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Someone broke into my car last night and stole my oak showcases, among other things....
ThePennyLady
Posts: 4,516 ✭✭✭✭✭
I'm still pretty bummed, sad, and very angry. When my husband went to leave for work this morning, he noticed my car doors were open, the back hatch was up, and most of the stuff I keep in the back of my car was gone. I usually keep my 3 showcases in my car (underneath a dark blanket) because the cases are made of solid oak with inlaid glass and are pretty heavy to haul in and out of the house, and I thought who would want to steal them anyway. Guess I was wrong there. The cases are kept inside heavy denim covers so you can't see what's inside the covers without removing the covers. I keep my show lamps inside the cases, so those were gone too. They also took my zippered table cover, my Ipod and radio adapter (which I left inside my sunglass case so you can't see it - and yes I know, I'm a dunce), and several brand new books on cd's that I travel with to keep me awake on my long road trips. They also took a box with some coin books, and some other coin stuff that is easily replaceable. Yes, I already know what everyone is thinking about leaving these things in my car - I just didn't think anyone would care about this type of show stuff. So please don't say it, I already know it, and if you say it, I think I'll cry some more!
So we called the police, they came very promptly and so did CSI so they could fingerprint my car - however, they didn't get any usable prints off the car (they think the thieves probably used gloves). Apparently, the thieves stuck something sharp up and under the front passenger door handle and worked the lock open and thus avoided setting off the car alarm, but now I have to get that door handle/lock replaced. So after the police arrived, my husband took off for work, and then surprisingly returned a couple minutes later. After he had driven off and gotten around the block, he discovered two of my showcases laid out on someone's front lawn, along with a couple of the lamps that had been inside. Luckily, nothing was damaged. So CSI trotted over there and fingerprinted my cases, but I told them I was at a show this past weekend and any fingerprints they get off my showcase most likely will be from the many people that leaned on or touched my case during the show. So I am not holding my breath on the police finding anyone.
I then called my insurance company, filed a claim with my auto insurance and am debating on whether to file a claim with my homeowner's insurance. It depends on the value of everything and whether it's worth it to file a homeowner's claim for this, or wait and use it when something more drastic comes along. I understand homeowner's insurance carriers will quickly cease to insure you if you file more than one claim in 3 years.
Then I called Al Arnold (another coin dealer and good friend) - he custom made my showcases about 5 years ago and I asked him if he could make me another one. He said no problem, and also said he would only charge me what he charged me back then (even though I know it costs him more now to make these cases). That was the nicest thing to happen to me today (other than my husband hugging me while I was sobbing right after I saw what all they took). I also went online to order some new table lamps, and a new table cover and case cover.
I also tried to distract myself this morning by posting that neat "possible" new 1862 Indian cent variety, and enjoyed the oohs and awws, but my mind kept turning to car and being "violated" and the things they stole. I tried to keep my mind off of all that, but it was hard. At least my husband took me Christmas shopping for my new wine chiller which was my Christmas present - so now I will have some nice chilled wine to look forward to drinking soon!
I know (and am thankful) that this is nothing like what happened to Julian, but the feeling of someone stealing from you right off your own property (my car was in my driveway and we live at the end of a cul de sac) really gets to you and gives you an unsettled feeling. Now I don't want to go anywhere for the holidays because these thieves now know that I deal in coins and where I live. I think we're going to make some changes like getting an alarm system and a big dog. Any way, as you can see, I didn't have a very good day today....
So we called the police, they came very promptly and so did CSI so they could fingerprint my car - however, they didn't get any usable prints off the car (they think the thieves probably used gloves). Apparently, the thieves stuck something sharp up and under the front passenger door handle and worked the lock open and thus avoided setting off the car alarm, but now I have to get that door handle/lock replaced. So after the police arrived, my husband took off for work, and then surprisingly returned a couple minutes later. After he had driven off and gotten around the block, he discovered two of my showcases laid out on someone's front lawn, along with a couple of the lamps that had been inside. Luckily, nothing was damaged. So CSI trotted over there and fingerprinted my cases, but I told them I was at a show this past weekend and any fingerprints they get off my showcase most likely will be from the many people that leaned on or touched my case during the show. So I am not holding my breath on the police finding anyone.
I then called my insurance company, filed a claim with my auto insurance and am debating on whether to file a claim with my homeowner's insurance. It depends on the value of everything and whether it's worth it to file a homeowner's claim for this, or wait and use it when something more drastic comes along. I understand homeowner's insurance carriers will quickly cease to insure you if you file more than one claim in 3 years.
Then I called Al Arnold (another coin dealer and good friend) - he custom made my showcases about 5 years ago and I asked him if he could make me another one. He said no problem, and also said he would only charge me what he charged me back then (even though I know it costs him more now to make these cases). That was the nicest thing to happen to me today (other than my husband hugging me while I was sobbing right after I saw what all they took). I also went online to order some new table lamps, and a new table cover and case cover.
