What We All Fear The Most!

Good grief, that is terrible!

So sorry for your loss, and of course the only good part is no one was physically hurt.

jamesw
I'm so sorry for you and your family. Dad's watch cannot be replaced. It is very sad.

What an awful thing to experience...how does a thief select ? What looks easy I guess....if no one is harmed I would think violation of your home is the worst thing. I love my stamps..but if they were replaced I doubt they would know the difference. Sorry to hear about it !

james,

Sorry to hear this. Glad you are all safe and well though.
Living where I do. an alarm is an essential and helps me to breathe easily regarding the stamps.

Hope you can all pick yourselves up and put it behind you quickly.

Londonbus1

That really sucks as it breaks as your sense of home, peace and security but it could have been much, much worse. You could have been home and the situation could have descended into violence. I don't know about Canada, but here in the U.S. you hear about home invasions where they want to break in when you're home and guns are usually involved. Hopefully, the police will catch the culprits. My folks vacation place in Delaware was robbed several years ago by kids, but oddly enough they weren't going after valuables, but food as they were from a really neglected family and just hungry.

What I really fear the most is fire as it can consume every aspect of your life. I just found out recently, a member of a the Bowie Stamp Club in Maryland died back in 2011 in a house fire and the insured $1.5 million stamp collection was a total loss. One of the factors of my house choice was the fact I can see the fire department from my house. I also have more smoke detectors than the average house - 10 from the basement to the second floor.

Thanks all for your kind words. We are all fine, though obiously angered and frustrated. But yes everyone is safe, and Max the 'watch dog' has been eagerly trying to make amends. And this weekend was going to be spent tidying the house anyway, now with renewed vigour.
It's amazing the things the guy didn't take, though he searched through almost every drawer and closet in the place. Can't say he seemed very sophisticated in his choices (I think he'll be thrilled when he notices it's a Rolex!) but then I can't begin to get inside the mind of someone who makes their living this way.
At least all my babies are safe. The human and paper ones.
Cheers all.

jamesw
Another post to express sympathy for this sad incident. As others have said, no-one was hurt and it sounds like the damage was not too bad. This can happen anywhere these days and I'm told it leaves emotional scars for a while. The sense of violation is what would be hard to take. When we built our house eight years ago, even though we live in a relatively low crime area, we made sure we had an up-to-date alarm system installed and, when we are away, we have the house checked almost daily by friends or relatives. Very glad the thief more-or-less ignored your stamps.

Same here, I am feeling very upset about this. There are a couple of bright spots though. First I think I see some red meat in the jaws of that guard dog. You might get some DNA. Second everyone is safe. You never know what is going through the brain of criminals and what they would do if someone was there. I work from home but still have the house guarded by Smith and Wesson.

Jamesw

I am real sorry to hear your bad news. I am sure that you thoughts through your head were troubling you quite a bit at the time.

I sure hope that the police will catch the culprit(s) in good time.

BTW - don't put all the blame on your dog. Most likely the poor dog wouldn't stand a chance again him. Be glad they didn't hurt it.

All the best

Chimo

Bujutsu

James, you and your family (dog included) have our sympathies.

The shock will end, but you will be forever conscious of your home and family's security.

Get an alarm system. I recommend Alarm Force. easy to install, cheap to monitor and a possible insurance premium deduction as well.

When we lived in the end-of-the-hall unit of an apartment building, my wife came off of the centrally located elevator to see a man in the hall who immediately ran into the nearby stairwell. Police took fingerprints due to nature of the entry method, but he was never caught.

He had just cut a 3'x3' hole through the wall pushing the debris into the bathtub.

Two minutes more and he would have been in the apartment when she got home.

We now live in a house with a human contact alarm system having door andh window contacts and interior motion detectors which can work independently or together.

A few years ago, someone tried to break into our back garage door but ran off before the police arrived courtesy of the alarm company.

Every window has an alarm company sticker and there are lawn signs in both the front and back yards.

We never worry anymore and we're at least 400 feet from any other house and there's environmently-protected forest directly behind the house.

"Creature" is more the word.

Sentimental items, and the feeling of violation are what I hope you are dealing with OK. My heartfelt condolences. I will say a Prayer for you and your family. I thank God that your daughter didn't walk in on them and that everyone is safe. Whoever did this will eventually slip up and get caught.

...and get a Cat.


-IBFS

Thankfully your daughter didn't arrive before he was gone!

That is just awful James. I just cannot understand what type of COWARDLY LOSER can violate someones own home. It just blows my mind!

At least your family is safe, and well, your stamps.

James, I also feel bad for what you've gone through and hope you and your family will gradually overcome it.

As you know I live in your area and the feeling here is that
this kind of thing only happens in the big bad city of Toronto and
not in the safe, bucolic York Region.
Well we have all the same problems as the big city only on asmaller scale. So far anyway.

My biggest fear is for someone to break in while we are asleep
and wake up confronting the intruder.
In this I prefer the American way of life where many homeowners
have firearms to protect their family.
Like what could I use for protection, kitchen knife ? baseball bat? or maybe my WWII bayonets.
Here in Canada we are basically at the mercy of this scum and even if you did fend off a criminal who invaded your home and you heaven forbid hurt him then YOU would be off to jail.





And? What will happen to him/her? Nothing. A slap on the wrist
especially if he is a minor or comes up with some sob story.