I got burgled last night.

[Taxloss]

The cheeky buggers forced open the window into our bedroom and nicked my laptop. That's all they took; I'm writing this on a brand new computer. (My desktop fried itself out about three weeks ago.) So, Two computers lost in one month. Looks a lot like carelessness.

Mrs Taxloss is pretty shaken but I feel fairly philosophical - there was a vulnerability in the window that neither I nor my landlord was aware of, and the thief exploited it masterfully. The galling thing is that Mrs Taxloss and I were in the flat at the time, watching a film, and did not see or hear anything.

So, now it's over to the insurers. But I have lost and critical billable day of work.

[MissB]

1. I'm sorry.

That really sucks, and I can understand Mrs Taxloss being shaken up.

[Taxloss]

6. Thank you.

I can perfectly understand her feeling as well. Oddly, I think she's a bit cross with me for not being more emotional, as I was the one to suffer loss; I suppose it's just different ways of coping. But I didn't get a wink of sleep last night; every sound was maginified.

[Bouncy Ball]

2. Shit, that sucks.

I'm sorry. BUGGERS! TOSSERS! WANKERS!! IDJITS!!!

:grr:

Here's hoping it doesn't happen again!

[Taxloss]

12. Thanks BB.

I don't know if this happens in the States, but we get a visit from a Crime Prevention Officer (stable door, bolting) tomorrow or the day after, and a bunch of free security upgrades (cost shared between police, landlord, and insurers). The vulnerability in the window was so stupid in retrospect, but in ten years it had never been spotted.

I feel like the idjit, to be honest. We were watching TV in the next room, and we didn't hear a thing.

[Bouncy Ball]

15. You get WHAT?

Free?

Nope. We don't know from free here. It's bushworld now. No such thing.

:grr:

But I'm truly happy for Canadians, Brits, and everyone else who live in places not taken over by angry, bitter, selfish, evil, warmongering lying little fascists.

[Taxloss]

24. It's not free per se, we just don't pay for it.

As I say, the expense is shared between the landlord, the police, and the insurers. The security consultation IS free, though, provided by the state, which makes sense really as it helps bring down crime.

On the downside, we don't get to shoot the burglars. ;)

We were also offered counselling, which we both readily turned down, but that would have been free as well.

[LeftyMom]

23. We don't have anything like that

Hell, we're lucky if the police bother taking a report, at least in this town. :grr:

[Taxloss]

29. That stinks!

Why wouldn't they do that? We had a car, two officers, a SOCO dusting for prints - it would have been exciting if my home hadn't just been violated.

[ArkDem]

3. Windows has several hotfixes to take care of that vulnerability

problem.

[Total Disaster]

4. What a bummer!

Fortunately nothing worse than the loss of a bit of property took place.

[Taxloss]

14. Yes, we weren't in danger.

That's what matters. The property can be replaced.

[LynzM]

5. That sucks, dude...

I hope there was nothing terribly important on it. I can imagine being really shaken up, knowing you were in the house and didn't notice. Glad you were able to get a replacement, though.

[Taxloss]

17. Most of my important files were backed up.

My old desktop burned itself out about three weeks ago, with significant data loss, leaving me using the laptop, and that's the only reason it was on the desk. That other experience made me a back-up Nazi and I've copied everything, so I've lost little critical data, but a hell of a lot of research disappeared, as did four draft articles. But I still have the pencil notes, and memory of how they read; they can be reconstructed, at a loss of two days.

[LynzM]

36. Glad to hear that....

Sorry about the lost days, but glad that things aren't gone entirely!

[Taxloss]

37. The lost days amount to about $500 American

and an ear-bending from ny editor. I'll live. Thank you for your concern.

[Bunny]

7. Boy that sucks.

I would be VERY upset if a burglar came into my house while I was there - don't blame Mrs. Taxloss one bit!

[Taxloss]

18. Yes, it was scary when we discovered the loss because for a moment we

didn't know if someone was still there or not, so I was dialling emergency and it was all a bit dramatic. But the police were wonderful.

