My house got broken into tonight !!

[T-DOGG]

I came home tonight to my back door being kicked in. Instead of going in to check things out Chuck Norris style I called the police and waited until they showed up. The "kind" citizen who broke in was already gone. Besides a broken door they also tore through my bedroom and the mancave. Items missing that we established so far: wife's laptop, camcorder, money/change (maybe $40-$60 worth), & my range bag (they dumped most of it's contents onto the counter). Two things that really made me mad were: 1) found my daughter's piggy bank by back door "gutted" & 2) camcorder had tape in it of last year's Christmas containing footage of my late Father who passed in February (this hurt the worst of all items stolen). Nobody was hurt and no guns were stolen though, that's about the only good thing. Upgraded the door tonight with a steel one (original was cheap hollow core wood) and this definitely woke me up about how secure my home really is. This sounds cliche but I NEVER EVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME. Well I was wrong, it did. I will not sleep easy tonight, but there is a tomorrow and my wife and daughter are still alive, gotta be thankful for that. Accepting any recommendations for home security systems also, affordable of course.

 

[Goober135]

I'm really sorry to hear about this! Glad everyone is ok! Reminds me of when i was in 5th grade and came home church on Christmas Day to find my neighborhood swarming with LEO's because someone had staked out a neighbors house, waited for them to leave for church, and stole EVERYTHING! Christmas gifts, TV's, computers, valuables, etc... Had a bunch of kids my age as well. Tragic.

 

[esrice]

Very sorry to hear this! However, be thankful you weren't home at the time.

 

[BumpShadow]

Welcome to the club. Had mine broken into. They got my xbox and laptop. Basically everything I owned at the time. I would look into stengthing the door frame, not just the door. Most of time its the frame not the door itself that's the weak point.

 

[abnk]

Time to get a big dog.

 

[perry]

I had an apartment in Muncie broken in to a few years ago and I DID expect it to happen because the same dirtbag had hit the place across the all a few weeks earlier. They caught him as he was trying to break in to another unit in the next building and I got all my stuff back. It still sucked.

Best that you weren't there and everyone gets to sleep tonight.

 

[halfmileharry]

Glad everyone is OK. I hope you get your items back

 

[T-DOGG]

Very sorry to hear this! However, be thankful you weren't home at the time.

Wife was home before me, she noticed the door from garage to house was locked. She never saw the back door, she called me and I had her wait for me to get home first. I came home and saw the back door broken and called Police immediately. We both carry handguns, but neither of us felt like taking our chances. I'm no Ultimate Fighter and she's petite (and had my 2 year old with her).

 

[T-DOGG]

My room feels "dirty" now. Lord only knows what cracked out meth head touched our stuff.

 

[DaveL]

Time to get a big dog.

This . . . as a start. A trained dog is wonderful in a lot of ways.

 

[TTravis]

I know the feeling. Glad you and your family are OK. My place was broke into in May. I was only gone for a few hours. They stole 4 shotguns, a pistol, three laptops, and a DVD player. The guns had all been in the family for years. The guy was lucky I did not come home and catch him wit one of my shotguns because I would have shot him for sure. One thing to think about is how long your were away and did someone watch you leave. A lot of homes out in the country where I live have been broke into in the past couple years.

 

[G_Stines]

I came home tonight to my back door being kicked in. Instead of going in to check things out Chuck Norris style I called the police and waited until they showed up. The "kind" citizen who broke in was already gone. Besides a broken door they also tore through my bedroom and the mancave. Items missing that we established so far: wife's laptop, camcorder, money/change (maybe $40-$60 worth), & my range bag (they dumped most of it's contents onto the counter). Two things that really made me mad were: 1) found my daughter's piggy bank by back door "gutted" & 2) camcorder had tape in it of last year's Christmas containing footage of my late Father who passed in February (this hurt the worst of all items stolen). Nobody was hurt and no guns were stolen though, that's about the only good thing. Upgraded the door tonight with a steel one (original was cheap hollow core wood) and this definitely woke me up about how secure my home really is. This sounds cliche but I NEVER EVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME. Well I was wrong, it did. I will not sleep easy tonight, but there is a tomorrow and my wife and daughter are still alive, gotta be thankful for that. Accepting any recommendations for home security systems also, affordable of course.

