Thieving Scum

[Fugazi]

A big thankyou to the thieving scum who broke into my house in the night and made off with my laptop, digital SLR and my sons mobile phone and Sony PSP.

All of the above will be replaced by my insurers, keeping the wheels of commerce moving and premiums good and high.

What is more frustrating are the things that can't be replaced easily, like the tax return that was in my laptop bag to go to the accountants with this afternoon, hundreds of pages of notes & research for a project I am halfway through, my copy of Nick Radge's book on Adaptive Analysis which I had barely started (autographed 'To Shan' by Nick in case anyone should come across it) and my family's peace of mind and ability to sleep at night.

What goes around comes around, and I look forward to reading about the rare and horrible tropical disease these people will eventually die of.

 

[Prospector]

Yep, I've been there too! :swear: It sucks.



Unfortunately I lost my MIL's eternity ring she left me in her will when she died, and because it hadnt been recently valued, I got so little back from the Insurance co and obviously coudnt replace it anyway.

My partner was interstate at the time so had to deal with it on my own. I didnt break down until he got home the next day.

The worst for me was I didnt think they had got into my bedroom because everything looked normal, then I pulled back the quilt and they had dumped my jewellery drawer (and undie drawer) into it and then pulled back the quilt to hide it. Uggh!

Our house had just sold by auction the week before, obviously someone had checked out the place during the Open Inspections because they knew exactly where the computers were without tripping the alarm.

 

[Julia]

Sympathies to both of you. Must be really horrible to feel your privacy has been invaded as much as anything. It's another of the outcomes of drug addiction.

I don't know if it's practical for you to have a decent sized dog, or if you already have one, but it is an excellent deterrent. When I was living in NZ there were repetitive burglaries in the fairly affluent area where we lived.
No sooner had insurance companies approved items being replaced than they were stolen again. Eventually the :swear: were caught and the police found at their home a detailed map of this and other areas with a large cross marked through all the properties with dogs.

We always had our German Shepherd sitting outside with us when we were in the garden or even just left her sitting in the middle of the driveway when we were inside and also had a sign on the letterbox.

The dog I have at present wouldn't let anyone she didn't know anywhere near the house and is far better than an alarm system.

Just a suggestion.

Do hope they get caught and if so they get more than the usual magistrate's "understanding of their deprived circumstances" and a wholly suspended sentence while they laugh their way out of the courtroom.

Julia

 

[Happy]

Mandatory hands amputation would be lovely way to curb our nation’s big half or quarter price industry, which has hundreds of outlets in pubs around Australia.

Not my idea, used in Sweden until last century and also used in some other countries even as we speak.

To make it safe, hands could be kept next to embryos and reattached if person found to be innocent later.

Of course this industry could collapse should all people refuse to purchase stolen goods, but not likely.

Also some stolen goods are sold as second hand and unsuspecting purchaser has no idea.

 

[Nick Radge]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Some things are easily replaced so another signed copy has been posted to you today.

Nick

 

[karmatik]

Sympathies to both of you. Must be really horrible to feel your privacy has been invaded as much as anything. It's another of the outcomes of drug addiction.

I don't know if it's practical for you to have a decent sized dog, or if you already have one, but it is an excellent deterrent. When I was living in NZ there were repetitive burglaries in the fairly affluent area where we lived.
No sooner had insurance companies approved items being replaced than they were stolen again. Eventually the :swear: were caught and the police found at their home a detailed map of this and other areas with a large cross marked through all the properties with dogs.

We always had our German Shepherd sitting outside with us when we were in the garden or even just left her sitting in the middle of the driveway when we were inside and also had a sign on the letterbox.

The dog I have at present wouldn't let anyone she didn't know anywhere near the house and is far better than an alarm system.

Just a suggestion.

Do hope they get caught and if so they get more than the usual magistrate's "understanding of their deprived circumstances" and a wholly suspended sentence while they laugh their way out of the courtroom.

Julia

What has drug addiction got to do with it??

 

[GreatPig]

Sorry about the break-in. It's happened to me five times since I've been in Sydney (23 years now), mostly in different places each time.

