What We All Fear The Most!

Well it happened today! Got a call from my wife while I was at work. Our 16 year old daughter had come home to fine our house had been broken into.
Anger is the first emotion that comes to light. Then fear what might have been taken.
I've been working on a contract in downtown Toronto, and have been taking the train in (it's more relaxing than driving), so I was stranded until quitting time.
When I finally got home, it looked bad, though the thief (we're sure he was alone) took less than we'd worried about. Some jewelry, watches (including my 1920s pocket watch and my Dad's 1953 Rolex - ouch!), and a Bose Wave CD/Radio, among other things. Expensive electronics and cameras and TVs were untouched.
All the way home I tried not to worry about my stamps. Certainly there are more important things in life. They're only pieces of paper, right?
Well when I got downstairs to my studio I was appalled! It doesn't appear he took anything, but he certainly doesn't like stamps.
Boxes of stamps and covers were dumped all over the counter and floor, and my computer (fortunately still here) had been shifted around.
What kind of monster could do this?????







Fortunately the albums themselves were untouched.



And HE was no help. I suggested to the policeman that he dust the dog's tongue for prints. Surely it touched the villains boot!



Man's best friend! Geeeesh!

This sucks big time. At least your being positive that more valuable stuff could have been taken but wasn't.

Sorry to hear this. There is not really much one can do about break-ins, it can happen to anyone.

Oh, how awful, especially for your daughter to come home to. I'm sure the culprit distracted your fierce guard dog with a big steak. ;)

I wonder if he went through the stamps either looking for valuable coins, or to see if this was where you stashed your cash.

Nonetheless, so sorry that this happened to you and your family. Thankfully, no one was physically harmed, although that's not to discount the sense of violation you all must be feeling now. I do believe that will pass with some time.

-- Dave

Sorry to hear about the break-in and your losses, James. But I'm glad that you and your family are safe.

If it's any consolation, your stamps still look far better organized than mine. At least you can still see parts of your desktop, and you can still open the bottom drawer of your file cabinet all the way (I'm envious). I can only open the top 2 out of 4 drawers. I should have kept the most valuable stuff in the bottom drawer -- it would take the thief hours to clear out enough room to open it.

Sorry James this happened to your family, be careful and take care of your wife and daughter in these days, help them pass the fear.

And take care of you, man.

I realize that this is a stamp forum, but the far more important thing is that everyone is safe. Stamps can be replaced ... other things can't. Take care.

jamesw, I would like to chime and express my best wishes for you and your family. Obviously
the culprit was in a hurry and just wanted easily sold stuff. My 90 year old neighbor got
broken into recently. The piece of %$#$ left a mess but did not take anything. I have been thinking about this kind of thing and today I sent in my $26.00 check to Hugh Wood aps insurance. regards, yakboomer

By the way, my stamp room does not look a whole lot better than the pictures of the mess you
found.

sorry to hear James. It's hard because your home is your sanctuary so you most likely feel violated. Hope you can recover emotionally from this.

hang in there mate we all thinking of you and your family - your stamp room is "organized" compared to my stamp "storage" area

I am indeed very sorry to see this happened to your family. This happened to me twice. The thieves did not take any stamp. They took lots of my collectible cameras. They knew what they can easily sell.

HOLY S..CRAP PHIL! I'm glad your OK! That absolutely sucks!! "monster" is putting it lightly. If there is anything I can do please let me know OK? -Jeff

jamesw
Bad news indeed, but the important thing is you and yours are OK, apart from the shock of it all. And if your dog had put up a fight, he could have been hurt or worse. Hope you all get over this quickly.
All the best
DavidR

jamesw
Bad news indeed, but the important thing is you and yours are OK, apart from the shock of it all. And if your dog had put up a fight, he could have been hurt or worse. Hope you all get over this quickly.
All the best
DavidR

jamesw

I can empathise with you. I know what it is like to have that happen.
The mess is the worst, but it is good that everyone is safe.
the police told me when I had my robbery that it was probably done by some-one who knew me, or by a friend of a friend of which they said 90% of robberies are.
For weeks I was startled by the slightest noise, and now I have alarms everywhere.
It takes a long time to feel safe again.
Horamakhet

Hopefully they find the neighborhood kid that most likely is involved. Time to install the electronic security system and have it monitored. They make devices now that can't be tripped by dogs.

Thanks for posting as it's a somber reminder to all that at any time, poof..gone.