OT: BEWARE..what happened to me last night

[pendragon]

Years ago, while living in Turkey, my home was burglarized. I came home to find the "valuables" were now but a paperwork issue for the insurance company and the police. Hardly a problem in the great scheme of things. Still, it took a long time to get over the feeling of being vulnerable and victimized.

So indeed Kris, you do have my sympathy.

Like the others, I am most thankful that you are safe.

Harv
 
 [ 05-08-2003, 02:53 PM: Message edited by: pendragon ]

[Reiddm]

I feel the pain, we had some looney at our back door about 17 years ago, he had to go through 2 gates to enter our back yard, when I came out the door he tried to teach me how I could extract flies from my body by using a wristwatch (had to be digital), and a light reflector, I have to say that I was speechless for quite sometime, it wasn't until my wife came out the door to find out who was talking to me did I wake up, it was then we made two phone calls, the second one to have our 2.5 acres fenced off, and now let our outside dogs run the fence line where we can not see with our cameras, and BRIGHT LIGHTS! I love the link from Bernie, I wonder if they are Mac compatible?

[Mrious_be]

Omg Krissel, this is scary  
Glad you had the reflection to turn that spot light into his face.

Hope they catch him!

[Peter]

No where is safe anymore- Our town has just over 5000 people, and seems very safe (our police force is way out of proportion to the # of people)  But even with so many cops we had several windows broken at our mill, and our tractor that we used to leave outside got messed around with- The idiots couldn't get it started (key was kept inside), so they stole the dipstick on the motor, and put small rocks in the transmission (through the oil adding pipe

Its amazing how stupid people can be      

Kris- Atleast your OK !!!!!!

[themagpie]

Oh Chris, I'm glad you  suffered no physical injury.  You must be terribly shaken up.  I would be.  Shining the light in his face was fast thinking.  Please take everyone's advice for keeping safe.

Margie

[JohnKentucky]

Wow..that sucks! My reaction would be to pull a gun and shoot the bastard. It's a shame that something like this had to happen...at least you are safe!

Now just keep aware...and hopefully this bastard will be caught.

[Xairbusdriver]

Kris,
Just want you to know we too are concerned about your safety. Don't stop thinking about what you can do to protect yourself. Lights outside are good start.

We have had a series of breakins in the Memphis area. A good friends house was invaded, she woke up to see the guy coming out of her bathroom where he had taken a jewelry box to sort through it! He knew she was awake and told her not to do anything or he would hurt her. This idiot is smarter than you think, he knows valuable items and leaves costume stuff. And he knows how to avoid many burgler alarms, he often cuts out the glass in a window to avoid raising it which would set off most perimeter alarms. She didn't have any type of alarm system, she now does.

Thankfully she got several 'motion' sensors so that no matter how someone gets in, they will set off the alarm. These are all actually heat sensors, they simply detect a change in the average temp in their viewing area. Some are more adjustable and can be aimed better, this is good if you have pets running around the house. A true motion detector would be prohibitively expensive, even with the cheap CPU's available. But you could seriously consider a couple of inexpensive cameras that can be mounted in weather proof housings and connected to your Mac. That way you could keep an eye on the outside world while you exercise.

And even if you don't actually get an alarm system, consider creating some signs stating that you do! And then place them at every window!

Jim C.

[cdub1988]

Kris -

Sorry to hear about that ordeal.

Take the advice and if you can, get hooked up with some surveillance cameras.

At work, we got setup with a set of those X10 cameras.

Very small, inconspicuous.

Not sure if they're able to be weatherproof.

Glad you're OK.

Oh, and giantmike:

 

quote:I think this kind of thing wiil only get worse.

Unfortunately, it will.  

Take care, all.

Chris

[daffy]

It shakes me up just reading about your ordeal.

When we moved up here in the panhandle to a gated resort, we thought we could put aside the paranoia we needed to live in Miami, but have discovered that bad , bad people live everywhere now.

A near neighbor's house was invaded by someone looking for drug money. He had previously been hired by her to paint her house & had scoped us all out. The security people at the gate let him in whenever he wanted to as he was recognized as a service person.

Thank goodness you are ok but i know it's going to take some time to feel less violated.

[krissel]

Thank you all for your concern and advice. It shows how much a family TS really is to many of us.

     

My curtain attempt was not too successful so while gathering up motion detector floodlights, etc. at Home Depot today I decided to get some already made blinds. I've been taping up large pieces of construction paper in the meantime.

I have had two detector spotlights in place on other corners of the house for years. The four legged animals in the neighborhood constantly set them off. Unfortunately the third spotlight, which was on a corner, ended up in an alcove when I had the studio addition added. I intended to move it "one of these days".

