ticket item that home owners are going to be investing in. Too many people are getting burglerised these days, and no matter how well armed they are, if you are not home, you are not well protected.

There are a lot of good dogs at the local shelters and rescue groups looking for homes. If the dog is big enough and loud enough when strangers approach a house they make good deterrents. One time I forgot to turn the motion detector off and my dogs triggered the alarm. When I got there the police were still there. The lead officer told me they went around checking all the doors and windows and they were secure. He then added "I doubt anyone would try to break in with those two dogs". My two 70 pound lab mixes run to the door/window if someone (stranger) approaches and begin barking furiously. They probably wouldn't hurt a fly but they sure look tough.

 

Anyone looking to protect their home should certainly consider an alarm but it would be beneficial all-around if they also consider giving a pooch a home.

[Boone60]

The scariest dog I've ever ran into that was guarding the house, was a 2 year old male Rot. I helped the humane officer with him (before the deputies came to shoot him) from a drug dealer that was going on a federal vacation. On the second day at his new home, he let the drug dealing creeps living next door that they were all done messing with his new home.

[Effjay]

My dog (nearly 12 years old and 18 lbs) is a male mini schnauzer that is quite the loudmouth around strangers but otherwise harmless. A mean perp could have easily taken him out of the equation during the robbery (I'm so thankful he is safe). I was complacent with normal security steps for an away trip by not putting the garage door opener in vacation mode and not locking the door from the garage into the house. Live and learn. Note: there was a significant development yesterday that I won't post publicly because the case is being investigated. Thanks to all for your concern.

 

Jeff

[marcopolo]

Jeff, sorry to hear about the trouble.

[Spartan]

Jeff, sorry to hear about this. Nothing worse than a thief. Try not to let it get you down.... maybe a nice ride is in order.

[psmitty]

Jeff, sorry to hear about the break in.