8 August 2010

My house was burgled

| rosittaau
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My house in Harrison was burgled last night between 6:15pm and 8:00pm.

The thieves took away a lot of jewellery, computers and cash that belonged to myself and other people living with me.

The worst part is that most of the jewellery is for my wedding today so I will have almost nothing to wear.

If anyone on riot knows of anything could you please let me know.

The list of taken things include:

2x solid gold necklaces
1 pair of solid gold earrings
2 solid gold bangles
2 Silver Macbook Pros – Model A1286 (serial numbers W88526ht1g0 and W893390wt644)
1 Silver Sony notebook – Model VGN-NW15G/S (serial number S01-7002819-D or P-28217673-I (both on barcode))
1 Black Nokia 6500 phone
1 Black Sandisk multi card reader
1 cordless Mac mouse
$2000 Hong Kong dollars

If anyone has seen anything or know of anything related to this could you please tell me? I have insurance but there are several things on that list that are of a huge sentimental value.

Thanks very much.

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steele_blade2:32 pm 22 Oct 12

this thread is two years old, I think the burglar has long gone by now.

Affirmative Action Man2:09 pm 22 Oct 12

I think the best insurance against burglary is to have a reasonable relationship with all your neighbours. Unfortunately some opeople (particularly renters) don’t seem to make any effort to get to know their neighbours.

RadioVK said :

facet said :

The police didn’t bother with taking finger prints when I was robbed. Does anyone know if is possible to hire a private firm to take finger prints. I understand the police are too busy doing more important work like booking motorists that speed through road works or packing for their overseas posting to one of the 33 international hotspots.

Same Here. When we were burgled, we reported it to police. It took 2 days for them to bother showing up.
They showed up, took a statement, and went to leave without even looking at where the break in occured. When we asked about forensics and fingerprints, we were told, “Nah mate, they were probably wearing gloves”. Impressive deduction skills, considiering they hadn’t even examined the crime scene.

These two officers could not have cared less, and were only worried about getting in and out of there as quick as possible. Very poor form, and all too common by the sounds of it.

What state? That would go completely against normal procedure for investigating a burglary in the ACT. Point of entry is always checked, photographs are taken, doorknocks conducted, and Forensics attend most burglaries these days.

2 days to attend a burglary? Unheard of in my experience, but I’d be interested to hear what eventuated from your complaint and what explanation you were given; I’m assuming you made one, because accepting service like that and not attempting to make anyone accountable for it would be weak as piss, really.

I’ve been burglared twice in 12 odd years. Yes insurance was a breeze, but both times it was a “professional” job. Ie they took what they knew was worth something. They didn’t raid through the DVDs or CD’s. Pretty much PS3, laptops and cameras. They even left the LCD TV’s alone, too big and not worth the hassle. I don’t have jewelery so that wasn’t an issue. Looks exactly like what was taken from your house, they won’t be selling it to any cash convertors thats for sure. You need ID to sell it there which leaves a trail.

Police will take a report etc but its really only for evidence if they ever catch someone, they can link the burglaries up.

Unfortunately as I’ve learnt, bolstering security to be better than the neighbours is your best chance….

If you can afford it, have an alarm installed. You don’t even need it to go back to base. As long as it makes a loud noise, enough to make the neighbours curious.

We had our house burgaled many years ago and installed an alarm within the week.

facet said :

The police didn’t bother with taking finger prints when I was robbed. Does anyone know if is possible to hire a private firm to take finger prints. I understand the police are too busy doing more important work like booking motorists that speed through road works or packing for their overseas posting to one of the 33 international hotspots.

Same Here. When we were burgled, we reported it to police. It took 2 days for them to bother showing up.
They showed up, took a statement, and went to leave without even looking at where the break in occured. When we asked about forensics and fingerprints, we were told, “Nah mate, they were probably wearing gloves”. Impressive deduction skills, considiering they hadn’t even examined the crime scene.

These two officers could not have cared less, and were only worried about getting in and out of there as quick as possible. Very poor form, and all too common by the sounds of it.

