In Which I Discover That We’ve Been Robbed

We packed up the car and headed to my parent’s house for the holidays.  We had everything that was really important with us: the family, my laptop, the kids’ medicine.  It was a good thing, too, because our home was broken into on Christmas Eve, and we were robbed.

Our neighbor, who knew that we were out of town, saw that our front door and garage door were open.  She called the police and a family friend.  When they did a walkthrough of the house, they discovered that it had been completely ransacked.  Everything was pulled out of our drawers.  Our bed was torn apart.  My husband, who came home for work while the kids and I planned to stay until New Year’s with my parents, said that the house was “ugly”.  He took pictures and waited while the police dusted for prints.   The kids and I cut our trip short and headed home.  The house looked lovely.  This is because my wonderful husband stayed up until 3:00 in the morning two nights in a row, cleaning and putting things back in order so we wouldn’t be frightened by the carnage.  I sneaked a peek at the pictures he took before cleaning, and yes, the kids would have been terrified.  Both my husband and I were deeply saddened by some of the sentimental things that were taken.  We were also cheered that minimal damage occurred, and especially that nobody was home at the time.  We realize how blessed we are.

I feel violated. I feel angry. I feel sad and I feel unsafe in my own home.  But I also feel encouraged by the outpouring of love that we received.  People showed up to help clean the mess. Friends offered to rekey our house or board things up until we made it home.  My father packed a broom, a bucket, and a mop before loading us in the car and driving us the seven long hours to our house. 

While I cried about losing my late grandmother’s jewelery and a dear friend’s dog tags, I’m comforted to know that while there are creeps in the world, there are also lovely, lovely people who won’t stand for that kind of appalling behavior.  While one or two people managed to shake our security and effectively ruin our day, many more dear hearts gathered together and tried their very best to put us to rights. Thank you for that.  Thank you for letting me vent and offering your support and love.  I think you are all wonderful.  I think those who are with us are more than those who are with them.

33 Comments on “In Which I Discover That We’ve Been Robbed”

  1. Oh gosh, I can’t even imagine being robbed.

    It’s just so awful. I can’t believe people do that.

    But you’re right, times like these truly bring out of the best in (other) people.

    Thank god you have such supportive friends and family.

  2. Mercedes, I am just so glad that you all are safe. I am sorry you feel violated and I personally understand, BTDT. Sending healing, calming energy.

    You have wonderful friends, family and husband. You are very lucky.

    Hugs,

    Ardee-ann

  3. I’m so glad that you guys are okay! I can’t imagine how creeped out you must feel. I’m just glad you have so many wonderful people in your life.

    Love & hugs,
    Wendy (winnie3k)

  4. I’m so sorry. What an awful thing to happen on Christmas Eve. It really pisses me off.

    I’m glad that you’ve had plenty of love and support, and that there wasn’t much damage.

  5. So sorry to hear about this. The pictures are just sad and maddening all at the same time. How could someone do that…and on Christmas too? Their soul is full of poo.

    Hang in there and try as best as you can to simply put this behind you. Despite all this…it sure sounds like you have some great people surrounding you. That makes all the difference.

  6. Oh man. I’m so sorry. And yet, so glad that you were able to experience such an outpouring of grace in the aftermath. I was robbed once, came home from work to find cops in the apt. I shared w/my dad. Thieves had stolen my grandmother’s jewelry and the birthstone, signet ring, and pearl ring that my mother had given me to mark milestones in my life. I was heartbroken. About a month later, the youth group I’d be volunteering with for a while presented me with a silver and gold cross with the final lines of the Footprints poem engraved on the back not to replaced my loss, but to give me something new for the years ahead. I wear that cross to this day with love and gratitude and freely tell a story not of loss, but of love and grace.

    May your new year shine bright before you and your family.

  7. Wow – that is horrible. I cannot even imagine the uneasy feeling having someone rummage through your home would bring. Hopefully they catch the crazies who broke in!

  8. Wow. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through. I am so grateful that you guys weren’t home when this happened!

    Might be time to hit the pawn shops and see if any of your jewelry turns up..

    Lots of good juju to you and yours!

  9. Reading stuff like that makes me sick to my stomach. Yet, as you pointed out, the assistance and love of family and friends out-tips the scale in the other direction. Your husband must have worked like a dog to sort that out before you and your kids got home. He’s quite a guy. My heart goes out to you and your family, Mercedes.

  10. How incredibly gross. I am so sorry this happened to you and your family but glad that you all are safe. Even with all of the support and love that was shown to you after the sorry event, I can’t imagine how you would get over something like this. I felt a little taste of the violation you feel when I read your post and learning about all of the sentimental things you lost really angers me. That’s stuff that can’t be replaced and that you can’t get back. So sorry, again.

  11. How awful! I’m glad no one was hurt and that the physical damage, at least, was minimal. I hope they catch the guy.

  12. So sorry to hear about this. Seriously, who would steal someone else’s dog tags!!! Talk about stolen valor….Corny as it sounds, hearing about all the friends and family rallying arounds makes me think of all the Whos standing in a circle singing. Christmas came anyway you punk thief!!!

  13. Mercedes, my heart goes out to you and your family!! As Simon L said above, I’ll stop at that. What I really want to say isn’t good for ANYONES blog!!

    Peace!

  14. Holy wow, Sadie. I’m so sorry! You seem to be handling it quite well (of course you would), but still…that has to be a terrifying thought, knowing how exposed you are.

    Yes, and goodness you guys weren’t home!

    With love,

    Rob

  15. Oh, Mercedes, I am inspired by how you are choosing to look at this awful situation. You certainly have the right mindset.

    I am so thankful you and your family are safe!!!!

  16. And what is it about bad guys having to tear everything apart? I’ve been robbed before and our house looked very similar to your pictures. But it’s like adding injury to insult. It’s not enough to take my stuff, you *have* to make a huge mess too? Seriously?! Are you kidding me right now?!!

    I feel worse for you because half of the time my house looks like it’s been ransacked anyway. You know, you’ve seen. 😉

  17. So sorry! I can just imagine how scary that would be and how violated you would feel. Someone broke into our car once and took our emergency car kit (there wasn’t much else there), which wasn’t a big deal, but I felt so violated even though it was just the car and they didn’t take anything important. I am so sorry. Sending our love!

  18. Holy moly. Really sorry to hear about this. Hopefully New Year’s treats you better. And fingers crossed the culprits get what is coming to them.

  19. I think R.J. Cavender said it best: “Their soul is full of poo.”

    I know your printer got stolen too. (Poo! Poo I say!)
    You can babysit our superduper printer while we’re in Hawaii if you like. It might feel lonely without all the Illiterati love.

    mason

  20. I have been through this in 1999. I live in a condo and work part-time, so they did it in one morning. Like you, I felt violated and angry. Like you the losses were more of sentimental value than real value. So I know exactly how you felt.
    Happy New Year!

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