They say that when something bad happens to you it helps to talk about it. I find this to be true but I also find it helpful to write about it. So that’s what I’ve done and thought I’d share this rotten experience with you all, hope you don’t mind.
Sunday here was a lovely day weather-wise. I had done a few things and then decided to take a book outside and sit in the sun as I know very soon it will be too hot to enjoy doing this as summer is coming (in Australia). By now it was around 3.30 p.m. I settled down on a chair on the lawn towards the back of my garden as this was where the sun was shining. After about an hour I thought it was time to go inside.
Now I have to say here that I am always security conscious, having been a member of Neighbourhood Watch for over 20 years, so when I’m out the back I lock my front door and vice versa. I live in a small semi-detached one storey house.
When I went to the back door to get in I was very perplexed to find that it was locked. I do have a spare key hidden in the back garden so I got this and unlocked the door. Imagine my surprise when I saw the front door was wide open. I was getting more and more puzzled and went towards it. My bedroom is just off the front entrance and when I looked in I saw that two pillows had had their cases removed.
Then it hit me, I had been robbed. Yes, my three jewellery boxes that had been sitting on my dressing table were no longer there, drawers had been opened and my precious engagement ring had gone, as had another jewellery box. The pillow cases were of course to put the loot in.
I’m an old woman and started to shake with the shock of this. I could hardly hold the phone but somehow managed to ring the police, then my friend who lives over the road, and my youngest son who is the closest in distance. These two came straight away to be with me. I couldn’t understand how the thieves had managed to unlock the front door and then we worked it out that they had actually come through the side gate, down the side of the house, and then through the backdoor, which they locked so that I couldn’t get in. They must have seen me sitting there, absorbed in my book, and done this.
Of course they wouldn’t have known I had a spare key and probably thought they had plenty of time. I must have disturbed them and they took off through the front door. Just like that! Brazen scumbags. They would have seen that I was just an old woman, though as there are still some things in the wardrobe (they had opened the wardrobe doors) belonging to my late husband, they might think I am not on my own normally.
My immediate neighbours were out and there is a vacant block on the other side. Two attached houses had once stood there but a fire had destroyed one and so they had been bulldozed. Although my fence is fairly high a tall person can see over it, so I guess that a couple of people walking up the road had seen an opportunity too good to miss. Because I was a little way from the house proper I hadn’t heard a thing – I assume they are used to entering places illegally. I hate to think what they would have done had I confronted them.
The police were very kind to me when I phoned but as it was getting late by the time they could come I opted to wait until the next day. I said to them that I realise compared to what they have to deal with my episode is trivial but the young policeman said that I hadn’t to think that because it had been a home invasion and it was important that it was dealt with, that I was important. They did a door-knock up and down the street but mustn’t have received any useful information.
I couldn’t sleep in my bed that night as I kept thinking that ‘they’ had been in my bedroom, touched my things, stolen my things. However, I have slept there since as I will not let them beat me.
One of the boxes only held less valuable items, more like costume jewellery, which my granddaughters were allowed to play with, but in a silver casket were quite a lot of more valuable items. There were also things of great sentimental value to me such as a gold chain and cross that had belonged to my late sister, a silver religious medallion that my uncle had been given by an old lady in Paris when he was returning home after being a POW for 5 years during the second World War (probably won’t have much monetary value but meant a lot to me), an opal ring that had belonged to my late mother-in-law and which she wore all the time, a gold locket my husband had given me, presents received over the years, several other gold chains and pendants, and so on.
Another box contained a number of brooches, including one my godmother had given me when I was 21.
The most precious item though was the ring that my late husband surprised me with on our 60th wedding anniversary which I kept in a drawer but which they had found and taken. I had never had a proper engagement ring and in front of our guests he said that he had owed me something for over 60 years, and then gave me the ring. He had also bought a man’s wedding ring that matched for himself. That’s gone. It was a very emotional moment when he gave mine to me. To think that he had bought this unbeknown to me, planned it all, was so touching. To know that he had felt bad that I hadn’t had one, even though it had never worried me and I had never spoken about it. Now I am very angry that the lowlifes have taken this and it will mean nothing to them.
