I Was Robbed This Afternoon - Dogs Were Home!

[megan_]

I got home this afternoon from lunch at my Aunts. I normally take Fergus and/or Lucy, but my Dad was in town and he complaines about the dogs non-stop, so I left them at home.

They are mini schnauzers (Fergs is a cross) and are very territorial. Many people have commentede on what great little guard dogs they are. I think, however, that they put up more front when I'm at home. The dog walker has commented before that Lucy will bark and tehn run away if I'm not at home.

Anyway, I got home at about 5.15 pm and the dogs greated me as per usual (they have free reign of the house with a dog door) and took off my shoes as I wanted to get in a quick walk before it got dark. As I went into the lounge room I noticed teh TV was gone. It took a second to compute what happened. I then thought that they might still be in the house. I grabbed the dgos and ran outside into my driveway and called 000.

As I was on the phone to the police, a huge van pulled right up into my driveway. They saw me and zoomed off very fast (apparently they often to a quick steal and then come back to pick up anything they can't easily take).

They took the TV and the iPod, but left the laptop. The police tought that was odd, but I'm pretty sure that my dogs would have run to my bedroom (their safe place) and barked their heads off. Teh laptop was in my bedroom.

They had come through my back door (which was locked) and had taken teh keys with them. The really odd (nice???) thing is that they bolted the back gate closed so that the dogs couldn't get out!

The neighbours didn't hear the dogs bark (which is odd because they are very loud, even the police commented on this!). I wonder if they were dog people and manged to charm my two? Either way, I'm just glad that they're safe and my dogs didn't try to protect their house too much.

Apparently theives often come back a few months later after insurnace has paid up. I'm going to leave the laptop in the lounge so that they won't be tempted to try get past the dogs. I'm half tempted to write a 'thanks for not hurting the dgos, please close the gatge on your way out" note!

Edited May 31, 2010 by megan_

[Red Fox]

Sorry, that's terrible that you got robbed but what a relief! I'd rather see the TV gone and the back gate closed with dogs safe inside anyday! I wonder if they locked the dogs in your room to keep them quiet while they robbed the house and that's why the neighbours heard nothing?

[Clastic]

Ok.. sorry about that... sure did make me laugh though.

Anyhow, sorry to hear about the TV and iPod.. :D But so glad to hear that your fur kiddies are OK and that they were nice enough to make sure they were fine! :rolleyes: Really though, glad that nothing happened to Fergs and Lucy!!

that they won't return though!!

[Golden Rules]

Dreadful feeling. It's happened to me twice before.

Glad your dogs are OK, and I hope you are insured!

[megan_]

SK - the thing is the dogs greeted me at the front door when I got home. I doubt that they would lock them in and then let them out again?

I kept on saying to the police taht they didn't hurt the dogs and that was all I really cared about!

Edited May 30, 2010 by megan_

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

So are you changing the locks to "bump proof" ones? How did they take the keys with them? Did they use a key to get in?

A long time before I got my dog, I got burgled, they got an ancient lap top. I keep meaning to leave out an even more ancient one for bait for next time but so far there hasn't been a next time. I couldn't figure out how the burglars got in. The police just gave me a number for my insurance claim and wouldn't come out. I was freaked for months.

I feel better knowing there is a good chance my dog will bark her head off at any strangers that show up when I'm home. Especially if they happen to be wearing a cat bell or two.

[Golden Rules]

Also, did they take a spare set of car keys at all? Keep that in mind.

I hope you get new locks for your house ASAP!

[Erny]

Glad Fergus and Lucy are ok - that's the main thing, but sorry your home was broken into in the first place. I've had this occur to me and it's more than just what they take - in my case, drawers were left pulled open with their contents strewn around the place. I think they were there when I came home and they bolted out the back. There was evidence that they weren't quite finished. My privacy felt quite violated.

First things first and make sure to change the locks - and perhaps invest in a security alarm system. Back to base ones are best, if you can afford it.

Perhaps camera surveillance of some sort too? Again, this depends on affordability.

I hope you managed to get the Rego number of the van to give to the Police and I hope that you manage to recover you TV and that karma catches up with these people.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Erny

[megan_]

The locksmith is coming out tomorrow. The dogs and I are at my cousins tonight. They didn't use the key to get in, but took it with them.

The really "funny" thing is that my neighbour was telling me yesterday that my two were so great because they never barked for the sake of it. She actually said taht when she hears them carrying on she comes to check the driveway because someone must be there (normally a delivery driver).

I live in a semi-detached house in a row of three. One has a stay-at-home mum and the other has a guy who works night shifts (so is at home during the day). I have two dgos and he has two big dogs who bark a lot. Surely there must be easier opportunities out there?????

Hopefully they have seen the pitiful electronics that I have and won't be back!

[TangerineDream]

Are you in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne (Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully) by any chance? Sounds like exactly the same MO of the people who robbed me twice when I lived there - just too similar for words......if so, PM me and I'll tell you where they lived .....I had to track them down once and they went to jail then, but they would be out by now...

[persephone]

It is a nasty feeling So glad the dogs are ok ...and I do hope you change your locks!

[megan_]

Are you in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne (Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully) by any chance? Sounds like exactly the same MO of the people who robbed me twice when I lived there - just too similar for words......if so, PM me and I'll tell you where they lived .....I had to track them down once and they went to jail then, but they would be out by now...

