Week from hell

[Ames]

Sorry, I seem to be monopolising this bit of the forum. It's not really a family rant either, more of a rant at life.

So, on Tuesday I got back from an evening at Ilkley Literature Festival to find I'd been burgled. TV and laptop (and old broken laptop) gone. Oh well, these things happen, and at least I've got insurance, although my excess is about half of the value of the stolen stuff.

Put up with the police trying to blame me 'how did they know you had a TV in the living room under this window' (which the cable from the sky dish runs to...). And 'I don't see how they could have got their arm through either of the holes in the window to unlock it'. Well, if I'd left it unlocked as they were implying, then the burglars wouldn't have had to smash through a double glazed window, would they.

No fingerprints, so case closed on Thursday.

As EVERYTHING at uni has to be done online, I had to go out and buy a new computer on Thursday. I also picked up an almost brand new telly that I'd bought mum just before she died. So, insurance excess £300, new computer £350 - I'm already £650 out of pocket. Although I had planned to save up for a desktop, so it's not tooooo bad, and there's a monitor at mum's that I can have.

Friday I had an opticians appointment. My distance prescription's changed so much I need new glasses, but I wasn't expecting to be told I now need reading glasses too. So, I needed to buy two pairs of glasses. Since I'd gone to the uni opticians, 95% of the range were designer so I really struggled to find something in my price range. They had one range that were free with an NHS voucher, so I got one of those, but needed different ones so I'm not getting confused between the two pairs. Finally found a pair for £85, but with my NHS voucher and a £30 special offer voucher I had they'd be just less than £20. Toddle off to order them, and find that the price didn't include lenses. So they're over £63. So far this week has cost me over £700 then.

Saturday, already crap because it's the 6 month anniversary of mum's death. Spend the day at Ilkley Lit Fest, come back and set up the new computer. Hurray, I'm back online. For half an hour. Then the monitor died. So, got one this afternoon, that's another £90 added to the week from hell's invoice.

Sunday, get up to go back to Ilkley and my car's been keyed. Cue a day of paranoia that I'm being targetted, even though there's absolutely no reason for that to be the case. I should be going back to Ilkley now, but I'm going to kick back with a bottle of wine now. Knowing my luck the grapes will have been infected with some rare virus that managed to get into just this one bottle out of the thousands that were sold and it'll kill me....

made the mistake of calling sister, then dad, for a moan. Sister talked about herself for ages, then when I got a word in just let me talk and then ended the conversation. Dad pretended to listen, then went on about all the work he's doing in mum's house. Which is all he ever talks about. Well, that and how skint he is. Which is apparantly mine and sister's fault, and nothing to do with him spending a fortune on a new kitchen and window's for mum's house.

Sorry for the moan, this is the first time since she died that I've really had that 'I want my mum' feeling. Typing my frustrations out helps a bit.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: Week from hell

Put up with the police trying to blame me 'how did they know you had a TV in the living room under this window' (which the cable from the sky dish runs to...)

Was this copper from the 50's/60's then as just about every household has a TV and usually more than one.

It sounds as they also seem to think you where targeted, when in fact this was probably random and a chancer.

Here's hoping next week is better for you Ames.

[Ames]

Re: Week from hell

No, they weren't even born then, they were younger than me.

They did ask me who'd been in the flat lately, thinking that it was someone who'd seen my stuff. Except that no-one except the Mental Health crisis team have been in my flat for over a year. Oh, and the guy reading the water meter, but he didn't get further than the hallway.

I told my neighbour and she said that as I don't (didn't) close the blinds on a night they can all see me watching telly when I've got the light on.

Feel really bad about the last five years living here walking around in my underwear (or worse) totally obliviously Poor neighbours...

[confused76]

Re: Week from hell

hi Ames oh dear what a week you've had ((hugs))

as PF says, nearly every household has at least one tv so i don't think they can point the finger at you.

for your safety though hun, make sure you always close your blinds at night!

i can only begin to imagine how much you miss your mum

i hope next week is better for you xxx

[Ames]

Re: Week from hell

Blinds are closed now. Although the policewoman said that people couldn't see in anyway. Apparantly my neighbours had lights on and just net curtains, not blinds or proper curtains and you couldn't see in. B0llocks (sorry for the language). I looked last night and they've got curtains up. And without my blinds you really can see everything in.

Next week has to be better - I don't think it's possible for it to be worse!

[Pixie]

Re: Week from hell

What a week Ames - not made any better by the cops' attitude, and at least your sister and dad could have tried to make you feel better instead of being so self-centred.

Sending you ((hugs)) and keeping my fingers crossed that next week's a lot better!

[Angelic]

Re: Week from hell

Chin up Ames, it'll soon be a whole new year!! x

[Handyman]

Re: Week from hell

Hi Ames, sorry to hear of your troubles after such a time that you have had this year.