On Monday, although I was feeling okay but still shaking inside, I decided to take my blood pressure just to be on the safe side. The machine for taking this was kept on the top of the wardrobe but when I went for it there it was GONE!!!! Yes, they had taken this as well – it was in a case so they wouldn’t have known what it was.
When my son was here he walked all around the streets to see if he could see anyone acting suspiciously but with no result. I said to the policeman and woman that the thieves had been very inconsiderate in that they had taken the pillow cases that matched my quilt cover – at least they could have taken the plain ones that were on the other pillows. Made them smile. I have to keep my sense of humour.
Claims have now to be organised which will be hard as I don’t have receipts for the items, being either old or given as presents. Anyway it’s not the monetary value, it’s the possession of them. I don’t wear jewellery so much but the memories my ‘treasures’ invoked when I looked at the various pieces was very precious.
There will be a police liaison woman coming to see me to make suggestions about more security. Not that extra security would have changed things on Sunday but if I take any of the suggestions up then it might make me feel more secure in the future. However, I will NOT become a prisoner in my own home.
I have gone through various emotions and yesterday I went through the anger stage when I thought ‘they came in here uninvited, they saw what I have, and they took my things’ and I was really pee’d off. I felt so sorry that I no longer have my ‘treasures’. Almost like an amputation, silly as that might seem. My son said it was a pity that they don’t get caught and could have a good talking to about how it affects a person, the awful feeling of insecurity that person is left with, worried about going out in case there’s nothing left in the house when returning, and so on, but I told him that it wouldn’t mean a thing to them, if it did they wouldn’t commit these crimes in the first place.
I am thankful that physically I was not hurt but emotionally – well that’s a different matter. I agree with my family that these are only things – ‘they’ can’t take my memories away.
I am not normally a vicious woman but if those responsible have now sold the items and shot the proceeds up their arms then I hope they have the absolutely worst ‘trip’ ever. I doubt they will be able to buy much stuff anyway from what they get for my jewellery, precious as it was to me there were only a few items that would have raised any great amount. I also know that what some people are going through right now makes my problem insignificant, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. It’s a horrible feeling, a feeling that I have been violated.
So that’s my sorry story. I’m sure I’ll get over it but it’s an experience I could have done without. Maybe I’ll put a curse on them ‘cause after all I was born near Pendle Hill and who knows…..
Sunday here was a lovely day weather-wise. I had done a few things and then decided to take a book outside and sit in the sun as I know very soon it will be too hot to enjoy doing this as summer is coming (in Australia). By now it was around 3.30 p.m. I settled down on a chair on the lawn towards the back of my garden as this was where the sun was shining. After about an hour I thought it was time to go inside.
Now I have to say here that I am always security conscious, having been a member of Neighbourhood Watch for over 20 years, so when I’m out the back I lock my front door and vice versa. I live in a small semi-detached one storey house.
When I went to the back door to get in I was very perplexed to find that it was locked. I do have a spare key hidden in the back garden so I got this and unlocked the door. Imagine my surprise when I saw the front door was wide open. I was getting more and more puzzled and went towards it. My bedroom is just off the front entrance and when I looked in I saw that two pillows had had their cases removed.
Then it hit me, I had been robbed. Yes, my three jewellery boxes that had been sitting on my dressing table were no longer there, drawers had been opened and my precious engagement ring had gone, as had another jewellery box. The pillow cases were of course to put the loot in.
I’m an old woman and started to shake with the shock of this. I could hardly hold the phone but somehow managed to ring the police, then my friend who lives over the road, and my youngest son who is the closest in distance. These two came straight away to be with me. I couldn’t understand how the thieves had managed to unlock the front door and then we worked it out that they had actually come through the side gate, down the side of the house, and then through the backdoor, which they locked so that I couldn’t get in. They must have seen me sitting there, absorbed in my book, and done this.
Of course they wouldn’t have known I had a spare key and probably thought they had plenty of time. I must have disturbed them and they took off through the front door. Just like that! Brazen scumbags. They would have seen that I was just an old woman, though as there are still some things in the wardrobe (they had opened the wardrobe doors) belonging to my late husband, they might think I am not on my own normally.
