Be careful! If these things happen in threes then there is still one more.

I came home from work today to find my house broken in to. My player was on the floor, unplugged from my computer. Evidently the thief did not know what it was.

To make a long story short, I lost a lot of stuff, but a neighbor saw a truck in my drive way and I think that spooked the guy that was here. He didnt take everything, and a lot of stuff he left was worth taking. I lost 2 DVD players, all my DVD movies, one stereo speaker, jewelery, my guitar (the bastard!), a brand new (still in the box) Sony flat screen LCD computer monitor, and other odds and ends.

I am insured, so I can replace it all.. given time.

My plea is to MAKE SURE your doors and windows are locked. You cannot be sure unless you look yourself. In my case it would have done little good, the thief crowbarred my backdoor open. But at least he had to work at it.

Man sorry to hear about your house... but at least you still have your empeg! I guess the other stuff can be replaced, the empeg can but not as easily. These thieves are very brave it seems, I mean they steal stuff in broad day light like loren's empeg, and your stuff... that sucks!

Craziness. It's just so easy to get away with this stuff these days, it's worth the risk to be ballsy like that i guess. Man. Sorry for the invasion (that's what sucks more than the material stuff... most of which can be replaced). Pretty soon the thieves will just rip your pants off and run instead of trying to pick your pocket.

I'm only 24 and i remember when we used to leave all the doors unlocked back home... all day long even when we weren't home. You just never had to worry about crap like that.

It makes one wonder. Does someone just roll down the street and think.. that place looks like it has cool stuff in it. I'll break into that one. Or maybe it's just sequential by address? Or maybe you left your window-shade open while working on something. My fear has always been it being someone I met who I invited into my home to find things there he/she likes more than I and is willing to break the law to have them.

I have my laptop (Toshiba) locked with a BIOS password that can only be unlocked by Toshiba (I worked at a company that went had some locked and had to go through the process). The lock message says: Please call this number before unlocking. It will not work without it. Question is, are there Toshiba employees that can be bought? I hope not - because then at least it I can't have the unit, neither is the thief.

Am I nutz... I dunno.

As I stated before, maybe some sort of lock for the empeg will at least remove the fun of the unit working for a thief. If they junk it, at least it's because they won't be able to enjoy it.

BTW, I used to live in places where I could leave the door open too. Kinda sucks the world is like this now.

-Ben

I use to live in a place (North Dakota) where our doors would stay unlocked 24/7 and I even left the keys in my car (in a change holder that was hidden from view). I wouldn't even dream of doing that now. The doors in my house stay unlocked when I'm home, but not even while running to the store down the street if I'm not there. One of the girls I work with had her downstairs neighbors house broken into - the thief just kicked the door in in broad daylight. Its getting scary nowadays.

Has anyone thought about making a nice sticker with the Kraco or RadioShack logo and placing it over the Rio sticker on the unit? Maybe a thief looking for high dollar items would leave it behind.

Just an idea,
-Hoagy.

I'm only 24 and i remember when we used to leave all the doors unlocked back home... all day long even when we weren't home. You just never had to worry about crap like that.

Yeah, I figure I pushed my luck on that last year. I lived in the middle of Toronto, and had a friend and his girlfriend staying in my living room. They were forever forgetting or losing the keys, so eventually we gave up and just left the doors unlocked (and sometimes open) for about 5 months (till they found their own place). Never had a problem, despite having about $15K dollars in mountain bikes sitting around, not to mention the computers, stereos, and CD collection.

When I moved here, the landlord kept stressing the security screen door. I was just "yeah, yeah, whatever" at the time, but about a month ago, my neighbour (that I share the steps and landing with) woke up to a noise, went to investigate, and caught some dude trying out the security door and windows of his apartment. He wigged out, started screaming, and the guy bolted. I'm a little more careful, now...

One of the ladies at work wasn't so lucky. Her and her husband had someone break into their place and rip off a bunch of stuff while they were home sleeping.

I use the same thing to protect my house and car goodies. His name is HAGAR ( after sammy of course). He is a full grown male pitbull. He eats thieves (the lowest form of human on the planet, get a job and buy your own stuf motherf*%^$s) for breakfast. Good luck to all in getting your empegs back, fixed or replaced. JAYMZ

A pit bull would have saved my ass but probably have eaten my two other pets as well. In my house and at this time, a dog is not an option.

After totalling everything up, I lost about $4700 worth of stuff. I have not yet been told by my insurance company what will happen so thats still up in the air.

The suckiest part is not knowing what is going on in my own home. I sit here at work feeling vulnerable.. I dont know that this thief will return or not to get the rest of what he left behind.

I gotta tell ya, I used to hate those danged X10 video camera ads that popped up all the time in my browser. I am rethinking that, and may set one up at home so I can see whats going on. I would have loved to have been able to call the cops on this guy and have him busted red handed.

