My poor niece...

jujube

jujube

SF VIP
Location
I think I'm in Florida, but I'm not sure any more.
She's a single mom to two, has a good job, was able to buy a home last year in a decent neighborhood.

Today, while she was at work and the kids were at school, someone kicked down the gate to her yard, smashed the patio sliding door and proceeded to clean her out of everything valuable in the house. Her valuable jewelry, electronics, collectibles, clothing, coin collections, the kids' piggy banks, their toys, all of her late mother's and grandmother's jewelry and items. Her laptop on which she keeps all her artwork (she is extremely talented) is gone. They "tossed" the whole house and dumped out storage containers to use to cart things off. Drawers pulled out and dumped everywhere. Closets ransacked.

The only thing they didn't take is the two TVs, because apparently nobody steals TVs any more according to the police. Too much trouble for what they're worth. They did, however, take her son's cherished gaming system.

The police came, did their thing, couldn't find any fingerprints and really aren't all that interested. Apparently, home invasions, unless there is physical harm done to a human, isn't a high priority for prosecution in the Seattle area any more, so the police don't make much effort. It is what it is. All the ranting in the world isn't going to change what happened.

She's traumatized, the kids are traumatized. Now she has to face the insurance company, which will, of course, balk at paying for anything. In essence, she will be screwed again.

I wish I could help her. I can help monetarily some, but there's not much I can do for her emotional state except listen when she wants to rant and say, "I know, I know....." over and over again. I'm just glad that it was only "stuff" that is gone, even if that "stuff" was valuable and important to her. I'm just glad she and the kids weren't hurt or, God forbid, killed.

I remember how "violated" I felt when my house was burglarized years ago. Luckily, the burglar didn't make off with anything because I scared him out the back door as I was coming in the front door. But he had ransacked my dresser drawers and my closets and I couldn't stand the thought that he had put his hands on my stuff. I washed clothes for days....anything he had might have touched.

Sometimes, I just lose hope for humanity.
 

Wonder if any neighbors have camera's. Need to check soon though before video data of the day and approximate time is deleted, if even available.

Due to the magnitude of the theft and the police non-concern, I might hire a good private investigator if I could afford one. Those items will turn up somewhere and perhaps traceable. The thieves didn't get all that stuff to keep, except maybe the cash. I sure do hope the scumbags are brought to justice. And I've heard similar Seattle law enforcement stories in the past year or so. Don't think I could live there.

So very sorry this happened to your niece and pray she finds the strength to deal with it, help her children deal with it, rebound from this tragic event and move on.
 

jujube said:
She's a single mom to two, has a good job, was able to buy a home last year in a decent neighborhood.

Today, while she was at work and the kids were at school, someone kicked down the gate to her yard, smashed the patio sliding door and proceeded to clean her out of everything valuable in the house. Her valuable jewelry, electronics, collectibles, clothing, coin collections, the kids' piggy banks, their toys, all of her late mother's and grandmother's jewelry and items. Her laptop on which she keeps all her artwork (she is extremely talented) is gone. They "tossed" the whole house and dumped out storage containers to use to cart things off. Drawers pulled out and dumped everywhere. Closets ransacked.

The only thing they didn't take is the two TVs, because apparently nobody steals TVs any more according to the police. Too much trouble for what they're worth. They did, however, take her son's cherished gaming system.

The police came, did their thing, couldn't find any fingerprints and really aren't all that interested. Apparently, home invasions, unless there is physical harm done to a human, isn't a high priority for prosecution in the Seattle area any more, so the police don't make much effort. It is what it is. All the ranting in the world isn't going to change what happened.

She's traumatized, the kids are traumatized. Now she has to face the insurance company, which will, of course, balk at paying for anything. In essence, she will be screwed again.

I wish I could help her. I can help monetarily some, but there's not much I can do for her emotional state except listen when she wants to rant and say, "I know, I know....." over and over again. I'm just glad that it was only "stuff" that is gone, even if that "stuff" was valuable and important to her. I'm just glad she and the kids weren't hurt or, God forbid, killed.

I remember how "violated" I felt when my house was burglarized years ago. Luckily, the burglar didn't make off with anything because I scared him out the back door as I was coming in the front door. But he had ransacked my dresser drawers and my closets and I couldn't stand the thought that he had put his hands on my stuff. I washed clothes for days....anything he had might have touched.

Sometimes, I just lose hope for humanity.
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So sorry to hear that, she must feel awful and my heart goes out to her children. Glad you're there to support her, and I hope they find who did this and hold them accountable.
 
Your poor niece. I hope the insurance company does the right thing. She‘ll have to jump through hoops to prove anything has any worth. And she also has to wrack her brain to remember all that was stolen.

The police are helpless too. Even if they find the crooks, their punishment will be minimal.

If she’s on NextDoor maybe she could post asking if anyone saw anything or has video.
 
jujube said:
She's a single mom to two, has a good job, was able to buy a home last year in a decent neighborhood.

