ARRRRRGGGHH. Had someone break in (two days running). No big deal at first, just noticed when two of our rare indugences, a six-pack of hard cider, came up missing. Decided it was just kids, trying to be cool and edgy (it is rural out here, not much of that cool macho gang stuff to get into). No such luck. Came back the next day and took the chipper/shredder and a tent, although truth be told, the tent may have gone walking the first day - house is a such mess right now, you could ransack it and no one would notice! Talk about your redneck criminals - break in, grab a bottle of "beer", and steal a tent and a chipper. Yeehaww!

Oh well, they didn't get the tiller (they tried, but the sucker is so big, it has to be on and running to move it) which isn't ours and would have cost us close to a grand to replace. Nor did they seem interested in anything truly portable, like the DR Trimmer (worth twice what the chipper is, and runs), stereo, CDs, computer, credit card that was laying out by the CDs (will keep checking statement just in case they lifted the numbers) or anything truly "fence-able". Count our blessings, I guess.

Feel sorry for them, more than anything else. Will miss the tent (hadn't even gotten a chance to use it yet, but it was free with scrounged Marlboro miles from friends who smoke, so no money lost except the shipping), but the hubby and I haven't been able to get the chipper to run in over a year and a half - just starts, then splutters out and no amount of new gas,gas additive, filter cleaning, tweaking, kicking, cursing, or threatening has been effective at kepping it running. Poor guys, and they worked so hard to get it out to their truck.

Had to be locals, as they came up behind the house on the field access roads that surround the lease acreage out here. No way to stop them, as I cannot legally block the access roads which run right along the back yard of this rental. Oh well. Hubby got a cable and a few locks to chain up his remaining valuables and is looking into some triggered surveillence cameras. He's a gadget guy at heart and this will give him a legitimate reason to have a little fun playing 007.

Oh well, guess we'll have to start shutting and locking the windows when we leave (pain in the wazoo, but whatcha gonna do.) Never been so attatched to my material belongings that the theft thereof would be a reason to get a weapon. Not worth the price of a new stereo to take a life, in my opinion. Never been the type to feel "violated" or creeped out by the thought of others in my house (probably stems from a lifetime of renting, complete with suprise and clandistine snoops from the landholders). Not worried about personal harm as they have apparently gone out of their way to make sure no one was home, and, knowing who it probably is, they've had ample chance to make a personal nuisance out of themselves if they had wanted to. Seems like it may be the result of a new addition to the hoodlum population, a recent outside influence that I've seen hanging out with the prime suspect. Refuse to adopt a seige mentality about it, and anyway, a few more trips and they'll have everything of commercial value anyway. ;) The rest is just useful, but seriously image-impaired "junk". Just in case, I'll make sure and dump all of my vital computer files onto disk in case they should make off with the momma drive. Hubby's got so many computer carcasses out in the workshop that even that theft would only be a temporary setback until he could magic a backup 'puter into running condition.

Just wanted to rant and get the last of the negative feelings out of my personal energy and out onto a medium where they can do no harm to myself or any other self, plus maybe cadge a few ever-comforting words of encouragement from my support group! Thanks for listening!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), June 10, 2001

Answers

You get what you put up with. Sounds like you know who it is, and have made the choice to put up with it. Good luck, I sure hope they don't make a mistake and come in when someone is home...

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.come), June 10, 2001.

I won't comment on the idea that property is less valuable than a life other than to say I generally agree, BUT, it may indeed be worth a trip to jail for someone. Besides, you have to work hard for what you get, don't you? And the idea that someone else just decides to take what you have....? If it were me, I'd set a non-lethal booby trap, and if they get hurt, now whose fault is that?

-- HannahMariaHolly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), June 10, 2001.

Soni, I despise thieves with a passion myself; and have adopeted an open door policy that appears like theres nothing to steal worthwhile setting around. This includes open barn doors, timers on radios (to make the place look ocupied), timers on lights, moving vehicles to different places- anything to break up the day to day pattern. Most kids, and it sounds like kids, pro would have grabed sellable items; will case a place before entering; you can proablly find their nest somewhere near a high spot overlooking your place.