My car is in the shop for major engine repairs. It seems the local oil change place didn't put my oil filter back on correctly, and 200 miles later there is no oil and my engine seizes.. so my empeg sits on my desk at home. I thought it was safe there.. but at least he didn't take it and it still works, even after being thrown to the floor.

I am really having a string of bad luck!

Out of curiosity what part of Dallas do you live in? So far two people at my apartment complex have been mugged by knife-wielding robbers. Cars stolen and everything.

They'll get my keys and wallet, but they've got about two seconds after that to leave the scene before the hidden pistol finds it way off my waist and in their face. I will not tolerate hoods invading my apartment or my property and endangering the lives of myself and my family for stupid material posessions.

Greg

As far as getting your pants goes ... in Greece and Italy the little kids will slash your pants legs (and the skin underneath) so your pockets open up for them.

Greg

One of my friends went with the X10 remote cams and motion sensors so if something sets off the motion sensor, it emails him at work, the cams go off and streams to his website, which he can check from work and call the police if he needs to. I don't remember how much it all cost him, but I do remember it was a lot less than he lost after his place was broken into.

I am rethinking that, and may set [an X10 video camera] up at home so I can see whats going on.

You might be interested in the open source motion project. It can watch multiple video sources and detect motion. I've always meant to take a closer look, but I've never had a camera and free time at the same time.

It seems the local oil change place didn't put my oil filter back on correctly, and 200 miles later there is no oil and my engine seizes..

I assume that you are holding them responsible and will require them to pay for the repairs?

tanstaafl.

They'll get my keys and wallet, but they've got about two seconds after that to leave the scene before the hidden pistol finds it way off my waist and in their face.

Please be careful. A bloke with a knife needs less than a second to slice your stomach open. Doubt me? Give a friend a magic marker, and see how often you can draw and aim before you get marked. A gun is only a good defense against a knife if the knife wielder is about thirty feet away. Any closer than that, and he still has the potential to reach you and slice you to ribbons.

Damn.. getting your stuff stolen really sucks. I just moved back to miami for college and am worried about all my stuff I own. Right now I will be living in an apartment on campus which has a full police force on it so I should be somewhat safe... who knows though with some of the craziness that you guys have been posting. Im going in a few days to get my windows tinted so hopefully that helps a little as my subs sit in plane view in my window. I saw some alarms on ebay that page you and show your whats going on with your car if broken into, etc... They seem to be the best idea since car alarms go off all around here and noone pays attention... they look kind of cheap though. Has anyone used one of these?
Anyways. I hope you guys get your stuff back.. or at least a replacement for it.

-Greg

Please be careful. A bloke with a knife needs less than a second to slice your stomach open

Good point, but it also depends on how good you are with a gun. Anyone in their right mind that owns a handgun should know how to use it, and practice with it at a local firing range. Plus, pulling the trigger on someone is a huge decision, but if someone is lunging at you with a knife, the decision should not take long because that is a threat against your own life.

Right now I will be living in an apartment on campus which has a full police force on it so I should be somewhat safe...

Somewhat safe is a good way to put it - but college campuses, at least the college I attended, breed all sorts of scum. Our campus had its own police force too, which helps, they were always at least a minute away since the area they had to patrol was so small. But - I still heard about all sorts of break ins, and you could read about them every week in the paper.. but a lot of the thieves were stupid and stole dumb crap. I used to drive around campus and wait for a good, well lit spot close to the dorm to open up before parking in the just the first spot that I found.

Just north, in Lewisville. I have had my house for 9 years now and have never heard of any problems in my neighborhood. Until now.

I myself dont own a gun and probably wont. I have an 8 year old at home that I dont want to tempt, or shoot on accident when I hear noise in the night.

I would have had no problem blocking the theifs truck in my driveway if I came home an caught him, but I dont know that I would have confronted him face to face. Never know if HE has one or not.

Good point, but it also depends on how good you are with a gun. Anyone in their right mind that owns a handgun should know how to use it, and practice with it at a local firing range. Plus, pulling the trigger on someone is a huge decision, but if someone is lunging at you with a knife, the decision should not take long because that is a threat against your own life.

I agree. But also this. I've had shooting practice. I've also been trained to use a pistol at close range, when somebody threatens me with a knife or something, and assuming the weapon is still in my holster.
The trick is then, when you actually pull the weapon from the holster to immediately start shooting whilst aiming. This obviously takes some training or otherwise there's a good chance you'll shoot yourself in the foot (literally here).
Overall it's a good technique. I've trained this by using paint bullets (In my actual gun, so it feels very real). My experience is you'll have to shoot no more than 2-3 times before you'll actually start hitting the person. Also, there's the scare effect which makes your opponent stop attacking you when you do this.
Of course, this is a last measure action and should only be used when you're driven in an extremely tight spot.

I wear a gun on a daily basis, and I hope I'll never have to use it. But if I'm ever forced to, I will.