Some family friends were burgled this weekend in Yass. They took the usual valuable stuff, plus the spare car keys, so they might be back.
I can understand the thought process of stealing the valuable stuff, but this lot of scum went out of their way to release dogs and horses from a dug run and paddock separate to the house. (they are one of the large town blocks on the edge of the town but still in the town)
When my in laws were robbed the thieves took all the clothes out of the wardrobe and went to the toilet over them
Sure, take the stuff but do you have to be nasty about it?

🙁 Sorry to hear about it. Good luck.

facet said :

On reading the list of gear stolen is appears you had a more intelligent thief. My bogan only took the big screen TV and some jewellery but left behind the expensive HDMI cables.

Expensive HDMI cables?

The thief was obviously more intelligent than you.

MrPC said :

Life is so much easier if you don’t buy bling. If a burgular ever found his or her way into my flat, they would wonder why they wasted their time. The only thing of value would be my laptop, if you consider Compaq to be of value.

Nobody would steal a CRT TV or second hand appliances with the reconditioning company’s labels still stuck on em 🙂

What a smug and judgemental thing to say.

Lived in Braddon, was burgled in 2006 by unemployed male living in the housing estate in Ainslie avenue, just a couple of metres away from the Canberra City shopping centre, while in Sydney for a weekend. Burglar brought 2 friends with him to finish the job the next day, on the Monday morning, but realised I was back home when they saw me through the window. They then suddenly changed direction and walked towards Northbourne Avenue. They walked past my house again just 10 minutes later, toward Ainslie Avenue.
A couple of days later some of our paperwork and passports were recovered in the rubbish bins of the Ainslie Avenue housing apartments by a security guard. I am able to identify all 3 these pigs, but I know my jewellery, mostly hand made and unique in design, have been pawned for drug money or alcohol. Shame, isn’t it. I pray for these guys and their families every night, and it isn’t a very nice prayer.

That’s terrible to hear. I hate to make a bad situation worse but they may be back in a couple of months time. My neighbours were robbed of electicals and about 8 weeks later were hit again. The police said this is quite common; that when they find a good haul they wait just long enough for you to replace the items and then return…

Regarding HDMI cables – here’s the must-have. The DENON gold-plated jobbie with reduced vibration assisting with “a solid electrical signal transfer free of dropouts and pixelization and the triple-layer shielding insures almost no interference from stray signals”.

Yeah, because a DIGITAL signal needs protection from vibration, and man, we get so much hassle with crosstalk on CAT6 cables these days (NOT).

georgesgenitals said :

Tooks said :

facet said :

Bet that all the police did was give you a number (just like at the delicatessen or the door close button in lifts) this helps with the illusion that something is being done.

What an intelligent comment.

I guess all the burglars currently enjoying the accommodation of the AMC handed themselves in, right?

Realistically, if the burglar hasn’t left behind fingerprints, hasn’t been seen and has an effective means of coverting stolen goods into cash, it would be pretty difficult to identify them and prove they committed the crime.

Spot on. Forensic evidence is obviously a big factor. If there’s no forensic evidence, you’ve got door knocks of your neighbours. If they didn’t see anything, then there’s not a whole lot more that can be done.

Even catching a crook days later with the stolen property doesn’t prove they stole it.

stereo henry12:52 pm 09 Aug 10

$2000 Hong Kong Dollars = $300 AUD, unfortunately not large enough to raise any eyebrows.

Erg0 said :

If I were trying to catch them I’d put out an APB on deadbeats trying to exchange large quantities of Hong Kong dollars.

If you were clever, you would break it down and cash small amounts at various locations.

For future reference, best theft deterants are a back-to-base alarm (with security stickers on every window) and a dog in the yard (as stated above). Reduces your odds of being targeted. But at the end of the day, if they want to break-in, they will.

The police didn’t bother with taking finger prints when I was robbed. Does anyone know if is possible to hire a private firm to take finger prints. I understand the police are too busy doing more important work like booking motorists that speed through road works or packing for their overseas posting to one of the 33 international hotspots.

If I were trying to catch them I’d put out an APB on deadbeats trying to exchange large quantities of Hong Kong dollars.

screaming banshee11:44 am 09 Aug 10

eyeLikeCarrots said :

Or perhaps he was just smart enough to know that the silly over priced HDMI cables you bought were not worth the time ?