I also tried to distract myself this morning by posting that neat "possible" new 1862 Indian cent variety, and enjoyed the oohs and awws, but my mind kept turning to car and being "violated" and the things they stole. I tried to keep my mind off of all that, but it was hard. At least my husband took me Christmas shopping for my new wine chiller which was my Christmas present - so now I will have some nice chilled wine to look forward to drinking soon!
I know (and am thankful) that this is nothing like what happened to Julian, but the feeling of someone stealing from you right off your own property (my car was in my driveway and we live at the end of a cul de sac) really gets to you and gives you an unsettled feeling. Now I don't want to go anywhere for the holidays because these thieves now know that I deal in coins and where I live. I think we're going to make some changes like getting an alarm system and a big dog. Any way, as you can see, I didn't have a very good day today....
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Coin's for sale/trade.
Tom Pilitowski
US Rare Coin Investments
800-624-1870
Glad you are safe, but please be more vigilant.
Not a nice feeling at all. Try not to dwell on those Aholes too much. Your job is making people happy with your show stuff so stay focused on getting it all back together with a 'stuff happens' attitude.
Best wishes,
-Gil
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Derek
It was nice to see you at the last Anaheim show too!
EAC 6024
glad your ok but I dont understand why your alarm didn't go off. It doesnt make any difference how the car was opened once the door or trunk opened that alarm
should have gone off. Sure you had it on ?
If so I would have that checked asap because somethings not right.
Bob
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<< <i>glad your ok but I dont understand why your alarm didn't go off. It doesnt make any difference how the car was opened once the door or trunk opened that alarm
should have gone off. Sure you had it on ?
If so I would have that checked asap because somethings not right.
Bob >>
Agreed. Or get a better car alarm. I would also pass out fliers to the neighbors about a burglar roaming around.
I, for one, will use this as a reminder to be more careful where I store things.
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<< <i>
<< <i>glad your ok but I dont understand why your alarm didn't go off. It doesnt make any difference how the car was opened once the door or trunk opened that alarm
should have gone off. Sure you had it on ?
If so I would have that checked asap because somethings not right.
Bob >>
Agreed. Or get a better car alarm. I would also pass out fliers to the neighbors about a burglar roaming around. >>
Thanks everyone, I very much appreciate the kind words. And I will definitely have the alarm looked at when I take my car in next Monday to repair the door lock/handle. And I don't have to pass out fliers because this is a very tight-knit neighborhood and almost everyone has lived here for 10+ years (we've been here 17 years) so we all know each other, and as soon as someone saw the police cars on the street, word spread like wildfire!
The Penny Lady®
I feel badly for you.
Best of luck on recovering your stuff. I hope your piece of mind comes back quickly too. Don't forget it is the Christmas season, and even though it sucks being burgled (I know all too well), there are many things in your life to be thankful for. I am glad you are safe. All the best.
U.S. Type Set
Reminds me that regardless of where you live (even Irvine or other upper income neighborhoods) one can become a crime victim. 25 years ago I lived in Irvine in a home owned by a buddy of mine. I had a Capital holder with a complete set of Franklin halves in it. One saturday morning while I and my roomies were out refereeing a local basketball game the home was burglarized. My Frankie set was stolen. among other things.
Felt extremely violated with the burglary. Probably the way you feel today.
Glad you did not lose things that you not replace.
At least you recovered two of the cases.
Wine chiller!
john
I am glad you took some precautions to minimize your loss - namely, that those cases were not still full of coins!
In addition to being a numismatist, I am also a guitar player - and unlike every other musician I know, I NEVER leave my guitar in the car unattended - sometimes, like say when we go into a restaurant after a gig, my peers give me grief for this, but hearing your story helps me keep my priorities in place.
Good luck getting everything put back right.
>>>My Collection
Hoard the keys.
Lane
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
<< <i>WoW, That sucks maybe they followed you from the show do you think. That is not right now that is scary happy to see you and your family are ok this sucks. I hope they catch them, Type2. >>
You would be very surprised how much info is available online, just go to whitepages.com and type yourself in, many dealers' home address can be very easily found im sure allowing them to be targeted, exactly why you no valuable coins should be left laying around the house. Also charmy consider getting a viper security alarm from best buy, would be under $300 installed, best money you would ever spend. Alarm has sensors which if tampered with will blast alarm as well as send a signal to your led keychain telling you what door is being tampered with.
I'd get all my easily-moved valuables off site asap if they're not already. Coins, expensive electronics, jewelry, kids. I'm not really kidding about the kids, either. For a regular vehicle break-in, I wouldn't make as big of an issue of it, but if these guys think they can make a really big score, I'd be concerned they were coming back armed sometime in the next week or two. If nothing happens, you wasted a little time and worry. If something did, I'd want my kids somewhere they couldn't be used against me. If there's a family member nearby, let the kids take a holiday trip to visit.