The Police are not much help in cases like this unless you take them by the hand right to the door of the perpetrators.

No fingerprints on the inside of the windows, No Shit Sherlock? so they were wearing Gloves, maybe that's because you already have their fingerprints on record.

Fact, most burglaries are committed by Scroats Villains who live between 1 and 3 kilometres of the victim.

When I lived in town I saw 2 guys taking a Fridge Freezer and a Washing machine from my next door neighbours house. I looked over the wall and asked if he was moving, no one chap replied he's having new we are just taking the old ones away for him.

A few days later I saw my Neighbour and he asked my if I had seen anything as his house had been cleaned out while the were on holiday.

I told him what had happened and together we reported it. The female DC in charge of the case was on holiday but would contact me when she got back. It never happened. Now these chaps had a distinctive Transit Van. 3 weeks later I saw it parked outside a house 1/2 a mile away. A few discrete enquiry's and I had the name of the owner and his brother, the address and enough proof that they were responsible for 90% of the daylight burglaries in the area. I reported this by phone and by fax. No action was ever taken by the police. It was down to my neighbour and a few mates to have words with these 2 outside a local pub.

Anyway enough of Handy's anecdotes.

Now I don't want to add to your paranoia. But was your car outside your place when it was keyed?

You mentioned the Laptop was broken, some thief's will take exception to nicking broken gear.

Don't always assume the bad guys come at night.

I think I remember from some of your MSE Posts your area is not that great, you may have upset someone, or who would be aware of you being away for a while.

It isn't unknown for a second visit to be made a short time after you have claimed from the insurance and replaced the stolen items .

This is infinitely more attractive and certainly worth the increased risk as New will buy at least twice as much Heroin as the first burglary. This time you will probably get £100 for a new laptop at Cash Converters.

You need some Security advice and some basic deterants as soon as possible.

I'm not talking Fort Knox but in the immediate you can even get a mini camera that records on an SD card for little money. This could be concealed in a plug socket or a light fitting so if the come back you will have something to give the Plods. (Try Maplin's Electronics).

Sorry if what I say adds to your present feelings of unease. I do know what it's like to be done over. Even us blokes feel violated.

Now I will offer my hugs and sympathies as well.

Get on to your local Crime Prevention Officer today, tell him to get off his undoubted oversized derrière and get out to visit you as a matter of some urgency.

Hugs from Handy.

[Ames]

Re: Week from hell

Hi Ames, sorry to hear of your troubles after such a time that you have had this year. Thanks.

The Police are not much help in cases like this unless you take them by the hand right to the door of the perpetrators. I know, althoughn the local community policing team are fab.

No fingerprints on the inside of the windows, No Shit Sherlock? so they were wearing Gloves, maybe that's because you already have their fingerprints on record.

Fact, most burglaries are committed by Scroats Villains who live between 1 and 3 kilometres of the victim. I'm not sure they were local to this estate - the locals tend not to crap in their own backyard. Certainly that's the case with the drug dealers etc. (I was on the local tenants and residents association, which is how I know about the seedier side!). Not long after I moved in there was a spate of burglaries, the locals weren't happy about that... the burglaries soon stopped...

When I lived in town I saw 2 guys taking a Fridge Freezer and a Washing machine from my next door neighbours house. I looked over the wall and asked if he was moving, no one chap replied he's having new we are just taking the old ones away for him. I was a bit annoyed that they left the CRT TV in the bedroom. And my mobile. Which might only be a cheap £25 PAYG covered in purple hair dye, but hey, if a job's worth doing...

A few days later I saw my Neighbour and he asked my if I had seen anything as his house had been cleaned out while the were on holiday.

I told him what had happened and together we reported it. The female DC in charge of the case was on holiday but would contact me when she got back. It never happened. Now these chaps had a distinctive Transit Van. 3 weeks later I saw it parked outside a house 1/2 a mile away. A few discrete enquiry's and I had the name of the owner and his brother, the address and enough proof that they were responsible for 90% of the daylight burglaries in the area. I reported this by phone and by fax. No action was ever taken by the police. It was down to my neighbour and a few mates to have words with these 2 outside a local pub.

Anyway enough of Handy's anecdotes.

Now I don't want to add to your paranoia. But was your car outside your place when it was keyed? yes. Well, sort of. These flats are kind of back to front, they back onto a road, with permit parking on the other side of the road. Everyone on the street knows which my car is.

You mentioned the Laptop was broken, some thief's will take exception to nicking broken gear.

Don't always assume the bad guys come at night. Oh I know that. Although the car was keyed at night.

I think I remember from some of your MSE Posts your area is not that great, you may have upset someone, or who would be aware of you being away for a while. It's not a great area, and there's been a spate of burglaries lately. I honestly don't think I could have upset anyone though, I only speak to a few of my neighbours who I trust, my mental health has been pretty bad lately so I've been spending most of the time in my flat. I just haven't been out often enough to be able to upset anyone! Which in itself is worrying, because it suggests someone may have been watching to know the best time to visit.

