Better Scared than Sorry...

So earlier this week our house was robbed. We weren't home and no one was hurt. And that's the most important thing. It was between 9-10 am. They took a lot of things, ruined a number of things and made a big mess. But they were just things. Things can be replaced. Because it is an open case I won't go into much detail here, except to say that I am so sad about a few of my jewelry items taken and irate that they took some of Braden's Christmas presents...(so email me or call if you just have to know more details).

So here is my Soap Box Moment...

We were house number 3 of 5 with in a week.Not just in my neighborhood but my area (a few square miles). Let me just say, I live in a nice, family friendly neighborhood. So it's not just something happening in 'bad parts' of the city. All over the city, this is happening. I had no idea there was any kind of spree going on. I have a routine, we all do. And people took advantage of mine.

As far as how they are targeting people, there are two schools of thought 1. They go door to door knocking, posing as solicitors-if no one answers they try the door. If it is open well then... 2. They case them. Learn your schedules and routines. That's believed to be the case with us. It is so unsettling to know someone could have been watching me put my kids in the car, get my mail ect. Who knows what drew them to us? It is a downward spiral to play the 'what if' game.

The detective on the case said he has about 100 other recent open cases...

Times are hard and people are desperate and greedy or both.

So here are some tips to help protect yourself...Stuff I've learned the hard way, or had Police officers tell me or just common sense reminders. Most of these examples aren't even what happened to us, but a good reminder non the less.

• Always, always lock your doors, even if you are home. Even if your just running to the neighbors for a bit, or down to the school. Cause let's face it, "a few" can become an hour real quick.
• Never keep your purse or car keys in your car (I almost added 'anymore' to you out there who know who I am talking to! ) Even if it is in the garage. It only takes a moment for someone to come into your garage and open a car door.
• Vary your routine!
• When you leave if you have one, set your alarm!
• When you leave, lock the door from your home to your garage.
• Install double deadbolts. Those locks require a key to open- even on the inside. So when you remove the key, you can't get out (which is great if you have kids too BTW)
• Look like you are home. Make sure you get that paper off the driveway, and those dang adds off our door. Thief's really do look for that sort of thing. There is a really easy way to have your mail put on hold when you go out of town go to the USPS.com site and it's there. Turn on the lights on the porch, front AND back.
• Know your neighbors. Have a contact for them just in case. I'm not saying you gotta have a block party, but know you can get a hold of someone if there's a fire, or you see something funny, or their dog gets out.
• Keep your garage closed! Be a good neighbor, if it's dusk and your neighbors garage is open, go close it for them. How many times have you pulled away and thought if you shut the door or not? This is also where the locking the interior garage door comes into play.
• Be aware. If your neighbor's lawn guy always comes on Saturday and you see a landscape truck there on a Tuesday, maybe give your neighbor a shout. What can it hurt? When ever you leave if you see someone on the street, make eye contact with them. If you live in a circle where you know what cars should and shouldn't be there, don't think its retarded to keep a little notebook with plate numbers.
• Be in the Know. They have security cameras now that can be hooked to a DVR and you can check them on your Iphone or Blackberry. Check out companies like Lifelock and Carbonite to protect your identity and anything on your computer.

Now, as far as helping the Police recover things that are stolen here's what you should have in a perfect world (although in a perfect world you'd never need it)...

• A home inventory list. Go room to room with a camera and take pictures of everything. Open drawers, pictures on the walls, garage too. I can tell you first hand, when they are asking you what is missing your mind goes blank- until 3 am and then you start remembering the most random stuff...
• Make digital copies of any important papers, irreplaceable documents ect. ie birth certificates, Passports, High School Diplomas and on and on...
• Be able to prove what you have! In order to aide in the recovery of things, you need to know the serial number and have a description. For insurance you need (if possible), the value or a receipt. Everything has a serial number, your iPod, your cell, computer- shoot even the baby monitor does. Write it down, and keep a file at your residence and somewhere else. If it was a gift, make a note of it. If you keep cash on hand- they have those handy numbers on them for a reason. Knowing a bill number isn't just for banks.
• Pictures Please! When an officer is showing you stacks of photos of piles of jewelry, and other things--trust me when I tell you its a WHOLE lot easier when you can pull out a picture you have and say, "yep that's mine'. Otherwise it's, "well, that looks like the side of that bracelet maybe." Not so helpful. And when you are trying to remember what a ring that you got when you were 10 looks like, your memory gets fuzzy.
• Kids Stuff too! Our kids have so much crap. Ok I mean things... and some of what was taken was theres. So don't forget to write down their electronic stuff too. ie, their DS and all the games that they had.
• Collections- DVD's, CD's, golf balls, you name it. If you have a lot of them you will never remember them all. Think video games, tools ect ect.

So let's say it all together now

"MAKE A LIST and TAKE PICTURES"

so you have a shot at getting some money back to replace them.

Just use common sense. Be aware. Don't be afraid to call your local PD if something doesn't seem right. They have an 'non emergent' number for things just like that. I know it seems like a lot to remember, but being on this side of it, it would have been 100 times easier to do any of these things than to be calling, emailing, a million places to try to put your life back and pick up the pieces like we are.

I had to laugh a few mornings after it happened. The officer assigned to our case called to see if he could come by and show me some photos. Keep in mind, I am still functioning at half capacity because Brenner AND Berk have been sick, plus the break in, plus getting back into the swing of having Rusty back at work... anyways, when he came in I had piles of laundry in my hall ready to be done, and dishes all over the kitchen. Berk was in a pull up and shirt, screaming that he "wanna be NAKED" and Brenner was doing what Brenner does, crying. And the officer says to me, "Glad to see you are getting back to your normal life." It made me laugh.

Consider me stepping down from my soap box now...

What a way to start of my 2010 huh?