I'd definitely beef up my home security too. Alarm, big dog, requested police drivebys (explain the potential situation), bright motion-sensor lighting all around the house, and if you're comfortable around firearms, something like the one below (and if you're not, GET COMFORTABLE). All doors should be locked (deadbolted) at all times. If you're currently receiving packages at your home box, you need to start having things diverted to a post office box. It's way too easy once you've been marked as a dealer for your new 'friends' to come by and check your mailbox. Heck, upgrade to one of those nice, locking mailboxes. You need a visible security presence.
If this happened to me, I'd consider it a significant safety concern for me and my family. The last thing I would want is to come home to a hostage situation because a couple of junkies with guns thought they could finally make their big score from the coin dealer they'd discovered. At minimum, I'd be much more vigilant over the next few weeks. Best of luck, and once again, sorry you had this awful situation occur in the first place.
<< <i>perhaps consider a safe/safety deposit box >>
She had cabinets stolen.
She had cabinets AND coin books and coin materials stolen. Much, much different than just having generic display showcases stolen.
Edited to add:
Why not take a trip to your local firing range and learn / practice shooting? You get a nifty souvenier to tack up next to your door :-)
<< <i>
while your advice seems sound, I just cannot picture Charmy, with one of the above.
The name is LEE!
<< <i><<They also took a box with some coin books, and some other coin stuff that is easily replaceable.>>
She had cabinets AND coin books and coin materials stolen. Much, much different than just having generic display showcases stolen.
Edited to add:
Why not take a trip to your local firing range and learn / practice shooting? You get a nifty souvenier to tack up next to your door :-)
>>
Still not exactly bank safe material
Please be safe, Charmy. Use this as a "learning experience" since this is an incident you can recover from.
I would strongly encourage everyone to always be extra vigilant and take nothing for granted, particularly
when it comes to your posessions, your homes & in protecting yourselves. Times are bad.
From the sounds of this someone knew and as you stated, you live in a tightly knit neighborhood.
While this can be a good thing, it can also be bad. Think about it. How much do you REALLY trust your
neighbors? This is no random hit. JMHO-FWIW.
<< <i>That definitely sucks!
Here is the problem if you file an insurance claim, a) you lose your good customer no claims filed discount b) your insurance premium will go up the amount of the loss divided by approx 2 to 4 years depending on the amount. You aren't paying for insurance anymore when you are buying insurance, you are paying for the use of the insurance company's money ie loan if you have a loss and file a claim for reimbursement, insurance has changed, the only news is they haven't really announced these changes. So if you are light and want to borrow moeny from them then by all means file. >>
I agree with Al. Figure out how much the replacement value is for all of those things and the car repair, and if you can afford to replace it on your own, consider doing do. And, goodness, do not file two claims (auto and homeowners)--both rates will be jacked up!
This would be a good thing to discuss with your insurance agent--s/he should be able to give you a good idea how your rate will be affected by your claim.
Sorry to hear of this. Glad to hear it wasn't worse. It sure makes it hard to maintain faith in the decency of humanity when your victimized like this.
Greg Hansen, Melbourne, FL Click here for any current EBAY auctions Multiple "Circle of Trust" transactions over 14 years on forum
I also would also get a lock for your doors that can't be used with a "Smash Key". There are keys that can open most locks with a simply bang. Your locksmith can probably help you replace your old locks.
"Keep your malarkey filter in good operating order" -Walter Breen
https://www.smallcopperguy.com
yep, someone has your number. change your routine immediately. be especially watchful for some time to come.
bolo/bol
*be on the lookout/best of luck
<< <i>Not reading replies yet: you were stalked(watched) by pros. >>
What would be different if this was a random car break in by hoodlums looking for beer/drug money?
That's great news!
Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.
Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.
Larry L.
Be smart, and be aware!
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<< <i>Sorry to hear of your loss. You should look at the bright side. At least you live where the Police are doing their job. No one does finger printing for car burglaries where I live. They say it happens too often and is too expensive. I hope they catch the scum. >>
Agreed, when someone broke into our Volvo maybe around 8 years back, we called the police and they did not even want to come down and write up a report for us. They just took a report over the phone.
WS
<< <i>Keep in mind that IF this was a random crime, the criminals now KNOW you are a coin collector, or even a dealer. I would be very cautious about leaving ANYTHING at home of value, and be very careful and alert when you come home or leave. These type of guys like to talk to their buddies, and pretty soon you are a rare gold bullion dealer with tons of gold in the house and piles of cash.
Be smart, and be aware! >>
The cases and light didn't really have anything to do with coins. The thieves would have been more likely to see trinkets in them at a street fair. My guess is they were bummed there was nothing in them and won't hit that dry well again. --Jerry
<< <i>
<< <i>Not reading replies yet: you were stalked(watched) by pros. >>
What would be different if this was a random car break in by hoodlums looking for beer/drug money? >>
Car alarm triggered, prints left behind. A yoot, druggie or drunk would not have taken the time or been clever enough to dig through the trunk, only taken ash tray change. Someone knew.