It isn't unknown for a second visit to be made a short time after you have claimed from the insurance and replaced the stolen items . I have been worrying about that, especially since I've recently bought a computer and got a better TV now, and picked up a hifi I left at dads. I've been sneaking them in in dribs and drabs scared that someone will see me. I still haven't figured out how to get rid of the boxes, obviously I'll take them to the tip, but I don't want to be seen taking a load of them out to the car. So I'll probably end up sneaking one out to the car each night and getting rid of them gradually. It has occurred to me that I only threw the laptop boxes out a couple of weeks ago, but they were in the bin and I didn't put it out till late at night (well after midnight) and they're collected before 8am.

This is infinitely more attractive and certainly worth the increased risk as New will buy at least twice as much Heroin as the first burglary. This time you will probably get £100 for a new laptop at Cash Converters.

You need some Security advice and some basic deterants as soon as possible.

I'm not talking Fort Knox but in the immediate you can even get a mini camera that records on an SD card for little money. This could be concealed in a plug socket or a light fitting so if the come back you will have something to give the Plods. (Try Maplin's Electronics). I'll call down to Maplins on Wednesday next time I have some cash. I did see a Crimestoppers thing that you paint on your valuables so they can be identified, but it's £25 so I might as well just make a note of the serial numbers of everything. The Plods suggestions were to take the keys out of the back of the door and keep them out of site, and to keep the chain on all the time. Not sure that a pathetic old chain will deter theives who happily smashed through a double glazed window... Sister suggested I should ask the council to put bars on the windows, some other flats have them, but I doubt they'd agree to the expense.

Sorry if what I say adds to your present feelings of unease. I do know what it's like to be done over. Even us blokes feel violated. I didn't actually feel that bad. I mean, given this week's anniversary, it was hard to get worked up about having a telly nicked. But the car being keyed has spooked me. And knowing that I'm being talked about by all the neighbours.

Now I will offer my hugs and sympathies as well.

Get on to your local Crime Prevention Officer today, tell him to get off his undoubted oversized derrière and get out to visit you as a matter of some urgency. I'm going to phone the non emergency number tomorrow and report the car, at the very least I want everything on record. Not sure they'll see it as important enough to come out and give me advice, but I'll stress the fact that I'm disabled, female, living alone in a ground floor flat. And keep on hoping that we sell a house and I get my inheritance asap so I can move out, not that I can afford a much better area.



Hugs from Handy.

Thanks for all the nice words everyone, it seems that everything that ever happens to me happens all at once, then it goes quiet for a while...

[Handyman]

Re: Week from hell

Hi Ames.

This is something along the lines of what I suggest.
LINK Micro High Resolution Digital Spy Camera DVR Free Delivery : Covert Equipment : Maplin


I have seen better and cheaper on ebay from UK suppliers but If I had just been turned over I would want something in place tomorrow.

Only drawback with this one is remembering to turn it on and set it to motion detect when you go out.

Regards, Handy (no Grin when serious)

[Ames]

Re: Week from hell

Problem with that though is that it wont stop them, just (possibly) catch them. I've seen some cheapish alarm systems that I'm going to look into more.

Then again, they managed to break into a double glazed window on a fairly busy road in the evening without anyone noticing anything so I doubt anyone would take any notice of an alarm going off.

[Handyman]

Re: Week from hell

Problem with alarms is that these days in a residential area no one pays any attention to them.

Tonight my car is on the drive unlocked, I can't be assed to go to the door and point the key fob at it. Now if any of the alarms go off or I hear a shotgun (I have trip wires connected to blank 12 bore cartridges (Anti Poacher Mines ) I will be up like a shot because there is no other house for 1/2 a mile.

At DD's Oop North last night an alarm was going on a house just down the road, no one batted an eyelid because it's always going off.

Unless it is a commercial alarm connected to the Police Station, forget it. The best you can hope for is a system that will deliver retribution. No I'm not talking Tony Martin, How do you fancy a German Shepherd with a bad attitude

Regards, Handy.

[Ames]

Re: Week from hell

I'd love a German Shepherd with a bad attitude! Or any dog. But they'd probably just nick that too - next door had their Staffie stolen a few months ago.

[BBoo]

Re: Week from hell

Sadly all the police are really interested in is either helping the insurance company to prove fraud or giving you a crime number.

I was assaulted last year. I saw the bloke later in the evening going into a pub. Phoned the police and they wouldn't (not couldn't, just wouldn't) come out.

I made a formal complaint and just got a letter saying sorry.

Ames, really am sorry to hear of the time you've been having. At least things can only get better, eh!

[Ames]

Re: Week from hell

And now the council haven't been to replace the window like they said they would. This is just turning into a farce.