Home broken into

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AllSeasons

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We were out of town for several days right after my graduation, and on the drive back, we get a call from the landlord, telling me that my apartment had been broken into. The door was brazenly kicked in, and the place had apparently been ransacked. My laptop had been taken, as well as my parents’ keys to their house, car, etc. Luckily, they did not take anything from the file cabinet, though it was not for lack of trying. They broke into the top drawer, but it was empty, so they probably didn’t bother with the bottom drawer, which had all the important stuff. I’m really worried about my laptop, because that’s where all of my information is. There’s enough information on there for them to steal my identity, etc.

The landlord replaced the lock, and the police were here earlier. I’m still a little shaken, and very shocked that something like this could happen to me, as opposed to something you only hear on the news. It’s going to take some will power to try to fall asleep tonight.

So now we gotta deal with all the aftermath, calling credit card companies, banks, etc. We also will need to replace all of the keys, including those belonging to my parents. Now they can’t even get into their car when they get back. Fortunately, I still have my car, which they can use until they get it sorted out.

Please let us know if you have any advice dealing with something like this. And of course, prayers are always welcome. Thank you.
 
I’m so sorry this happened to you. My friend got an alarm system. Not expensive. Gave them peace of mind.

I am offering prayers. 👍😊
 
If you are concerned about identity theft, as you should be in this situation, contact the major credit bureaus and have your credit report blocked. In most states this service will be free in a case like yours.

Sorry this happened to you. I remember when my apartment was broken into. Lost my TV, microwave, and stereo system. The worst part, however, was the uneasy feeling I had whenever I went home. In fact, for several weeks, I looked for reasons not to go home.
 
Sorry for your loss. My laptop is my treasure. Calling your banks to have those cards blocked shouldn’t be any problem. The keys can and will eventually be replaced. But you might never get your laptop back with all the documents, photos… on it. Data is a treasure that money can’t buy.

Try to have electronic copies of all your important documents as well as all the important data on your notebook preferably stored online.
 
Thank you for the kind words and prayers. I already contacted my credit card company to cancel my existing card and issue me a new card. I’m going down to the bank this morning to close my account. It also sucks that before we left, we had uploaded my graduation photos from the cameras to my laptop, so now those photos are lost forever. Luckily, we had emailed out a handful of the (best) photos to relatives, so we still have digital copies of those. But all the other documents on the laptop are lost forever.

This really, really sucks. Right after I graduate and right before I leave town for good, this happens. Sigh.
 
AllSeasons said:
We were out of town for several days right after my graduation, and on the drive back, we get a call from the landlord, telling me that my apartment had been broken into. The door was brazenly kicked in, and the place had apparently been ransacked. My laptop had been taken, as well as my parents’ keys to their house, car, etc. Luckily, they did not take anything from the file cabinet, though it was not for lack of trying. They broke into the top drawer, but it was empty, so they probably didn’t bother with the bottom drawer, which had all the important stuff. I’m really worried about my laptop, because that’s where all of my information is. There’s enough information on there for them to steal my identity, etc.

The landlord replaced the lock, and the police were here earlier. I’m still a little shaken, and very shocked that something like this could happen to me, as opposed to something you only hear on the news. It’s going to take some will power to try to fall asleep tonight.

So now we gotta deal with all the aftermath, calling credit card companies, banks, etc. We also will need to replace all of the keys, including those belonging to my parents. Now they can’t even get into their car when they get back. Fortunately, I still have my car, which they can use until they get it sorted out.

Please let us know if you have any advice dealing with something like this. And of course, prayers are always welcome. Thank you.
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I am so sorry to hear that this happened. Please be sure to put a password on your next laptop! At least it will be useless to thieves if they can’t get into your files easily. There are other things you can do in addition to putting at least a Windows password before anyone can log in. Not to pile on, because I know you already feel terrible, but also remember to back up your data, especially photos. You can use a cloud service like Dropbox to share your photos which means they wouldn’t be lost. It’s free and you can get more data capability by getting friends and relatives to also sign up.

Since you may have given a thief access to your SS #, you should think about having an identity protection service keep an eye out for any identity theft for a while. It stinks that it’s necessary these days but that’s what technology has left us open for.

I have never had a break-in and I think I would have to move. It would just freak me out to have strangers take my stuff. Prayers being said for your peace of mind.
 
Not meaning to scare you but I would definately worry about them coming back. They know what you have and what they took, so they know in a week or two you’ll have all new stuff. They’ll come back to steal the new replacement items.

I would also definately look at LifeLock or some other financial security service. I know a woman that makes a living stealing identities and maxing out credit lines she establishes using those identities. Last year she “bought” three cars using fake IDs and made thousands of dollars in purchases on other people’s credit cards. When the police finally arrested her there was over 100 charges in two states and 5 different counties. She was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to probation by each court. She never served a day in jail for any of her crimes. She now has three arrest warrants for doing the exact same thing. And she’s just the stupid one that keeps getting caught - there are thousands of other people out there that are smarter and put more effort into being a theif that law enforcement know nothing about.
 
SamH said:
Not meaning to scare you but I would definately worry about them coming back. They know what you have and what they took, so they know in a week or two you’ll have all new stuff. They’ll come back to steal the new replacement items.