My immediate neighbours were out and there is a vacant block on the other side. Two attached houses had once stood there but a fire had destroyed one and so they had been bulldozed. Although my fence is fairly high a tall person can see over it, so I guess that a couple of people walking up the road had seen an opportunity too good to miss. Because I was a little way from the house proper I hadn’t heard a thing – I assume they are used to entering places illegally. I hate to think what they would have done had I confronted them.
The police were very kind to me when I phoned but as it was getting late by the time they could come I opted to wait until the next day. I said to them that I realise compared to what they have to deal with my episode is trivial but the young policeman said that I hadn’t to think that because it had been a home invasion and it was important that it was dealt with, that I was important. They did a door-knock up and down the street but mustn’t have received any useful information.
I couldn’t sleep in my bed that night as I kept thinking that ‘they’ had been in my bedroom, touched my things, stolen my things. However, I have slept there since as I will not let them beat me.
One of the boxes only held less valuable items, more like costume jewellery, which my granddaughters were allowed to play with, but in a silver casket were quite a lot of more valuable items. There were also things of great sentimental value to me such as a gold chain and cross that had belonged to my late sister, a silver religious medallion that my uncle had been given by an old lady in Paris when he was returning home after being a POW for 5 years during the second World War (probably won’t have much monetary value but meant a lot to me), an opal ring that had belonged to my late mother-in-law and which she wore all the time, a gold locket my husband had given me, presents received over the years, several other gold chains and pendants, and so on.
Another box contained a number of brooches, including one my godmother had given me when I was 21.
The most precious item though was the ring that my late husband surprised me with on our 60th wedding anniversary which I kept in a drawer but which they had found and taken. I had never had a proper engagement ring and in front of our guests he said that he had owed me something for over 60 years, and then gave me the ring. He had also bought a man’s wedding ring that matched for himself. That’s gone. It was a very emotional moment when he gave mine to me. To think that he had bought this unbeknown to me, planned it all, was so touching. To know that he had felt bad that I hadn’t had one, even though it had never worried me and I had never spoken about it. Now I am very angry that the lowlifes have taken this and it will mean nothing to them.
On Monday, although I was feeling okay but still shaking inside, I decided to take my blood pressure just to be on the safe side. The machine for taking this was kept on the top of the wardrobe but when I went for it there it was GONE!!!! Yes, they had taken this as well – it was in a case so they wouldn’t have known what it was.
When my son was here he walked all around the streets to see if he could see anyone acting suspiciously but with no result. I said to the policeman and woman that the thieves had been very inconsiderate in that they had taken the pillow cases that matched my quilt cover – at least they could have taken the plain ones that were on the other pillows. Made them smile. I have to keep my sense of humour.
Claims have now to be organised which will be hard as I don’t have receipts for the items, being either old or given as presents. Anyway it’s not the monetary value, it’s the possession of them. I don’t wear jewellery so much but the memories my ‘treasures’ invoked when I looked at the various pieces was very precious.
There will be a police liaison woman coming to see me to make suggestions about more security. Not that extra security would have changed things on Sunday but if I take any of the suggestions up then it might make me feel more secure in the future. However, I will NOT become a prisoner in my own home.
I have gone through various emotions and yesterday I went through the anger stage when I thought ‘they came in here uninvited, they saw what I have, and they took my things’ and I was really pee’d off. I felt so sorry that I no longer have my ‘treasures’. Almost like an amputation, silly as that might seem. My son said it was a pity that they don’t get caught and could have a good talking to about how it affects a person, the awful feeling of insecurity that person is left with, worried about going out in case there’s nothing left in the house when returning, and so on, but I told him that it wouldn’t mean a thing to them, if it did they wouldn’t commit these crimes in the first place.
I am thankful that physically I was not hurt but emotionally – well that’s a different matter. I agree with my family that these are only things – ‘they’ can’t take my memories away.
I am not normally a vicious woman but if those responsible have now sold the items and shot the proceeds up their arms then I hope they have the absolutely worst ‘trip’ ever. I doubt they will be able to buy much stuff anyway from what they get for my jewellery, precious as it was to me there were only a few items that would have raised any great amount. I also know that what some people are going through right now makes my problem insignificant, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. It’s a horrible feeling, a feeling that I have been violated.
So that’s my sorry story. I’m sure I’ll get over it but it’s an experience I could have done without. Maybe I’ll put a curse on them ‘cause after all I was born near Pendle Hill and who knows…..
