Unbelievable, I received a call from my Mom today telling me their house got broke into. From those of you who've gained your experience the hard way I'm asking for any tips on where to look/what to do. They targeted my Mom's jewelry for the most part - took all her rings, earrings, even the necklace I bought her as a gift when I got married this Summer, but left my Dad's watches, the computer, TV, all firearms, tools. Pretty much anything gold or silver that could be pawned or turned in at one of those "jewelry for cash" parties. Oh and they got my class ring I left at home...which is the only thing they have with a name on it unless they've realized that at this point because it's engraved.

Is it even worth calling local pawn shops?

1. Call the police! Make a report. They may check pawnshops for you.

2. Determine what it will take for your mom to be comfortable and feel safe in her own home. Alarm? Video cameras with remote access? A dog?

3. Make claims for whatever is covered by insurance.

4.) and whatever else you may want!!

j/k....that sucks..I've been robbed before. It is a **** feeling and you would happily kill the perps if you could.

Hunt the bastards down and feed them their own nuts.

You do need to file a police report though. It probably won't help get your stuff back. The po-po is pretty much useless in situations such as this.

a simple alarm system is not too expensive and generally yields a discount on homeowner's insurance.

They are more difficult (i.e. expensive) in a retrofit situation than in new construction.

We only paid about $3k to get all windows/doors alarmed, and motion sensors--but that was new open studs everywhere. The sky is the limit here with all the new technology, a friend nearby spent almost $20k (again, new construction), but he can control almost every aspect of his home from any location on the planet that has internet (with on-line viewable exterior/interior, room to room).

Of course, this technology stuff will pale by comparison to a decent 60lb dog...which is probably the best burglery deterrant available.

Maybe LaFours can give you some advice once he's done cleaning up that pile of timber in his backyard.

It's all crazy timing really - Mom just got a new job 2 weeks ago or she would have been at home (not necessarily would have been a good thing), and this is the first time in years my parents haven't had a dog since the last one passed away.

However, Dad filed a report as soon as he got home and noticed so the police are on it and they're making the insurance list. Totally sucks that they got my class ring, my grandparents bought that for me in high school and I left it at home thinking it was safer than than with me out here in the city. Freakin' thieves.

Its a bad time of year, around Christams this stuff seems to pick up, and the lousy economy doesn't help. My son got his car broken into and his GPS and hi-end paintball gun swiped last week. Sure makes you wanna get redneck on somebody.

Good reminder to know your neighbors and watch out for each other. Nosey neighbors aren't always a bad thing.

Dog

I'm sorry this happened to your parents, but very happy no one got hurt.

Sorry to hear it.

The worst thing is the violation of your home. Took me a few weeks to get over when my apt. was robbed long ago. They just grabbed the vcr and my dad's watch I had on the my dresser. Sucked cause that was one of the few things I had from my father who passed a few years before.

Just a grab and run since my pistols were still in the closet and I had cash in my dresser drawer that they didn't take.

In my case a pass key was used. Mgmt said it most have been someone I knew who had a key. Cops said mgmt told them I had a lot people who came and went at my apt. Not true.

I did notice the exterminator letting himself into apts where he was supposed to be acommpanied by mgt. I'm sure he just cased the places and cued an accomplish who he supplied a copy of the key.

Funny how I only got robbed a month after I got the vcr. I guess the watch was just a bonus. Not worth much to them. Just sentiment to me, though it was the first automatic(selfwinding) watch Bulova made.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience.

My first office was burglarized...I was down the hall taking a leak, bathroom at the opposite end of the hall from my office. They took a small copier (which made me wonder at the time, does that automatically make it a repeat offense? A copycat crime?).

First thing I did, even before calling the cops, was to contact the pawn shops on the same street. Never did catch the thief nor get my copier back.

BTW, small issue here, and it's one that nearly everyone crosses...houses get burgled or burglarized, only people can be robbed. Doesn't help, I know...Mrs. Pacman walked into our apartment on Feb 15, 1995 (don't ask me why I can remember dates like I can), and from the circumstantial evidence, it appeared very likely she was fumbling with the keys to the door when they were still inside.

She called at my office, where I was still working, 11 miles away. My first thought was, I have firearms, she's still in the apt...I'm waiting to hear a gunshot. I asked where she was, she said in the apt. I barked at her to GTFO immediately, taking the cordless phone with her and to keep talking to me.

We had a little chat about not staying inside the residence when she suspects burglars. BTW, they didn't get anything of any value either.

For whatever reason, she just recently decided she wants home alarm system (ADT) installed, with keypads and monitoring. I find out when they call to confirm the appt. on Dec 23 to install.

Yes, of course, I realize this means our home will get burgled (not robbed) on Dec 22.

I have photos that happen to have some of the jewelry in it and I'm debating printing them out on a sheet and hitting every store in the 3 neighboring cities that even looks like it accepts jewelery for cash/trade. Problem with where my parents live is it's out in the country and like 15 miles away from any major town so it's hard to apply the "5 mile radius" rule here because there's nothing close but fields and cows. They had to have been there forever, Mom said they went through everything. Shoes boxes, filing cabinets, all clothing drawers, but all they took was jewelry. Leaving coins/watches/checks/other valuables behind. Really gets me because I'm 3 hours away and it's not like staying at their house next week is going to do any good now because anyone with any sense wouldn't come back.

I think I may get up early in the morning and head out that way, fliers in hand, and pay a visit to stores but also bust up some yard sales locally and see what's up.

yard sales will be a waste of time, and may give you less peace of mind.

Don't usually see a lot of jewelry at yard sales - I'd check pawn shops instead. And get a

D

O

G.

A big 'un.

IMO it doesn't help things when we have prog. like the one on Disc. To catch a thief or whatever it is. I understand its suppose to provide the audience tools on how to avoid this type of thing. But at the same time it provides would be's info on how to be a better thief.

Not everyone has the wherewithall to put in some elaborate system, elec. locks ete.

Sorry about your troubles!

I hope the bastids get caught, and their hands get cut off.

Sadly, pawn shop(s) probably won't help.

Because they even took the class ring, it is likely they weren't looking to keep it, or to wear it, and class rings won't sell for much intact.

Likely your parents' jewelry has gone the way of Cash-4-Gold or some such.

I hope they had the foresight to carry insurance, but unfortunately many people find out too late that homeowner's coverage doesn't cover jewelry or guns (or art, or collectibles, or silver) to the extent it should, or you think, unless you have a special floater on the policy.

After years of experience, I have come to the conclusion, "It's only 'things'" and things are replaceable but people are not.

I am sorry for your parents' loss, but glad they are OK.

That Sucks..

We hab a Party once and someone got into my wife's Jewelry Box.

We figured it was a chick who was dating a friend of ours,that we had never met before...

wheel,