you know what I did tonight? tonight I was robbed

[edenfalling]

Tonight my apartment was burglarized.

...

I was at my computer with the lamp turned low (so as not to attract bugs into the house) and all other lights in my apartment turned off (same reason). It was about 3:15-3:20am. I heard a noise somewhere behind me, but I thought it must be coming from upstairs since I was, of course, alone in my apartment.

A couple minutes later, I heard another noise. And you know, it really sounded like a person moving around, maybe knocking something over on a counter, but that was silly, right? Because I was alone. So I thought maybe it was a mouse or a bat that had somehow gotten into the kitchen.

I walked through my living room into the kitchen. Maybe I went into the bathroom. Maybe I didn't. I honestly can't remember; the exact actions were overwritten by what happened immediately thereafter. In any case, I turned on the kitchen light and looked around for maybe fifteen seconds. No small animals were apparent, so I turned to go back to the computer.

As I walked into the living room, I saw a strange man standing right in front of my bedroom door. He was a bit taller than I am -- maybe 5'9" -- with short dark hair and no obvious facial hair. He was wearing a light colored shirt. I have no idea what he was wearing on his legs. Presumably he was wearing something, as one doesn't go burgling houses in boxers alone, but I could not for the life of me tell you if he had on jeans or trousers or shorts, nor what he had on his feet. The light was bad and I only saw him for about three seconds, so I would not be able to recognize his face again. Also, I cannot be sure what race he was -- he could have been white with a tan, Hispanic, or light-skinned black. I just don't know.

I stood there in my nightshirt and said, "Oh my god, what are you doing in my apartment?"

He turned and ran into my bedroom.

I followed, but the space between my couch and the coffee table is narrow, so by the time I got into the bedroom, he was out the window and gone. I saw first that the Venetian blind was all crumpled and torn. Then I saw that the screen in the window was gone. (Not broken. Just gone.) Then I turned on the lamp and realized that the intruder had opened the top two drawers of my dresser, and that two drawers of my small jewelry box were lying out on top of the dresser. One jewelry drawer -- the one that held my collection of useless European coins -- was empty.

Also, he had been going through my underwear.

I called the police. (Not 911 -- I have a cell phone, so that's not useful, and also I didn't think this was that kind of emergency. But I have the Ithaca police non-emergency number in my contact list, because I'm on the call list for the company that monitors the alarm system at the smoke shop, so if something goes wrong there, I'm supposed to notify the police. This was not the use I ever expected to make of that number, but I'm glad I didn't have to waste time looking it up.)

As I was on the phone, I noticed that some jewelry was missing from my nightstand: namely, the silver hoop earrings I wear almost daily, a pair of gold filigree earrings I inherited from Ardis, and the two rings I wear daily, which I'd had off because of the heat. One is a silver ring with a light blue stone that I got from Aunt Cara. The other is a loop of intertwined silver and gold that Ryan made for me in high school. They're not very objectively valuable, but there's a LOT of sentimental value there.

A cop came to look around and take my statement, and two or three other cars followed in short order. As I showed the first officer around the bedroom, I realized that the burglar had taken even more jewelry -- the necklaces that I kept in a pie dish on the nightstand because they wouldn't fit in the jewelry boxes. That means two gold chains, a gold bolero-style necklace, a locket-style watch on a gold chain (which cost $120 dollars when my parents bought it for me ages and ages ago), three cheap anklets (one silver, two gold), and a matching necklace and bracelet set made of faux-braided silver, one inch wide, that I inherited from Ardis. Possibly there was something else as well that I am forgetting, since I don't wear jewelry often (besides earrings and my rings) and thus don't keep close track of exactly what I own.

The police looked around the area outside my bedroom window, which is basically the driveway that I don't use and which my upstairs neighbors R & A park their station wagon in. I waited on the front steps and found myself shivering despite the godawful heat. Delayed adrenaline rush or something, I guess. Also a sense of utter violation. Anyway, the cops found the screen yards and yards away, under a tree in the back yard. They also found a black baseball cap, which is too big to belong to the kids of my other upstairs neighbors. (So far as I know, the screen is still lying there. I will probably go pick it up later today.)

Then I had to get dressed and get a ride in a police SUV down to the station to give my statement. That was interesting. First I was in a room that did not have a witness chair -- just a hard wood bench with three steel rings set into the concrete wall, presumably for chaining suspects. But that computer wasn't working, so the officer and I went into the next room, which had a proper chair. Anyway, I talked, he typed and occasionally asked questions, and then I got to look the document over and make some edits. He then printed out a copy for me to sign, which makes it all official.

And now I am home again and sleep is pretty much out of the question for the near future.

I just.

Those rings are things I wear every day. One of them was made specifically for me. Those necklaces were from Ardis. Taking them is like taking pieces of me.

