House Broken Into Age

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Tek

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Hey Gaf,

My home was broken into last night. I was only gone for about 40 minutes, but during that time they managed to push it a window breaking the lock ( its a old window )

They took both of my xbox 360s, my 32 inch tv, my gamecube ( my son loves that thing ) my rock band mic ( ??? ) portable dvd player, my work laptop and my personal laptop. Oh and my rear surround sound speakers & center speakers.

They left all my games, movies, guitar, amp, 40 inch tv, blu ray player...but I have a feeling that they didn't have enough arms to carry it all. So I called the cops to report it and looked around.

So I'm outside looking around when I notice a group of 4 walking down the alleyway towards my house, I go over to the other side to eavesdrop and I hear one of them go awww and then SMASH..I figured it was my window but it was my neighbor's back windshield.

I followed the kids calling 911 to report them and the direction they went. Then I stopped by my neighbors telling them about the windshield....

Cops showed up and took my info. I took pictures a while back of all the serial numbers of my electronics and took video of my stuff. I did this mostly to prove to my renters insurance that yes I do have two xboxs, a bunch of games...and all this other stuff.

So I've called them and filed a claim. I think I estimated about 3000.00 worth of stuff is gone. So I have a few questions, I noticed on my renters insurance policy has a deduction for a home protection device...that isn't true, I don't have an alarm. Will that cause any issues?

I've cancelled my debit card, changed my paypal login ( due to the xbox tied into that ) changed all my passwords for email, FB, online banking.

My landlord boarded up the window, now I'm worried about the rest of my stuff being stolen. but what can I do...

Is there anything I'm missing? Both the police and insurance co was impressed that I had serial numbers...

I've been checking ebay or craigslist as well to see if my stuff pops up there.
 
Sorry man...pretty cool that you thought ahead of time to document and video tape all of that stuff beforehand. Were you expecting this to happen?
 
Shit happened to me in April. Basically the same circumstances, except they entered by climbing my garage, jumping to my a canopy that hangs off my back balcony, scaling the balcony railing, smashing in/removing my screen door, smashing one of the two thick panes of glass on my solid door before giving up and just kicking in the entire door frame.

Your issue with the home protection deduction probably won't even come up. Don't mention it to them and you'll be fine I suspect.

Sounds like you've done a good job. Make sure the cops keep track of these things at local pawn shops, most of the time they will so you don't need to bother with that. I ended up getting a home alarm system after my experience just to put my girlfriend (and myself, I guess) at ease when we're away.

I'd like to suggest you to do more but honestly it sounds like you're handling it perfectly.
 
CrankyJay said:
Sorry man...pretty cool that you thought ahead of time to document and video tape all of that stuff beforehand. Were you expecting this to happen?
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Well the neighborhood I'm living in was a tad bit rough compared to what I was used to so I just wanted to be better safe than sorry. I'm kind of OCD about that stuff.
 
Man I really should take pics of my serial numbers as well. That was super clever of you. Good luck with the insurance. I hope this doesn't become too big of a headache for you.
 
Had someone take my xbox/iphone/games back in 2010. I didn't have renter's insurance.. still don't... but they caught the guy a few months later and I got everything back but the xbox+controller.
 
Damn, sorry to hear about that man. Glad you documented everything, too.

We've had our garage broken into before. Took thousands of dollars worth of tools. And then a year or so later, my bike was stolen from my garage, but I got it back after whoever stole it was riding around the neighborhood and I saw them.
 
Tek said:
So I've called them and filed a claim. I think I estimated about 3000.00 worth of stuff is gone. So I have a few questions, I noticed on my renters insurance policy has a deduction for a home protection device...that isn't true, I don't have an alarm. Will that cause any issues?
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Don't quite understand what you mean by a "deduction."
 
Cat Party said:
Don't quite understand what you mean by a "deduction."
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He means that he pays less for his insurance policy because of a "Security System" that he doesn't own.

Does your building have a secure entrance OP? Like something where you have to be buzzed up? That could qualify for that deduction too I would assume.
 
Sucks that this happened to you. I don't think a home break in has ever happened in my area. My fiance once left the door wide open with us out of the house for hours and not a single thing happened.
 
I feel sorry for you man, I hope cops catch those burglars. Thats smart of you to take the serial numbers. It happened once to our home a good decade ago, my gameboys, nokia, television gone, and no insurance.
 