I would also definately look at LifeLock or some other financial security service. I know a woman that makes a living stealing identities and maxing out credit lines she establishes using those identities. Last year she “bought” three cars using fake IDs and made thousands of dollars in purchases on other people’s credit cards. When the police finally arrested her there was over 100 charges in two states and 5 different counties. She was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to probation by each court. She never served a day in jail for any of her crimes. She now has three arrest warrants for doing the exact same thing. And she’s just the stupid one that keeps getting caught - there are thousands of other people out there that are smarter and put more effort into being a theif that law enforcement know nothing about.
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All excellent advice - and it’s very true about the repeat break ins. Thanks for reminding me and the rest of us - I know a family that experienced exactly that. The thieves know that insurance will likely replace everything and that no one can do without a computer these days.
 
The laptop had a Windows password, but to shady characters who know what they’re doing, it’s pretty useless. I either froze or closed all of my bank accounts. I did sign up for LifeLock, so hopefully that will help. I gave more information to the officer on the case, but the chances of finding the burglar is slim to none.

This has certainly taught me a lesson. Next time I’m definitely getting an apartment in a secure building or in a gated community.

Also, I know we’re supposed to forgive the people who have hurt us, but I’m finding it difficult right now to forgive this cowardly criminal. I’m also contemplating getting a gun for my own protection.
 
AllSeasons said:
The laptop had a Windows password, but to shady characters who know what they’re doing, it’s pretty useless. I either froze or closed all of my bank accounts. I did sign up for LifeLock, so hopefully that will help. I gave more information to the officer on the case, but the chances of finding the burglar is slim to none.

This has certainly taught me a lesson. Next time I’m definitely getting an apartment in a secure building or in a gated community.

Also, I know we’re supposed to forgive the people who have hurt us, but I’m finding it difficult right now to forgive this cowardly criminal. I’m also contemplating getting a gun for my own protection.
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Well, you can take some comfort in the fact that most thieves are just after stuff they can turn around for drug money. I suppose there could be a market in locked laptops that hackers can then try to get into, but I’m thinking it would just be sold for a few bucks or drugs.

If you get a gun, be sure to get training so you know what you’re doing. You have to know that you can shoot to kill if you are going to have a weapon. You may not make that choice, but you have to know that you CAN make that choice if necessary, because there is no time to consider it when someone is breaking into your house. You don’t HAVE to shoot them, just to know that if you are threatened, you will.
 
Do what I do – get a strong laptop cable lock and chain it to an immobile object (such as a radiator pipe). Yes, thieves could cut the cable and steal the laptop, but ordinary thieves are unlikely to bring cable-cutting equipment with them on an ordinary house break-in.
 
AllSeasons said:
Also, I know we’re supposed to forgive the people who have hurt us, but I’m finding it difficult right now to forgive this cowardly criminal.
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Please find it in your heart to forgive this individual(s). It’s extremely important! It shouldn’t be that difficult if you have the will or if you practice how to always forgive, no matter what. You have mostly lost material things and hopefully, you would work hard and replace what can be replaced.

Whatever the case, forgiving is indispensable and I honestly believe that, this is a great opportunity for you to show your love for God.
 
I’m so sorry for what you have been through. I’ve had my home broken into and my car as well. It’s a pretty yucky feeling.
I know one of the people who entered my home (and spoke to him about it, telling him that he needed to provide restitution for what was taken.) The last I heard, he was in prison for other issues. From what I know of his life, he could use a great deal of prayer so perhaps I could pray for your robber and you for mine. I assume my car (on a college campus) was hit by a stranger. Either way, people who will steal are sorely in need of prayer. May God bless us all.
 
I have not had your experience, but my parents’ home was broken into a long time ago.
Luckily, they did not have much of value stolen. The thieves were after jewelry and
passports and guns. We know that much because they were caught burgarlizing another
residence, one of them (he was armed) was killed, but the other was caught with a
carfull of items that had been stolen earlier. Didn’t know it at the time, but my mother
kept her good jewelry in cheap boxes and her costume jewelry in jewelry boxes. The
thieves took her cheap jewelry and left the other boxes alone. LOL.
I have a pretty secure password on my laptop, .but even so, I don’t leave it at home,
usually goes with me on trips.
Heard this suggestion given by a burglar (!!). He said one of the things that eliminated
a home for him was hearing voices or thinking someone was home. So he suggested
leaving on a “talk” radio station and lights. Even if it was at night, someone could
have insomnia and be listening, or during the day the “talk” couldn’t be distinguished
from people talking. Not foolproof, cause they could then ring the doorbell and
break in when noone came to the door.
I will pray for you.
 
I’m so sorry to hear about the break-in. Please consider that it was connected to the time period around your graduation and the thief may be someone that you knows you or your schedule/routine. I know that thieves are always looking for info about graduations and weddings etc knowing that thoses residences will be easy to break into. Always have someone watching your home when your absence will be public. I use Frontpoint security and it is affordable and the system comes with me when I move.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
Well, you can take some comfort in the fact that most thieves are just after stuff they can turn around for drug money. I suppose there could be a market in locked laptops that hackers can then try to get into, but I’m thinking it would just be sold for a few bucks or drugs.
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I’m not worried so much about the thief trying to break into my computer himself as the person he may be selling the laptop to. The thief appears to be an experienced one, and he probably has ready channels to dump stolen goods. The intermediaries are the ones that worry me more, as they are more likely to possess the know-how to break into a laptop to retrieve personal information. Let’s hope the thief’s associates are only interested in wiping the computer clean and reselling it.
 
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