I live in Murrumbeena, but would love their detaqils. It matches the MO of professionals apparently. In and out in 5 mins. They didn't go through my drawers. They just wanted the things they could easily carry and sell. A very similar thing happened to my boss who lives in the Northern suburbs. Once her insurance paid up, they tried to rob her again. She has an alarm installed by they ripped it right off and disconnected all of her electricity. The difference between us is that she has Cartier and Tiffany jewellery and I don't!

Please pardon all my spelling mistakes...

Edited May 30, 2010 by megan_

[Red Fox]

SK - the thing is the dogs greeted me at the front door when I got home. I doubt that they would lock them in and then let them out again?

I kept on saying to the police taht they didn't hurt the dogs and that was all I really cared about!

Hmmm... well if I was going to rob a house I'd want to keep the dogs quiet and have everything appear as normal to the neighbours. If the dogs went straight to your room then that would be the easiest place to shut them and then open the door before they left.

And just speculating here - I didn't rob your house!

Or perhaps they were just dog lovers and picked your house so that they could get cuddles while they stole your TV... You didn't happen to find a trail of dog treats leading out the back door did you? :rolleyes:

But God, I would be the same as you. Bugger the TV, the dogs are fine!

ETA, sorry to laugh Megan. I dont think it's funny that you got robbed at all It is more like tears of relief that the robbers actually thought about the dogs!

Edited May 30, 2010 by SecretKei

[megan_]

And just speculating here - I didn't rob your house!

Or perhaps they were just dog lovers and picked your house so that they could get cuddles while they stole your TV..

hmmm...you do know a lot about this robbery... you don't happen to be the proud owner of a 3.5 year old TV that tilts to the left do you????

My dogs are very cute so the cuddle theory does hold water. My cousin said that maybe they didn't realise I had dogs until they were in teh house. I find that highly unlikely! Lucy sounds so ferocious that she has scared off the odd delivery man even though she is behind the security grill.

[Erny]

She has an alarm installed by they ripped it right off and disconnected all of her electricity. The difference between us is that she has Cartier and Tiffany jewellery and I don't!

On the properly installed ones, the alarms can't be unlawfully removed without the alarm sounding. If the electricity fails, there's a battery back up and there's a safety mechanism that sets off the back to base alarm if an attempt to remove the battery is made.

LOL .... and just for the record, I don't have Cartier nor Tiffany jewellery either.

Edited May 30, 2010 by Erny

[haylz27]

That is so horrible! I'm glad that they didn't harm the dogs or do even more damage though.

I would have freaked out!

No one can get near my house without my two dogs going completely mental. It's funny though, my Jack Russell (below) has a really scary bark. They are great guard dogs. But if someone broke into the yard, they would probably move away to a safe distance and continue barking.

I hope the police find the idiots who did this to you though. :rolleyes:

[kirst_goldens]

Hey i know ur 2 furkids i believe i have looked after them at all breeds kennels?? i hope they are ok poor little guys are sensitive souls! hope ur ok as well! we have been robbed as well and we caught them in the shed trying to break into the gun cabnet :S Didnt make it in though thank doG!!

Hugs for the babies

[Wazzat Xolo]

Glad to hear you are all ok, its a terrible feeling that someone ( drugged out scum I bet) has been into the house and seen everything you own and helped themselves to what they want. I too was a victim of scum bucket drugged out thieves not that long ago ( I do pray karma helps them to choke on their next hit!)

Make sure you can give photos por serial numbers to the police so they can track the goods, I also took the numbers to local Cash Converter stores and Pawn brokers.

The cheek of some people I mean FFS why cant they just get a job like everyone else !

[Red Fox]

And just speculating here - I didn't rob your house!

Or perhaps they were just dog lovers and picked your house so that they could get cuddles while they stole your TV..

hmmm...you do know a lot about this robbery... you don't happen to be the proud owner of a 3.5 year old TV that tilts to the left do you????

My dogs are very cute so the cuddle theory does hold water. My cousin said that maybe they didn't realise I had dogs until they were in teh house. I find that highly unlikely! Lucy sounds so ferocious that she has scared off the odd delivery man even though she is behind the security grill.

Nah, I got a shoddy 8 year old one that weighs a ton Seriously it's like 60 kilos! If I did steal your's I'd have nowhere to put it since I wouldn't be able to lift mine off the shelf :rolleyes:

Again, thank God the dogs are okay. Perhaps they had been scoping out your house for a while and knew the size of the dogs then? I have to say that I'd be hesitant to enter a house with such a ferocious little bark going on unless I had seen what was behind that door first!

eta, perhaps get yourself some very good locks and a very loud alarm. I really do hope they wont come back. Though I'm sure your neighbours will be on full alert now too.

Edited May 30, 2010 by SecretKei

[megan_]

Hey i know ur 2 furkids i believe i have looked after them at all breeds kennels?? i hope they are ok poor little guys are sensitive souls! hope ur ok as well! we have been robbed as well and we caught them in the shed trying to break into the gun cabnet :S Didnt make it in though thank doG!!

Hugs for the babies

Oh Hi! Yes, they do stay there. They are both fine as if nothing has happened. When I got home they jumped over me as usual, no cowering etc. They are more 'traumatised" that they have to sleep in teh laundry tonight because we're staying at my cousins. Lucy is sound asleep but Fergus is still crying, big baby that he is.