Damn, you beat me to it. I can just see facet arriving home, “oh no we’ve been robbed, but thank god they didn’t take my Monster HDMI cables”

georgesgenitals10:29 am 09 Aug 10

Tooks said :

facet said :

Bet that all the police did was give you a number (just like at the delicatessen or the door close button in lifts) this helps with the illusion that something is being done.

What an intelligent comment.

I guess all the burglars currently enjoying the accommodation of the AMC handed themselves in, right?

Realistically, if the burglar hasn’t left behind fingerprints, hasn’t been seen and has an effective means of coverting stolen goods into cash, it would be pretty difficult to identify them and prove they committed the crime.

Gungahlin Al9:58 am 09 Aug 10

A real shame that the cretins have come to our area.
Does sound though like either a very lucky break for them, or they had an idea what was in the offing…

facet said :

Bet that all the police did was give you a number (just like at the delicatessen or the door close button in lifts) this helps with the illusion that something is being done.

What an intelligent comment.

I guess all the burglars currently enjoying the accommodation of the AMC handed themselves in, right?

georgesgenitals9:29 am 09 Aug 10

I was thinking about this with the wife after reading about it here, and we don’t actually have much that anyone would want to take. When we go away we pack all the valuable stuff (except the tvs) into the boot of my car, which we lock and alarm in the locked garage, and take all the keys with us.

Still, I don’t like the idea of someone going through my house.

To the OP – hope the wedding was great, and have fun on the honeymoon.

NeedHelp said :

Homebrand cornflakes boxes are a good hiding place.

Not any more LOL

eyeLikeCarrots9:16 am 09 Aug 10

facet said :

On reading the list of gear stolen is appears you had a more intelligent thief. My bogan only took the big screen TV and some jewellery but left behind the expensive HDMI cables. It might also be a good idea to change your tooth brushes in case you had the vindictive kind.

Or perhaps he was just smart enough to know that the silly over priced HDMI cables you bought were not worth the time ?

When items are sold to Cash Converters, they sit on their shelves at the back for about 5 days before they are allowed to be sold. During this time, police do checks on potential stolen goods, dvd recorders etc or other stuff with serial numbers. It was like this a few years ago and I don’t think it’s changed.

How did they get in? It looks like it was a targeted attack, perhaps by someone you knew. Did you leave the smaller stuff out in view? Even the money? Or did they rummage through draws?

Homebrand cornflakes boxes are a good hiding place.

colourful sydney racing identity8:30 am 09 Aug 10

Sorry to say it but cash converters will be of no help to you – they will let you buy the stuff back but that is it. Chances are the stuff will be in Sydney by now.

Sorry to hear about that rosittaau. Any chance u could detail how they got into ur place so everyone can learn how to help prevent these scumbags before they get someone else?

On reading the list of gear stolen is appears you had a more intelligent thief. My bogan only took the big screen TV and some jewellery but left behind the expensive HDMI cables. It might also be a good idea to change your tooth brushes in case you had the vindictive kind.

The insurance claim is much easier if you have photos of the jewellery. Also get yourself a really loud barking dog or barking dog beehive combo.
Bet that all the police did was give you a number (just like at the delicatessen or the door close button in lifts) this helps with the illusion that something is being done.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, I’ll try ring cash converters and see those gold places at the shops tomorrow.

I-filed said :

Alert Cash Converters – interstate as well as locally.

When I had my place knocked over 15 years ago I called 3 Cash Converters stores near where I lived in Rockdale Sydney to give them the model and serial number of my VCR and not one shop gave a rat’s arse. However the local pawn brokers were more than happy to record the details. Fortunately the thief tried to sell it to one of the locals so I got my VCR back. As for the thief the pawn broker tried to stall him whilst the police came, but they took too long, he smelled a rat and did the bolt.

Alert Cash Converters – interstate as well as locally.

Life is so much easier if you don’t buy bling. If a burgular ever found his or her way into my flat, they would wonder why they wasted their time. The only thing of value would be my laptop, if you consider Compaq to be of value.

Nobody would steal a CRT TV or second hand appliances with the reconditioning company’s labels still stuck on em 🙂

avirusconspires2:34 pm 08 Aug 10

That’s really terrible. My immediate thoughts regarding the jewellery would be to check out ‘cash for gold’ type stalls at nearby shopping centres. A friend recently recovered stolen jewellery this way.

Good luck.

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