A few weeks back someone broke into my car while it was parked infront of the house one night and stole my stereo (not anything fancy) and the digital camera I got for Christmas that was in the center console. I had to miss a day of work and spend $175 to get the door window replaced.
A few nights later the next house down had the same thing happen to their car, after this I became incredibly paranoid, I started running to look out the window any time I heard a car go by and would stay up late at night sitting in our living room with the lights off watching and waiting for something to go down. I did see a car that was driving though real slow at night regularly and called the cops and saw them get chased thru the neighborhood but they got away.
After a week or two things got a little better and I started to mellow out about the whole thing, that was until Saturday before last. My girlfriend and I were sitting at home and around 11:15pm I heard an four wheeler go buy, I peeked out the window to see them making a u-turn at the road beside us (we live on a corner) then I heard it cut off and some guys start talking. I looked out our back window and saw two guys running thru our yard and hear them saying "be quiet, stay down, hurry up" we called the cops right away. After a minute I saw someone else walk into the yard and the two guys ran. I watched them the whole time, but my girlfriend didn't want me to go out. Another minute or two later eveyone left and a while after that the cops showed up.
I found out the next day that the last person who came in the yard was a guy down the street who was just out walking and knew these guys shouldn't have been there.
What gets me is after the first theft I put up two 150 watt lights (like shop lights) in the front and one in the back, so the house was well lit and it was clear we were home. I don't know what these guys were up to, we have a metal shed in the back, so they may have been trying to brake into it, who knows...it could've been the house they were after. I've since put a remote controlled camera up so I can see what's going on outside at night without much trouble. I've also got a gun I now keep beside the bed at night.
You have to be pretty damn bold to try and steal stuff when you're easily seen and you know the people are home, what I'm afraid of is next time are they going to try and break in the house?
Since this last round has gone on I've had a hard time getting to sleep at night and when I do I have nightmares about someone breaking in and wake up in cold sweats. When I don't get any sleep it's hard to get up for work in the morning and I have missed a few days, it hasn't been a big deal, the boss is understanding but that doesn't make things better. When I do work I'm afraid that I'll come home to a house that's been broken into. Not only has it affected my work but it's had an impact on our relationship too, my girlfriend and I are both tired of me being so paranoid and on edge all the time, I can't seem to get over it though. I used to like to always be out doing something away from home any time of day, lately I don't want to leave the house unattended or be out for very long, especially after dark. I've even had a few panic attacks lately, something I haven't had to deal with for a while.
We aren't rich people or have a lot, but what we do have is either irreplaceable or costs enough that it'd take us a heck of a long time to be able to afford to replace it, and god forbid anything ever happens to the Valiant, it'd take foreve to fix or would be junked.
We rent, so getting ADT or something like that isn't an option really, though we do plan on getting some renters insurance ASAP so if something is stolen it will be covered, but even that only goes so far toward getting back piece of mind.
So what can I do guys? Anyone else been in a similar situation? I just can't seem to get over it and get back to being me. This is a pretty nice neighborhood and I've lived in this place on an off for more than a decade, this is the first time anything has gone on, but I just can't quit worrying that something else is going to happen.
-Curt
A few nights later the next house down had the same thing happen to their car, after this I became incredibly paranoid, I started running to look out the window any time I heard a car go by and would stay up late at night sitting in our living room with the lights off watching and waiting for something to go down. I did see a car that was driving though real slow at night regularly and called the cops and saw them get chased thru the neighborhood but they got away.
After a week or two things got a little better and I started to mellow out about the whole thing, that was until Saturday before last. My girlfriend and I were sitting at home and around 11:15pm I heard an four wheeler go buy, I peeked out the window to see them making a u-turn at the road beside us (we live on a corner) then I heard it cut off and some guys start talking. I looked out our back window and saw two guys running thru our yard and hear them saying "be quiet, stay down, hurry up" we called the cops right away. After a minute I saw someone else walk into the yard and the two guys ran. I watched them the whole time, but my girlfriend didn't want me to go out. Another minute or two later eveyone left and a while after that the cops showed up.
I found out the next day that the last person who came in the yard was a guy down the street who was just out walking and knew these guys shouldn't have been there.
What gets me is after the first theft I put up two 150 watt lights (like shop lights) in the front and one in the back, so the house was well lit and it was clear we were home. I don't know what these guys were up to, we have a metal shed in the back, so they may have been trying to brake into it, who knows...it could've been the house they were after. I've since put a remote controlled camera up so I can see what's going on outside at night without much trouble. I've also got a gun I now keep beside the bed at night.
You have to be pretty damn bold to try and steal stuff when you're easily seen and you know the people are home, what I'm afraid of is next time are they going to try and break in the house?
Since this last round has gone on I've had a hard time getting to sleep at night and when I do I have nightmares about someone breaking in and wake up in cold sweats. When I don't get any sleep it's hard to get up for work in the morning and I have missed a few days, it hasn't been a big deal, the boss is understanding but that doesn't make things better. When I do work I'm afraid that I'll come home to a house that's been broken into. Not only has it affected my work but it's had an impact on our relationship too, my girlfriend and I are both tired of me being so paranoid and on edge all the time, I can't seem to get over it though. I used to like to always be out doing something away from home any time of day, lately I don't want to leave the house unattended or be out for very long, especially after dark. I've even had a few panic attacks lately, something I haven't had to deal with for a while.
We aren't rich people or have a lot, but what we do have is either irreplaceable or costs enough that it'd take us a heck of a long time to be able to afford to replace it, and god forbid anything ever happens to the Valiant, it'd take foreve to fix or would be junked.
We rent, so getting ADT or something like that isn't an option really, though we do plan on getting some renters insurance ASAP so if something is stolen it will be covered, but even that only goes so far toward getting back piece of mind.
So what can I do guys? Anyone else been in a similar situation? I just can't seem to get over it and get back to being me. This is a pretty nice neighborhood and I've lived in this place on an off for more than a decade, this is the first time anything has gone on, but I just can't quit worrying that something else is going to happen.
-Curt