[Lars39]

8. I'm glad you're both OK!

Things can be replaced.

[Taxloss]

19. Absolutely, that's what matters.

Thank you for your concern. We've already spoken to the insurers, and they're acting on it.

[Lavender Brown]

9. That's a bummer

At least nobody in your household was harmed.

[Taxloss]

20. Quite right.

I think that's why I feel so calm about it, knowing that we were in no danger; but as I say Mrs Taxloss was still fairly shaken.

[Book Lover]

10. Well, if the hardware in the laptop

was truly fried, then they only thing they've gained is whatever is still working. For what that may be worth... So very sorry to hear this bad news.

[Taxloss]

21. Sadly, the laptop was fine.

It was my old desktop that died three weeks ago, which is why the laptop was on my desk in the first place. I was using it as a backup. It was the second computer I've lost in a month.

[Book Lover]

27. Oh, that burns!

And I saw upthread that you lost some work as well. Well, maybe the laptop will fail on them, or they'll drop it and it'll be worthless to them. At any rate, it sounds like you're place will be better secured, and so I hope that can be seen as a plus.

[Taxloss]

28. I don't think they want to use it, they want to sell it.

And they won't get much; its battery is elderly and it needs almost permanent mains power. They didn't take the charging lead. It will run out of power within the hour.

If it is recovered, it's security marked so it will find its way back to me. But I'm not holding my breath.

[MrScorpio]

11. I hope that the Bobbies nick those cheeky buggers

Good luck, old chap!

[Taxloss]

22. Ta, guv!

[Left Is Write]

13. That stinks.

I'm sorry. I believe I'd feel like Mrs. Taxloss. I'm sure I'd feel violated and nervous to be in my own home.

[Taxloss]

25. Yes it's not a nice feeling.

As I said, though, the police were very good about it.

[MadHound]

16. Time to get a big dog.

Nothing discourages people from sticking their hands or other bodily parts into place like the threat of said part getting bitten. I have lived in some real high crime areas, where my neighbors on all sides were constantly getting ripped off, and yet due to my large dog(s) I remained crime free.

[Taxloss]

26. I love dogs, but sadly we don't have room.

It's a very small flat. I would love a big, cuddly guard dog, though; maybe in the future.

[Samurai_Writer]

30. My apartment was burgled 2 years ago.

This in the state of Florida. They came in at 3am while I was sleeping, stole my laptop, DSL modem, webcam, DVD player and all my DVDs. I called the cops upon discovering it when I woke up at 7am. They came, took a report, and said "We'll probably never catch them." They didn't dust for prints, that would have been too much WORK. Especially when I had an idea who it might have been. Luckily I had renters' insurance, which replaced the cost of the equipment, but there were things on that laptop I could never replace.

After that, I got a dog. One that barks at anyone who come anywhere near a window or door. No problems since then.

[Taxloss]

33. Well, we're thinking of moving.

The police said burglars just LOVE basement flats like ours, and we were getting tired of this place anyway. But we did get the place dusted for prints; they establshed the suspect was wearing rubber gloves.

I know what you mean about irreplaceable things. I lost a great many things in my twin comuter catastrophes, and will be much more careful in future. It's not so much the file losses of data, text and pictures; it's the little courtesies, the customisations and shortcuts, that you set up on your computer over time. They can't be backed up, mean a lot, and will take time to reproduce. :(

But thank you for your sympathy.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

31. I'm sorry to hear that

I can sympathize with your wife. I was burgled once many years ago and it shook me up pretty badly, too. Give her plenty of comfort and support and things should get back to normal.

[Taxloss]

34. Thank you - I'm doing my best in that department.

I've been trying to react strongly and not get emotional, but I wonder if that hasn't helped like I thought it might. I've done my best to provide comfort, but she just wants to move and I don't blame her.

[GreenPartyVoter]

32. I am shocked, but thankful nothing else happened to you! *hugs*

[Taxloss]

35. Thank you - *hug*

We're fine, thank heavens, and were never in danger.

:hug: