Just disturbed a thief in my house

[RandBlade]

We moved into our new house a week last Friday, no Internet so not online (on iPhone)

Had my little brother over for the weekend now that we have a guest room, allowed my parents to go away. This morning dropped my brother off at school and due to the early (for me) start went back to bed until midday. Woke up, then heard a lot of noises, sounded like someone was in the house. Still the area is a building site and next door isn't finished yet, but still ... Double glazing we don't hear much and it really sounded loud. Then heard clattering so went downstairs.

Saw someone running out our back gardens driveway. Screamed at him and he ran into his car and drove fast away. Went chasing after him barefoot (adrenaline) and he drove off really fast. Back door open as he'd ran out of it, was closed when I'd come home.

Got the reg plate and called 999 but by the time I'd answered all their questions couldn't remember the full reg. Police came over and then CSI who're still here.

All doors and windows were locked, he forced the locked kitchen window open with something like a screwdriver, it'll need replacing.

Can't see anything stolen, seems like I disturbed him too soon.

Someone else saw the car, told the Police it was a green Micra. They've got a match for a car on their records with the partial reg, a green Micra

[Loki]

You figure it was an inside job or a target that looks like it belongs to someone with a lot of money?

[termite]

Its an old con, wait until a new home is built, let them spend the weekend moving in all their valuables (possibly while staking the place) and then when everyone goes out you take everything that is nicely catalogued. Its also too soon for any neighbours to know which vehicles belong to the house - even a great big moving fan can go unreported because the neighbours just think you're still moving in - rather than moving stolen goods out.

This happened to my brother when he moved out and into his first place on his own. We spent a whole day moving him in and decided to take him to a restaurant for dinner to celebrate his independence - when he got home his new house was all but empty. The bastards came with a van and moved out most of his stuff, they also looked for, and found, all the receipts he had for the goods - thereby getting them a better pay-day when selling the goods.

Sorry to hear this happened to you Randy, it is quite disturbing knowing somebody has been in your home. All I can suggest is sensible security and a good insurance policy.

[littlelolligagged]

Damn.

Sounds like they have a good shot of catching the asswipe, though.

[Bitter Jeweler]

Eeeep, that ones of my fears.
Sorry you have to go through it.

Are you having the feelings of being violated and all that?

[RandBlade]

Indeed, we're high risk apparently due to the new development. Normally you know your neighbours and seeing someone else go into the back garden is suspicious. Now we don't have neighbours and there's different contractors about every day. Plus as you said moving items is not uncommon.

[Nessus]

You're like a lightning rod for crime, Randy, sorry to hear it

[termite]

You're like a lightning rod for crime, Randy, sorry to hear it

The question is, should he use this ability for good or evil?

[Lor]

Oh bugger, sorry to hear about it Rand. I hope they find the bastards!

Just curious but does your house come with any security alarms? I helped my ladies cousin move into her first home (new build on a new development) last weekend, it seems most of the properties have alarms as standard.

[Aimless]

I'd watch this movie, but RB should be former SAS.

But damn dude... hope they bust those clowns here I thought it'd be a disgruntled former employee again.

[']['ear]

Bummer, man.

A good bet would be a guy working on the nearby construction crew as a spotter. Story of that in my community a couple of years ago> The thieves got busted and ratted the spotter out, were able to verify some other way.

Good job busting him! Might want to temporarily invest in an alarm system. Or a dog.

[littlelolligagged]

Or a dog.

Attack hamster!

[GGT]

That sounds scary, glad you're okay Rand!

Q: If you'd had a gun in the house, would you have shot him in the back?

[EyeKhan]

That sounds scary, glad you're okay Rand!

Q: If you'd had a gun in the house, would you have shot him in the back?

This isn't Texas we're talking about.

[RandBlade]

That sounds scary, glad you're okay Rand!

Q: If you'd had a gun in the house, would you have shot him in the back?

At the time? When I was freaked out, scared, angry, pumped up on adrenaline and wondering what stolen goods he had of ours in his car with him? All at the same time.

Yes.

I went chasing after him down the street, unarmed and barefoot and I have no idea what I'd have done if I'd caught him - or he'd turned to me. Logical thinking was not in charge, adrenaline was.

[Timbuk2]

Jesus!

Snotty little fucker!

Makes me sooooo angry, stories like this.

Thank god you were home. Scared the hell out of the little shit I would think.

~

Worst way to start the homeowner experience, Rand. Hope you and Amanda get some sleep tonight, and indeed in the coming nights.

Your house insurance in order yet? Will you claim for the lock/window if it is?

[']['ear]

Attack hamster!

Seriously, dogs are a good home security investment. If you're a crook, why mess with a house that has a dog when one without is nearby?

At the time? When I was freaked out, scared, angry, pumped up on adrenaline and wondering what stolen goods he had of ours in his car with him? All at the same time.

Yes.

I went chasing after him down the street, unarmed and barefoot and I have no idea what I'd have done if I'd caught him - or he'd turned to me. Logical thinking was not in charge, adrenaline was.

Yeah, in my life I've faced down two bicycle thieves, one when I was 20, one when I was 30 (in neither case was the bike mine). For the latter my wife was very pissed at me, but I can honestly say that another course of action never occurred to me, Like John Carter!

Your house insurance in order yet? Will you claim for the lock/window if it is?

Well, if it were here the claim would probably be under the deductible.

Very sorry, Rand. I hope this doesn't impact your enjoyment of your new home.

[Flixy]

That sucks, lucky that you interrupted him.

[Ominous Gamer]

I would have reacted the same way Rand. I don't own a gun, but I do have an impressive survival knife taped to the back of my headboard, always been paranoid of something like this happening.
My mom uses little battery powered alarms in her house. They are cheap, and cheaply made, but they do make a hell of a lot of racket. Enough to freak out a thief when they aren't expecting to make any noise. Also far fewer false alarms than a damn dirty dog.

[termite]

A dog is a pet first and foremost OG. They are not alarm systems, however when confronted with a house with a dog 9 times out of 10 the burglar will move on to a dogless house - probably one with a cheapass alarm system. Oh and be careful with that knife, you're likely to ended up getting stabbed with it by an intruder - especially if you've just been woken by strange noises and the intruder is capable of more than simple burglary.

[Hazir]

I am appalled you didn't apologize for inconveniencing him.

Must have been upsetting while it happened, though I must say I don't really follow this line of the burglar being all that well organised. If you really want to do some serious planned ransacking of a home you don't go to 'work' in a micra. Sounds more like you were the victim of a random crime.

[termite]

I am appalled you didn't apologize for inconveniencing him.

Must have been upsetting while it happened, though I must say I don't really follow this line of the burglar being all that well organised. If you really want to do some serious planned ransacking of a home you don't go to 'work' in a micra. Sounds more like you were the victim of a random crime.

What did you expect him to drive? I'd have thought a nippy little car would be ideal on most UK streets - burglars don't usually go for big items anymore so a van or truck would be over-kill, small valuable items easily converted into cash - or ACTUAL cash - would likely be his preferred target.

[Timbuk2]

Yeh I go with the random thing.

Fella probably thought one of the few completed houses on the estate had been moved into with all furniture and possessions, but not actually occupied ...

~

So much fucking theft in this country.

[termite]

Yeh I go with the random thing.

Fella probably thought one of the few completed houses on the estate had been moved into with all furniture and possessions, but not actually occupied ...

~

So much fucking theft in this country.

Which makes it anything but random no? He chose the house specifically for the reasons you mention = not random.