I have an SLR camera that's been stolen three times (different actual cameras of course), and which I've replaced with exactly the same model each time (love that Nikon!). On one occasion, I replaced the camera duty-free in the city, went to NZ for a week, and had our house (a shared one I was renting) broken into a few days after I returned, with the camera being the only real thing taken. Even some cash sitting in our food kitty was left behind. What's more, the house was in a quiet cul-de-sac, where the landlord reckoned no one had ever been broken into as long as he could remember (he'd owned the place something like 15-20 years). I've never ever bought anything from that camera store again (although to be fair, it could also have been someone in the customs department who passed on the information), and now refuse to give my residential address whenever I buy anything of value (I give my work address if they say they absolutely have to have one). And my address is not in the phone book - a privilege I actually have to pay for!

In the end though, I just try to look at it in a positive light. Even though some bastards stole those things, despite that, I know I'm much better off now than I was then financially, whereas I'm sure they're still no better off. My lifestyle gives me the capacity to improve, whereas theirs doesn't (without radically changing lifestyles).

And what they took is insignificant to the amount the government has robbed me of thanks to its high taxes!

Cheers,
GP

 

[GreatPig]

What has drug addiction got to do with it??

Drug addiction is reported to be one of the main motives for burglary and petty theft.

And having had to deal with a few heroin addicts, who would have pawned their own grandmothers to get a hit, I can quite believe that to be the case.

GP

 

[Happy]

Also if drug addict is on rehabilitation arrangement, every magistrate sees it as positive step and gives wholly suspended sentences,


and our poor thing can rob another place the same day.

 

[Fugazi]

Sorry to hear of your loss. Some things are easily replaced so another signed copy has been posted to you today.

Nick

Nick, you are a gentleman & a scholar!!!!

You never know, the toe-rag that pinched it might have a read and start earning an honest living (assuming it can read of course).

I look forward to getting stuck back in, it's certainly an inspiring read especially for a newbie like myself.

 

[Fugazi]

What has drug addiction got to do with it??

Hopefully a miserable incarcerated end to their days......

 

[Julia]

What has drug addiction got to do with it??

Answered by GP.

A majority of long term drug addicts don't work and are on a government benefit, usually a disability support pension (!). At a bit over $200 p.w. it's insufficient to support a drug habit. So they steal, sell items, buy drugs.

Julia

 

[visual]

Julia,
dont forget to include the drug lords as well,we suport them too.

the poor dear such as roberta williams,

 

[GreatPig]

So they steal, sell items, buy drugs.

And what is even more frustrating is that they'll often sell the goods for just enough money for their next hit.

So for a $1000 camera or piece of jewellery, they'll happily take $50 if that's all their hit costs. Since they stole it, it has no value to them, and they can easily steal another next time they need it.

GP

 

[Fugazi]

And what is even more frustrating is that they'll often sell the goods for just enough money for their next hit.

So for a $1000 camera or piece of jewellery, they'll happily take $50 if that's all their hit costs. Since they stole it, it has no value to them, and they can easily steal another next time they need it.

GP

Thanks to all for the support (especially Nick) - not the most obvious place to vent my anger, but the first place I check into of a morning!

I reckon they'll get $250 for the lot.

Luckily the laptop is well and truly encrypted (I'm in the IT game for a living) and for once I followed my own advice and had comprehensive backups in place - Take note on that one everyone!!!

As usual in these matters, the things that will cause me the most inconvenience are the things that are most useless to the perpetrators. Although I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the pub that someone with an IQ of 20 is trying to flog off a book called Adaptive Analysis!!!

 

[Happy]

I wonder if there is something that can implanted into computer, so it can say its location when plugged in not at usual location? Maybe one day it will be possible.

Maybe there can be secret password that once not entered will make computer to call out for help, as soon as connected to Internet and will encrypt secret files to anything produced on machine if not on Internet.

 

[visual]

Happy,
I remember reading that something like that is available for mobile phones,but apparently,optus or telstra dont use it because they want to sell more phones,seeing that so many get stolen,if i remember correctly they can actually be shut down permanently thereby making these phones useless.

 

[Happy]

And from Phone Co’s point of view no call no money

Rule number one of any business -

You never cut your own throat, blind eye anything not ethical and you will make mozza.