I have no problem with guns, or people who own them. But for me, I prefer not to have one. And I probably can't wear a gun on a daily basis, state law prohibits the posession of fire arms where alcohol is sold or served, and I enjoy quaffing my Guiness way too much to stop visiting the local bar.

One thing I have learned from all of this.. just like the USA, its when you are most comfortable, and feel safe, that you are most vulnerable. I now have my empeg in my hand a lot more than before.. its here now instead of on my desk at home. I just cant be sure unless its with me.

On a side note, everything is covered under my insurance. I will be shopping sometime next week to replace everything, so its kinda like christmas in July at my house. I am just very thankful that I did not have to claim my empeg, it would have been impossible to convince my insurance agent what it really was, and why it cost as much as it did. Not to mention, but where would I get another!

I do like the idea of having some form of GPS tracking in certain portable equipment. They're doing it with some cell phones now, but it'd be nice to have one in my empeg/car/girlfriends car

I think I'll find out more about doing this. I'd love to track down the S.O.B thief.

Thats where the addage (sp?) 'Run from a knife, charge a gun' comes from...

Knives are scary.

I agree. And if I didn't need a gun for my job, I probably wouln't have one either. But it's just like that. I'm also very glad I got a thorough training with it. I don't like guns. But IF you need to own one (like in my case), you'd better know how to handle it.

Glad to hear your insurance will cover everything, that at least should soften the blow somewhat! Overe here insurance firms often are very reluctant of paying the full amount of what you say you got robbed of. They're always nagging about the value of things. As if the actual event itself wasn't enough already...

The university of texas used to teach a psychology class that spent some time on "the criminal mind" regarding things like this.

One of the most interesting bits out of this was the "barrier effect" and cul de sacs.

If your house is at the end of a cul de sac, it's more often broken into than any other house on the block. All the other houses are just houses. Yours is where they have to turn around while driving, they spend more time looking at it and really notice it.

The barrier effect is a means of protecting your house psychologically. Any barrier between your house and the street, no matter how tall, can provide a mental barrier to the crook. A small bush that circles the front of your house. A short fence, a little rock wall. It doesn't matter if the barrier can be scaled with ease. It's a projection of the thought that "this property behind this line is mine." Houses that had some barrier in front were less likely to be robbed.

Greg

Thats where the adage 'Run from a knife, charge a gun' comes from...

Heh. I hadn't heard that one.

Knives are scary.

Yep. I don't think most people have a good appreciation for what even an untrained guy with a blade can do. I know I sure didn't until I started doing some knife sparring (with training blades, of course). If the guy holding the knife has any decent amount of experience handling a knife, it just gets more and more scary. Even knowing that I'm sparring with training blades that can't hurt me, I've often had to make a concious effort to not show my heels. You can bet I'm not going to ignore that instinct on the street. No empeg is worth the possibility of finding myself sitting on the sidewalk holding my intestines in my arms.

Archeon's experience just adds more weight to it. Even with specific situational training, the first couple shots often miss. There have been studies done where trained policemen have emptied their guns into the dirt before being able to bring the gun to bear on the subject. Even if you hit the guy on the first shot, if he's close enough, his forward momentum can still bring him close enough to cut you up. When you consider that a guy can cover 7 or 8 meters/second, "close enough" is an obscenely large distance.

If a mugger with a knife gets the drop on you well enough to get your wallet, consider your gun gone, as well.

Obviously I'm not going to reveal the fact that I have a gun to a mugger until he's distracted. They're always scared and ready to get the hell away from you. Give them what they want, they may or may not cut you because they feel like it (disarm them at this point if it looks ugly), they turn away, out comes the pistol ... freeze jack-ass.

As for defending in a knife on gun fight, you put your non-shooting arm across your chest, elbow to guts fist to neck. This can help absorb any slashes from getting to your good stuff. (better an arm than a gut I always say). For your shooting arm, you drop it into a "speed rock" position. Your forearm should be level with the pavement and your elbow locked all the way back underneath your shoulder as far as it will go. This keeps the pistol close to your waste and body, harder to knock around. Recoil really isn't an issue since your shooting arm really can't move except side to side with your waist. This is ideal position for point-blank shooting. This speed-rock position looks gay, but it works to keep those precious guts inside your gut hole.

Greg

This can help absorb any slashes from getting to your good stuff. (better an arm than a gut I always say) ... it works to keep those precious guts inside your gut hole.

I feel like I've wandered into an alternate universe. One where Fight Club was a documentary and Scarface was the feel-good movie of 1983.

Hey, Scarface was definitely better than Cats. I loved it. I will see it again and again. (SNL)

As for alternate universes ... welcome to my world, where fancy terminology is boiled down to the bare essentials, because I can't pronounce anything worth more than two or three sylybyls (see? spelling!). Your "tummy" is now referred to as the crap factory. I always preferred "car hole" to that Frenchy "garage" anyhoo.

Greg

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'Run from a knife, charge a gun'

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And bayonets...?