I would suggest something like this.

I had an apartment in Muncie broken in to a few years ago and I DID expect it to happen because the same dirtbag had hit the place across the all a few weeks earlier. They caught him as he was trying to break in to another unit in the next building and I got all my stuff back. It still sucked.

Best that you weren't there and everyone gets to sleep tonight.

That is the key. Sorry to hear about the video OP, but at least you will be able to make new memories with your family for a while to come. You will always have him in your mind, regardless on what was on the tape. Don't forget that.

 

[Darral27]

I would agree with the previous reply. Make sure to reinforce the door frame. When somebody kicks in a door it is normally not the door that breaks but it is the door frame.

For the alarm system not sure where you live but I have been seeing alot of commercials for Xfinity alarms. I checked out the pricing and it looks to be really reasonable monthly and for installation.

 

[T-DOGG]

I would agree with the previous reply. Make sure to reinforce the door frame. When somebody kicks in a door it is normally not the door that breaks but it is the door frame.

For the alarm system not sure where you live but I have been seeing alot of commercials for Xfinity alarms. I checked out the pricing and it looks to be really reasonable monthly and for installation.

The guys at Menards tonight were very helpful about how to reinforce the door. Unfortunately my old door was a joke, 2x2 frame with cardboard in between two panels. I assume it was original from the 50's when the house was built. It was on my list of "to-do" stuff. Whoever broke in, broke the bottom half of the door right off by kicking it. I'm mad at myself for overlooking such an obvious issue. I guess I learned the hard way.

 

[JohnP82]

Very sorry to hear this! Glad everyone is safe.

 

[mwg]

sorry to hear your bad news. It would take a POS to take a childs piggy bank .I hope they catch that looser and you get your christmas video back.

 

[BumpShadow]

OP, Look into CTS Protective services. They are the local ADT Security System dealer. They have a deal where the equipment is free.

 

[T-DOGG]

I gotta call Insurance tomorrow to verify this, but I'm fairly certain my Home Owner's insurance has a $1000 deductible. All the items come to about $800 including what I paid for the new door. Thanks for the support everyone. I suppose if my name is T-DOGG I should at least own one, right? Maybe its time...

 

[G_Stines]

Back to the subject of dogs... This might be worth looking into:https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/non_firearms_related/184237-christmas_puppies_anyone.html

They're mostly lab with some GSD thrown in, and free to boot. I would get in touch with him if I were you.

 

[SMHurt]

I'm sorry you were the victim of a crime today. Want some advice or recommendations? First, the FBI gave some statistics and it appears if you put an alarm on your car it is 95% less likely to be stolen or items taken from inside the car. If you have an alarm on your house, you are 98% less likely to be a victim of a burglary. Five years ago it was 99% less likely if you have an alarm. It appears those with alarms are very safe however what if you rent a house or live in an apartment? Things change if you rent and you are forced to alternative methods of crime prevention.

I pay $28 per month for my alarm on the house. My guns, rifles, and reloader stuff seems pretty safe. I can also put on the alarm at night when we are in the house to give us protection while we are sleeping. I don't own an alarm company but just wanted to give you some information. Research groups talked with crooks in prison and asked them about their crime and alarms. The majority of burglars stated if the house or business had an alarm, they would go next door or down the street to a house or business without an alarm. Hummm... sounds smart for a burglar.

You need to so something. Get some security lighting, better door locks, and secondary locks. One last statistic ..... once you are a victime you are 50% more likely to become a victim a second time in the next year. Please don't let this happen.