My brother and I were burgled half a year ago. Renters insurance helps make the grief go away once you're sitting with a free (or near free) new tv, laptop, consoles, games, etc.

That may sound super shallow but just reinforces that notion that these are just things, and things can be replaced.
 
You did all the right things, OP. The lack of a security system shouldn't matter. All the insurance company is going to want to know is what was gone and how much you purchased for.

For everyone else reading this thread, do yourself a favor and create a Google Doc tonight with every serial number in your house. When I was robbed, I didn't have that info, and it basically neuters what the police can do. If you can attach pics of receipts, even better.
 
Have had ADT installed for years now. Well worth it just for piece of mind. Even if you didn't pay for monitioring, the stickers and signs they give to you to put up are an effective deterrent.
 
intro_dude_04.jpg

At least i'm housebroken.
 
WhatRobEats said:
He means that he pays less for his insurance policy because of a "Security System" that he doesn't own.

Does your building have a secure entrance OP? Like something where you have to be buzzed up? That could qualify for that deduction too I would assume.
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No, this was in a rental house. It happened between 7:10 and 7:50pm - what blows me away is that I have neighbors all around, the window they crawled into faces 3 houses...no one saw anything..

Everyone of my screens were raised up so they were trying all the windows until they got one that budged. The one that went was old....

So like all my xbox live purchases, that is tied to my gamertag right? I mean I bought a crap load of RB DLC, just bought rock band blitz and san andreas. All that stuff should just download to my replc xbox after I do a license transfer right?

I'm hoping that since its the Christmas season that I can find some good deals on a new xbox and kinect along with a laptop. Glad they didn't trash my house. A lot of people gave me crap for going straight into the house, but as soon as I pulled in my driveway, I flew out of my car and went into the house ready to kick someone's ass. I know not smart if they had a weapon...but damn I've worked my ass off to have the things I do have...at the end of the day everything can be replaced but its all the BS you have to go through to get back to normal.
 
A general suggestion for anyone that has insurance: Take photos (as the OP did) of your serial numbers for everything you can think of, even little things like routers and USB sticks if you can. Then, be sure to back these photos up somewhere not physically located at your residence (so, maybe email them to yourself).

Also, an easy way to recount everything lost in the event of a complete burglary or a fire: just video tape your entire house. Your phone's camera is good enough quality for this most likely. Just, starting at your front door, walk around each room and record what is there; open drawers, cabinets, closets etc to show off anything in there. While doing this, narrate any especially valuable things that may be hard to identify for someone (e.g., an insurance company) that is watching this film. At the end, hold up something that puts a proper date on the footage, like the most recent newspaper or magazine you have around, so that you have a legit time-stamp that can't be bullshitted around in court. It'd be ideal to update this video every 3 months, and really, it shouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes to complete.
 
Yeah, do the license transfer and you're in business.

Getting my 60gb Xbox stolen was a godsend, got a 250 elite out of the deal =)
 
Is it common for them to come back? I mean they know I have other stuff worth money. Everyone is telling me they won't come back...but I have to admit I'm pretty nervous being here.
 
Having no experience, admittedly, I would say they won't come back. Other houses are likely to have big dollar items and they already stole yours (the easily stolen ones anyway). Besides, people get paranoid after being burgled so they would tend to keep their guard up for such things happening again in the future, making it harder to break in and harder to not be observed. Hitting a new house is easier and more profitable and less risky.

That assumes that they have any sense about it though, so who knows. I think most people could figure that out though.
 
Tek said:
Is it common for them to come back? I mean they know I have other stuff worth money. Everyone is telling me they won't come back...but I have to admit I'm pretty nervous being here.
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Dunno, you said yourself they didn't get everything and they saw what else you had.
 
ThatGayWolf said:
Having no experience, admittedly, I would say they won't come back. Other houses are likely to have big dollar items and they already stole yours (the easily stolen ones anyway). Besides, people get paranoid after being burgled so they would tend to keep their guard up for such things happening again in the future, making it harder to break in and harder to not be observed. Hitting a new house is easier and more profitable and less risky.