     

As for a weapon, yes, I am armed.
NJ has the strictest regulations in the country and you need special permits signed by your police chief after a thorough background check in order to own a handgun. I won't go into details but will say that I am comfortable with my legally owned "peashooter" and am a pretty good shot. A very good friend, whom I have known since elementary school, owns a local sports shop with indoor shooting range and it allows for occassional honing of one's skills. Also for letting out aggression and hostility....hmmm, think I will stop by next week.

     

The sad part of this is trying not to be suspicious of people in your neighborhood. I can rule some of them out due to physical inability to move that quickly but one person in particular keeps popping into my head as a potential suspect, mainly because of the direction the guy ran and the fact that this individual wears those turned up ski caps all the time. He is however a bit shorter than I believe the creep was and is even older than I am. He was very helpful and generous when  I first moved in 30 years ago, helping me with snow removal, etc., calling to warn me of bear sightings and so on. I haven't spoken with him in a very long time so I can't say if he may have psychologically "gone south". I don't want to mentally convict him of something when he most likely is totally innocent.

The initial fear I felt that first minute or two has gone. It's been replaced by anger and determinaton that this jerk isn't going to get the best of me. At this point I almost wish he would show his face.

I think I'll tape a couple of my very perforated targets in the window.

   
 
 [ 05-08-2003, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: krissel ]

[LR827]

Krissy, I don't know what to say.  I wish you weren't living alone, at the end of a street, surrounded by a wooded area.  So what if you have lived there for 30 years?  A house is just a house.  I hope you will consider moving somewhere less isolated.  Or, in that neighborhood, you can probably take out a substantial home equity loan and hire a bodyguard.  Someone with big muscles and a high voice.

I live in a nice area where nothing bad ever happens.  No, not Chicago -- I just put that down because no one has ever heard of NORTHBROOK , Illinois!  Yes, my kids go to GLENBROOK NORTH HIGH SCHOOL!  Some of their schoolmates were on TV recently, maybe you saw them.

Krissy, I hope you will consider moving somewhere more secure.  Like next to the police station.  I wish I could offer some more rational and reasonable advice, but I can't.  I know that we are contemporaries, and I am as worried about you as I would be about any friend or even sister.  Please take care of yourself and do whatever you can to keep yourself safe.

[cmteng]

Krissel,

I'm sorry to hear what happen to you. I don't know what to say but wish this message find you in good heath. Perhaps you might consider moving to a better location? I wish I can do more to help. Please take care.

[krissel]

Again, thanks  Lorraine  and  cm ...appreciate your thoughts. Moving sounds at first like an easy way to avoid difficulty but as you know, these kinds of people are everywhere.

In fact, in rereading this thread I was struck by something that sandbox said but didn't register the first time around.

 

quote:Could someone have put him up to this? Any Strange Phone Calls? Enemies? Secret Admirers, or someone who can’t take NO for an answer?  

It suddenly came back to me that I have had two previous stalkers in my past. Both were via phone and mail with no face to face interaction but I think that's why I have the feeling of deja vu about this situation.

Briefly, the first jerk gave enough clues in his calls to lead me to identify him as the son of one of my Mother's friends. His marriage was on the rocks and he had the absurd notion that I would be interested in him. Once his mother was informed of his harassing me I never heard from him again.
   

The second was really odd. I got phone calls and letters from someone who wanted to marry me but I hadn't a clue as to who he was, even when he told me his name. This was prior to the stalking laws and the cops weren't interested unless he actually did something. The phone company helped by intercepting calls to my phone and eventually he resorted to just letters. Finally enough info led me to a hardware store where he had previously worked while earning money for his graduate degree. The manager of the store who was a good friend knew where the guy lived and had two police officer friends of his in the same town pay the fellow a visit. They made it clear that he wouldn't be a happy camper if he bothered me anymore. End of that episode.

As I was telling Dick in an email, it seems I am a magnet for these creeps despite the fact I live a very quiet, modest and private life. I don't think changing my location will help, somehow they find me.

No Lorraine, I'm not paranoid, just a realist.

[Bernie]

Hi Krissle. Just got in from work. Just checking to see how you're doing. I'm bushed. Time for a shower and some Zzzzzzzzzz . Good night.

[sandbox]

Kris I was a little hesitant to be so forward, but I live in a world where people get abused and I’m sometimes called upon to respond. As part of a sociology course in college I worked in a crisis center, hiding women from abusive husband in safe houses.  
I worked in emergency management, I’ve seen the kind of looting in person, that you’ve just seen on TV in Iraq. I watch whole neighborhoods arm themselves against the tide, where robbery turns to rape and murder. As a youngster my xwife was peeped at through a 12 foot window, similar to your situation, cops had no clue  but my friends found him under a motorcycle tire of all places.  

Today it’s the elderly, they’re targeted here all the time, and in some cases they are clients, or friends or friends of friends, neighbors, it amazes me how ruthless people are. I’m glad your armed, we are too. Jane can shoot a running South Dakota antelope at 400 yards and came to Florida with her brothers, both Smith & Wesson.  

I think I’ll start a Mac surveillance thread........ good luck