Around this time last year, I put on a happy face trying to make light of a scary situation-- Burglaries in my neighborhood, in THIS POST. At that point in time, 15 house had suffered "smash and grab" robberies and I was pretty freaked out about it. So, for peace of mind, I wore and literally carried around with me my most cherished jewelry and possessions for SEVEN months.
I did my due diligence as well to ensure our home was as safe as possible, and I talked with my security alarm company, the Homeowners Association, our Councilman's office, the police Watch Commander and all of my neighbors. In short-- I was obsessed about making sure robberies in my 'hood did not happen again.
But they did happen, despite our living in a "safe neighborhood". One house after another was robbed with the same actions-- Smash a back door or window for entry, grab as much loot as time allows, then run to the corner and get picked up by a waiting vehicle. Despite so many people's best efforts the "robbery ring" continued.
Friday it was our turn.
Very shortly after I turned our alarm on and left our home, our glass back door was broken-- the exterior door leading to our bedroom-- the 1/4 inch, super thick, glass door we had to take advantage of the beautiful view from our yard...
...was shattered to smithereens leaving our home wide open to robbers. And rob they did.
The bedroom was methodically ransacked until they found the "mother load of loot" then it appears, they decided to leave the bedroom to explore other areas of our home. That's when our so called "state of the art" motion sensor burglar system kicked in and the alarm blasted them right back out the broken bedroom door to disappear into the infamous LA traffic.
Our bedroom door. Gulp. The one place we thought we were the absolute safest in our home turned out to be the most vulnerable. If the robbers had actually opened the door an alarm would have sounded but glass isn't "alarmable" and so they removed it.
Days later the sick feeling in my stomach is still very present. The bedroom door is still boarded up awaiting the replacement glass and is a stark reminder of the destruction and angst caused by a very organized and skillful group of @#$%&! gang members.
I have since learned of newer, more modern "shatter detectors" for glass and, since the entire back of our home is floor to ceiling windows, they will be promptly installed. Once again, I have made the rounds through our neighborhood distributing information and literally begging homeowners to use their alarm system (the other two houses robbed the same day did not have their alarms on).
Our alarm company representative has been to our home to review our system for recommendations on how best to "arm" our home (short of a gun which I do not want). And I just spent an hour with the police fingerprint officer-- his black and white police car parked in front of our home brought a momentary calmness to my racing mind.
I see the horrible destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy on the television and know that millions of people are in a much, much worse place. I'm ashamed to be so upset over a situation that clearly is minor in the scheme of things. But still, sleep is hard to come by and I am shaken to my core.
Tonight I will be the Halloween Scrooge and not pass out candy-- The thought of opening my door to strangers is too frightening. And, the knowledge that neighbors will ask if I heard about the burglaries means explaining I not only heard but I SAW-- I love Halloween but my yard full of decorations have been removed and the front of our house will be dark. The window-filled back of my house will, however, be lite up like a Christmas tree so there is no doubt we are home.
My sweet husband will hold down the fort here, and tomorrow I'm running away from home-- to my first home-- in Ohio. I. Want. My. Mommy! Soon I will be eating the worst homemade meatloaf you ever tasted but it will be my Mother's meatloaf. As odd as it may sound, I find great comfort in that.
Stay safe, my friends. xo jj
I did my due diligence as well to ensure our home was as safe as possible, and I talked with my security alarm company, the Homeowners Association, our Councilman's office, the police Watch Commander and all of my neighbors. In short-- I was obsessed about making sure robberies in my 'hood did not happen again.
But they did happen, despite our living in a "safe neighborhood". One house after another was robbed with the same actions-- Smash a back door or window for entry, grab as much loot as time allows, then run to the corner and get picked up by a waiting vehicle. Despite so many people's best efforts the "robbery ring" continued.
Friday it was our turn.
Very shortly after I turned our alarm on and left our home, our glass back door was broken-- the exterior door leading to our bedroom-- the 1/4 inch, super thick, glass door we had to take advantage of the beautiful view from our yard...
...was shattered to smithereens leaving our home wide open to robbers. And rob they did.
The bedroom was methodically ransacked until they found the "mother load of loot" then it appears, they decided to leave the bedroom to explore other areas of our home. That's when our so called "state of the art" motion sensor burglar system kicked in and the alarm blasted them right back out the broken bedroom door to disappear into the infamous LA traffic.
Our bedroom door. Gulp. The one place we thought we were the absolute safest in our home turned out to be the most vulnerable. If the robbers had actually opened the door an alarm would have sounded but glass isn't "alarmable" and so they removed it.
Days later the sick feeling in my stomach is still very present. The bedroom door is still boarded up awaiting the replacement glass and is a stark reminder of the destruction and angst caused by a very organized and skillful group of @#$%&! gang members.
I have since learned of newer, more modern "shatter detectors" for glass and, since the entire back of our home is floor to ceiling windows, they will be promptly installed. Once again, I have made the rounds through our neighborhood distributing information and literally begging homeowners to use their alarm system (the other two houses robbed the same day did not have their alarms on).
Our alarm company representative has been to our home to review our system for recommendations on how best to "arm" our home (short of a gun which I do not want). And I just spent an hour with the police fingerprint officer-- his black and white police car parked in front of our home brought a momentary calmness to my racing mind.
I see the horrible destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy on the television and know that millions of people are in a much, much worse place. I'm ashamed to be so upset over a situation that clearly is minor in the scheme of things. But still, sleep is hard to come by and I am shaken to my core.
Tonight I will be the Halloween Scrooge and not pass out candy-- The thought of opening my door to strangers is too frightening. And, the knowledge that neighbors will ask if I heard about the burglaries means explaining I not only heard but I SAW-- I love Halloween but my yard full of decorations have been removed and the front of our house will be dark. The window-filled back of my house will, however, be lite up like a Christmas tree so there is no doubt we are home.
My sweet husband will hold down the fort here, and tomorrow I'm running away from home-- to my first home-- in Ohio. I. Want. My. Mommy! Soon I will be eating the worst homemade meatloaf you ever tasted but it will be my Mother's meatloaf. As odd as it may sound, I find great comfort in that.
Stay safe, my friends. xo jj