And to be politically correct, their not rednecks, they are "pink collar workers". And as for the chipper not running right, if it is a 2 stroke motor it sounds like crank seals; a 4 stroke, look for rust on the flywheel or the condenser failure, maybe even an air leak.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 10, 2001.

Soni: I don't know where you're at or the local situation so this may or may not be applicable. Thieves broke into my folks place when they were out and took a few things but left alot of more valuable things that they must have seen (sound familiar?). Police were called and a report filed, but the police detective told my folks to either get an alarm installed immediately (they said they would wait until the alarm installer arrived!!) or plan on not being in the house for a few days "just to be on the safe side!" He said that the thief mentality is such that everything they saw after they broke in is now THEIRS, and they will be back to get the rest of THEIR stuff. Sounded like too many cop movies at first but they installed the alarm anyway. Two days later, same guys break in, alarm goes off, police respond, catch bad guys. Even recovered some of the stuff from first break-in. My point is: Be careful. You might not be dealing with kids.

-- Frank (fhill@absolute-net.com), June 10, 2001.

Soni,I really admire your patience.That said,I too think they will keep coming back until one of them goes to jail.Maybe hubby's cameras can catch them in the act.Good luck.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), June 10, 2001.

The country is changing around here too (maybe it's time for me to move furthur out again) We have had some new people move into the area, and local teenagers are getting ...well you know. We haven't had anything stolen but some folks just seemed a little too snoopy. Last summer I brought home a sheppard mix pup to raise, I have had to do a lot of training to ensure he wouldn't harm the livestock. But a year later he would be a formidable scare if someone were to wander in. He's still a pup really, but has been a good addition to our family and peace of mind for me. I know this is a long term solution, but something to think about.

-- Terri in NS (terri@tallships.ca), June 11, 2001.

Well, you've kept your head about it--I leave my keys in the truck myself. My philosophy was always "I'm so poor,thieves would break in,and leave a TV & VCR" :)

-- Brendan K Callahan (sleeping@netins.net), June 11, 2001.

We had the sheriff out to look around and take a statement (there were some footprints in the barn for him to Hmmmm and Uh-huh at) but unless we catch them red-handed, or someone happens to stumble over one of the stolen items during a raid or something, there's not much they can do. Told Officer Friendly (and he really was, too) our suspicions about who and where, but that's no where near probable cause for a search or any such thing.

It's a poor county and they are desperatey understaffed. It's highly unlikey that they will spend any serious amount of time actually actively investigating this crime. Not an efficient use of the marginal manpower they have, considering the DUI and drug problems that afflict the area, and no real hope of successful solution (how do you id one chipper from the next believably - no outstanding identifying marks).

That said, am considering the dog issue, but with several cats already pushing the envelope on what I can afford to take decent care of, it's a tough call. Probably cheaper to let them haul off the remaining valuable goods, to tell the truth; not that I wouldn't love to have a dog or two around, just on GP.

We'll see, and I'll keep you posted. PS: I love the pink-collared worker appellation. Gotta remember that!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001.

The problem about theives is the law has given them the green light to steal.I've had someone attempt to rob from my house.Someone was home at the time and the thief thought the house was empty ,we knew who the person was from seeing him in the neighbor, he was attempting to get in by checking our front door and windows ,the same person did some damsge to one of our veicles.I had witnesses but when I called the law,they said it's your word against his.I could take him to court if I like .What the law wants now is to bust people for drugs or traffic violations. The bottem line is they want money.They don't get money from thieves getting busted.They do get money or valuable things when they catch someone with a few joints in their car or truck.They confiscate the veicle and sell it plus they get federal money for having a large number of drug bust.Even though some of the police were pot heads when in high school.We grew up with them.We remember.Also speeding is a crime they will persue.Anything that brings in money.They will arrest you for taking the law into your own hands .So basicly we're on our own ,with our hands tied behind our backs.The only solution we've found is someone needs to stay home and never leave the house by itself.And neighbors will let each other know if they are leaving their house empty and to keep an eye opened.No one here calls the law if something is stolen anymore.The police have a real negative attitude toward people who call them for that,they act as if you disturbed their quite evening.And we pay their salaries through taxes.For what?They sell cameras like the ones you see in gas stations and seven/elevens that work on slow speed and record for a couple of days at a time, they sell for about 4 hundred dollars.But the theives would probably steal that also.The term Crimminal justice system is just that.A justice system run by crimminals,to protect crimminals.