That assumes that they have any sense about it though, so who knows. I think most people could figure that out though.
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This is my though process also. I doubt they will hit your house again knowing that you will be on guard now. You should be fine, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
 
Tek said:
Is it common for them to come back? I mean they know I have other stuff worth money. Everyone is telling me they won't come back...but I have to admit I'm pretty nervous being here.
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Honestly, nothing you can do besides armor up. Don't do anything stupid like keeping a shotty handy out of a safe, or they'll steal that too should they return while you're gone. A baseball bat/kitchen knives should suffice.

Prepare for war.
 
I feel you. Happened to me this late summer. Renters insurance was golden. Got my MacBook Pro, PS3, and such replaced.
 
Sucks OP, I'm really sorry, especially the Gamecube theft. Has anyone else in your neighborhood been hit?

Hope everything goes will with the insurance claims and such, but you seem to be pretty on top of that.
 
D6AMIA6N said:
Have had ADT installed for years now. Well worth it just for piece of mind. Even if you didn't pay for monitioring, the stickers and signs they give to you to put up are an effective deterrent.
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This.

Although i do have 4 cameras, one in the front, one in the back, one in the front door hallway when you walk in and one inside my house at the back door so when you come through it it gets you.

Never had my house broken into but i have always had the fear and it's why i have all this stuff. This fear hit me many, many years ago when my car was broken into and they stole about $2000 worth of stuff (laptop and car audio my dad bought me a few months before he passed away) losing materialistic things didn't hurt me as much as it was bought by my father who just recently passed :(
 
Sorry, OP. I hate thieves. My house got broken into a couple of months ago via a back window like yours did. They took all of our laptops and filled whatever they could with our backpacks/luggage.

Did your bank advise you to protect identity theft by doing a credit freeze? If you think they got sensitive information on your computer like tax returns, SSN's, etc. you should really call the 3 credit bureaus and request a credit freeze. Better safe than sorry.

My house got broken into about 2 months ago and I haven't heard anything about them catching the perp(s). I wasn't really worried about them coming back though; it looked like a crime of opportunity to me. We now have an alarm system though. and baseball bats/golf clubs under our beds. I would so willingly clock a thief in the head if I had to.

you know what's worse though? getting your car stolen from your front yard while you're sleeping. THAT REALLY PISSED ME OFF
 
For the OP sometimes you get credit for a protection device which could be a smoke alarm. usually its 2%.
 
Fuck man I hate this shit.

Pieces of shit scumbag humans. Makes my blood boil.

Really sorry to hear that OP and I hope that you get everything back with as little hassle as possible.

People man...
 
Subitai said:
Sucks OP, I'm really sorry, especially the Gamecube theft. Has anyone else in your neighborhood been hit?

Hope everything goes will with the insurance claims and such, but you seem to be pretty on top of that.
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Yeah, I definitely didn't understand the Gamecube nor the rock band wired mic. I had two wireless mics out in the open. No one else as far as I can tell has been robbed.

Yeah I keep the thread updated with how insurance goes....I'm glad this thread gave people the idea to photograph their serial numbers. Honestly I did it because I was too lazy to write all of them down lol.
 
I was robbed twice by my neighbors from across the street.

I feel your pain OP.

First time they stole all of my Sega Saturn games.

2nd time they stole my Saturn and tons of other stuff. Including the microwave.
 
had something similar happen, but we had everything in storage, so EVERYTHING including clothes were stolen and all those video games, we only got $2000

Your mistaken on a couple things, Insurance takes awhile to get you a check, it will be a couple months, depreciation counts, so the value you think it is isnt to the insurance company

but luckily you have pictures, otherwise they want receipts..
 
Be thankful you were not home at the time. I had a gun put to my head when they robbed me a few months ago. I just try to not think about it.

Sorry for your loss OP.
 
Reiko said:
I was robbed twice by my neighbors from across the street.

I feel your pain OP.

First time they stole all of my Sega Saturn games.

2nd time they stole my Saturn and tons of other stuff. Including the microwave.
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You were home when this happened?
 
PseudoKirby said:
had something similar happen, but we had everything in storage, so EVERYTHING including clothes were stolen and all those video games, we only got $2000

Your mistaken on a couple things, Insurance takes awhile to get you a check, it will be a couple months, depreciation counts, so the value you think it is isnt to the insurance company

but luckily you have pictures, otherwise they want receipts..
Click to expand...

Depreciation shouldn't factor. In my policy with nationwide I have where they pay the same as I did when it was purchased instead of the depreciated value
 
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