Today, while she was at work and the kids were at school, someone kicked down the gate to her yard, smashed the patio sliding door and proceeded to clean her out of everything valuable in the house. Her valuable jewelry, electronics, collectibles, clothing, coin collections, the kids' piggy banks, their toys, all of her late mother's and grandmother's jewelry and items. Her laptop on which she keeps all her artwork (she is extremely talented) is gone. They "tossed" the whole house and dumped out storage containers to use to cart things off. Drawers pulled out and dumped everywhere. Closets ransacked.

The only thing they didn't take is the two TVs, because apparently nobody steals TVs any more according to the police. Too much trouble for what they're worth. They did, however, take her son's cherished gaming system.

The police came, did their thing, couldn't find any fingerprints and really aren't all that interested. Apparently, home invasions, unless there is physical harm done to a human, isn't a high priority for prosecution in the Seattle area any more, so the police don't make much effort. It is what it is. All the ranting in the world isn't going to change what happened.

She's traumatized, the kids are traumatized. Now she has to face the insurance company, which will, of course, balk at paying for anything. In essence, she will be screwed again.

I wish I could help her. I can help monetarily some, but there's not much I can do for her emotional state except listen when she wants to rant and say, "I know, I know....." over and over again. I'm just glad that it was only "stuff" that is gone, even if that "stuff" was valuable and important to her. I'm just glad she and the kids weren't hurt or, God forbid, killed.

I remember how "violated" I felt when my house was burglarized years ago. Luckily, the burglar didn't make off with anything because I scared him out the back door as I was coming in the front door. But he had ransacked my dresser drawers and my closets and I couldn't stand the thought that he had put his hands on my stuff. I washed clothes for days....anything he had might have touched.

Sometimes, I just lose hope for humanity.
Click to expand...
That is so dreadful and I am so sorry. It is surely one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. The most important thing she needs is comfort and kindness to recover her peace of mind.
 
Burglars cannot know whet psychological damage they do to people by violating their homes and taking what they have worked for and treasure. I do hope they find and jail these theives. Stealing is one of the most repulsive things.
This poor girl and her children are devastated.
 
This is horrible. I'm so sorry for your niece and her children. Being violated in this way takes a terrible emotional toll. Everything she's worked so hard for is gone. It's devastating and especially heartbreaking to have irreplaceable sentimental items stolen.

It's doubtful the rotten bastards who did this will be caught, and anything they took will be recovered. Hopefully, the insurance company will be able to help with replacing some things. I hope so. It's good of you to be there for her and the kids. I know you love them dearly. I wish them the best. Hugs, jujube.
 
I am so sorry to hear this, @jujube. I think, if it were me, I'd still make a police report if it hasn't been done already, and follow some of the tips in this thread.
 
@jujube I am sorry this happened to your niece and her family, it is just awful. I know it is rare the burglars are caught and brought to justice, that is unfortunate it just leads to more break-ins and more crime.

Even when police have their culprits I am not sure justice gets done. A few years ago when our home was undergoing renovations it was broken into and a lot of my tools taken. I reported it to the police but nothing happened. Then a contractor working on the house found out it was one of his workers who did it, stupid kid told some of the others who reported it to the contractor. The contractor got the guy to sign a handwritten confession and an agreement to return the tools. When the guy started "returning" tools that had obviously been stolen from others we gave the police the confession. The kid was arrested and charged but seems to have fallen through the cracks somewhere. As victims we were told we'd be kept informed and that a part of the sentencing would be some kind of restitution. Never happened, no idea what happened to the kid, but never got a dime of that restitution.

Also when I tried to give the tools he had given to me to the police they had no interest. I am sure they were stolen from others, some were more valuable than what he stole from me. Whoever he stole them from got nothing... Ended up donating them to Goodwill, did not feel right keeping them.
 
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Burglars are scum... the lowest of the low in the criminal world...

I had my house burgled many years ago when DD who was just about 8 years old.. and I were asleep...

They took everything electronic... ..fortunately they didn't come upstairs, or god knows what would have happened.

I got a gun... kept it under my bed for years...and got the house alarmed up like Fort knox

Now I have Video ring doorbells ( 2 ) as well.. and spotlight all around th outside of the house back and front..

The police here are no longer interested in investigating burglaries, and the poor victim, is made a victim again when not only losing their items.. they also lose their sense of safety in their own homes... and they have to pay a higher premium for their Insurance.. how is that Fair...? One of the few crimes where the Victim has to lose out financially for the rest of their lives in higher Insurance premiums
 
My aunt was burgled in the 1970s. Not sure how much was taken. She made the mistake of leaving a small window slightly open at the front of her bungalow when she went out, and the thieves seized their chance. Apparently the two men, who came from a city about fifty miles away, had watched the place (in a row of retirees' bungalows) for a couple of days to suss out people's habits and routines. So they would have known she was wheelchair bound and obviously vulnerable. Yeah, at least they didn't enter while she was in...
 
So sorry to hear this, all you can do is be their for her and the kids. Hopefully she has pictures of her belongings to prove to the insurance what she is missing, and if not they take her word on it.
 
The kid's toys! The burglars can't even get any real money for them and they're bulky. That's just so heartless. I feel sorry for all, but worst for the little ones who get comfort from their familiar toys and wont have them during this time of insecurity and upheaval.
 

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