-- oo (Lawless@fedup.com), June 11, 2001.

If you're a redneck for stealing a beer, a tent and a chipper, does this mean you are a redneck for owning a beer, a tent and a chipper???

-- cowgirlone (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001.

Golly, cowgirl, we're in a lot of trouble then!

-- Ardie from WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), June 11, 2001.

Probably, to tell the truth, but it did seem to be a telling choice of loot, given the alternatives!

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), June 12, 2001.

A couple of years ago we had a neighbor who was being evicted from his house. His wife was ill and he had 3 children at home. He was out of work. We had a small one bedroom cottage in the back of our house which was in need of repairs. We let them move in there (for a few weeks they said).

A few weeks turned out to be 6 months. We went out of state and turned off the power to our main house. We left the small cottage power on in our name (because they couldn't afford deposits to put it in their name). His wife was also on oxygen. How could we refuse.

The children were so precious. The oldest boy would come and do a few chores for us yard work) and we would lavish him with treats (ocassionally giving him $$).

When we had been gone for months and were returning to move our things to the new home (in another state), we called to let them know we'd be there in 2 days.

Alas, before we had even arrived home, we were notified that our home had been robbed. When we got there we found that it had been pretty well stripped. A few things were left, like some of the furniture, books, etc. They had taken all the food, dishes, pots & pans, pictures off the walls, electronics (TVs, VCRs & stereos), video movies (including the family movies (40 years old) that we had put on video tape), the rugs, linens, everything out of the bathroom cabinets, shampoos, soaps & even the toilet paper off the roller.

There were a few other things left, like some of the clothes and books. The stereo had been taken but the CD's & tapes left (of course they were all Christian music - that's all we listen to - guess the thief wasn't into that).

The neighbors who had by then moved nearby, said they had been there the day before and everything was fine, but when they came back in the morning, everything was missing. They did call the police.

Remember now, there was no electricity in the house. Yet somebody had gone through all the clothing and taken just the pieces they wanted (which was about half). Now how did the thief do all that in the dark - at night? The house was surprisingly as near as a pin. They had not thrashed it in their haste. Things had just been neatly removed, as though someone was moving.

Also, their donkey had died and they buried it out back, but they didn't dig the hole deep enough and the feet were sticking out, stinking to high heaven. When we went to the little cottage to check on it, they had changed the locks and boarded up the windows. When my husband finally got in he found dead puppies put on a shelf in top of the closet. Our realtor kindly (not) informed us that we were responsible for the dead animal buried in back (the neighbors were complaining).

These were some sick people. My heart was broken. When I think of the sweet children that they have and what hope do they have for a decent future?

But, I remembered that our Lord said: "... Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." Luke 6:30. We decided not to contact the police at all, and not to press charges. This was harder on my husband that it was on me. I remind myself continuously (in this and all situations) that people are more important than things. My mother said she hoped we would learn our lesson and quit helping people (always seems to happen this way). But I told her that as long as God is on the throne, we will continue to do what he has called us to do. That would of course be to love all people at all times. Even when it is inconvenient or when it hurts (and it sure does hurt).

I'm not a fool, but I'm in love with my Lord, Jesus. Will serve Him forever.

I can't say that in your circumstances I would feel this way. I would worry about the thieves coming back, but in our case we were moving out of the state.

I'm praying that everything will work out for you. Be careful.

www.geocities.com/shilohschild

-- Shiloh's Child (shilohschild@christianemail.com), June 16, 2001.

Helping people is great, but you have to help the right kind. I learned many lessons myself before I realized that. I only help those who help themselves. Show no regard to those who don't return it. I disagree with turning the other cheek. Maybe you can deal with it, but you allow people like that to continue to do as they did to you. If people like that don't pay the price, it emboldens them to continue as they are and likely find another victim. If that was my house, I would not have rested until they paid the price for their actions. I say when you let bad people get away with those things, you are doing a diservice to the good ones around you.

-- nobody (nothing@nowhere.no), June 16, 2001.