And he was pawing through my underwear.

...

Fall Creek is usually a very safe and quiet neighborhood, which is why I was never really worried about living in a ground floor apartment. I am worried now. My first reaction, when I saw the open window, was not to think about fingerprints and evidence, but to raise the blind and pull the window down and lock it. It's still down. It's still locked.

I am not sure when I will feel able to unlock it again.

Comments

[theodosia21]

Oh, wow. I'm so sorry. *hugs*

[edenfalling]

*clings*

[jjhunter]

Part of me keeps imagining how it could have been worse--you could have woken up in your bedroom with the robber right there, the baseball bat could have played a bigger role, etc.--and I'm glad you weren't physically harmed on top of everything else. But emotionally, mentally, spiritually...this guy stole your sense of security and some of your trust in the world along with those pieces of identity. It's not right.

Please take care of yourself. I'm so sorry this happened to you, and I wish I could do something concrete to help.

[kaigou]

I'm a little surprised you're on the first floor. (A lot of rental agencies simply won't put single women living alone into a first-floor apartment.) But regardless, you have every right to feel violated, because you were. Don't let anyone -- or even yourself -- tell you otherwise.

[branchandroot]

I'm so sorry this happened. *offers a hug* It's been a year and a half since it happened to me, and I still don't unlock any windows unless it's a good day for nerves. Or the doors, at night. Not unless my spouse is also home. After it happened I went out and bought two used baseball bats and set them in handy places; that helped a little. I also took my bats and pounded the hell out of a punching bag we borrowed; that helped some too, especially when I was getting twitchy. I put a slide latch on my bedroom door, which took some carpentry work, and I always throw it when my spouse leaves in the morning or is away for the night.

Do whatever you need to to feel safe. If that means adding more locks, or a grill over the window, do it. If that means getting yourself some big sticks, do it. Anything you need.

It'll probably take a while, but the anxiety does get better over time. If you need to hit up the doctor for anti-anxiety drugs, or something to help you sleep, though, do it; you might need that for a little while.

It probably doesn't help to know he was looking for money tucked in among your underwear, but maybe it will help to wash the lot of them, just for peace of mind.

I wish I could be there to stay with you for a while.

[edenfalling]

Oh, it was a baseball cap, not a bat, thank goodness! I am still kind of in disbelief at myself that I tried to chase after him without so much as picking up a book or something as a makeshift weapon, or considering that he might have been armed. I mean, it was good that he thought he was being pursued, so he ran, but I was just not thinking at that point. I was too outraged to think, or even to be scared, really. I got scared afterward, when I realized all the ways things could have gone worse.

I am still a little shaky, and that window is still shut and locked, but I am getting better.

[edenfalling]

My neighborhood is usually very safe -- I talked to my landlords today, and they said this is the first break-in in the thirty years they've owned the building. But one of them is coming over Saturday morning and we will talk about window safety options, because statistics or no statistics, I prefer not to trust in chance when I can trust in, I dunno, properly fastened screens or window bars or something.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. *wraps self in hugs*

One of my landlords is coming by Saturday morning to take down the blind and discuss window safety options. If he doesn't do anything, I'm thinking I will buy or make some big square wood-framed screens and just nail them to the outside of my windows where storm window panels would normally go. And I am going to put more nails around the screens on my kitchen windows.

I also think I will move my railroad spike to my nightstand, just in case. Fortunately, anxiety is not usually one of my problems -- if anything, I have the reverse problem of too much inertia even when anxiety would be useful -- so while my bedroom window is staying shut and locked until I don't feel queasy when it's open, I am otherwise noticeably less shaky already. But I still want that railroad spike.

I was going to wash all my underwear today, but a rainstorm intervened. :-( So I will wash everything on Sunday. Fortunately the thief doesn't seem to have touched the items at the very back of the drawer, so they are safe to wear. Well. Safe-ish. In any case, they will do until Sunday.

[lynati-1.livejournal.com]

Sweet Jesus.

I'm glad *you're* okay. I can't even comment on the personal safety shit you're feeling right now. *cringes*

And ugh, I hope they manage to find the guy and get your stuff back...barring that, how familiar are you with the pawn shops in your area?

[edenfalling]

In retrospect, it was pretty stupid to chase after the guy without even grabbing, I dunno, a hardcover book or something as a makeshift weapon. But I was not thinking clearly at all. I think I am going to be rather paranoid about funny noises for a while.

I don't have high hopes of the police finding the thief or my jewelry. So yeah, looking up local pawn shops is a good idea. *makes note*

I am going to have to call my landlords later this morning and report the burglary and the destruction of the Venetian blind. I am really not looking forward to that.

[askerian]

oh my god.

*HUG HUG HUG HUG HUG*

that's so scary. and so fucking creepy, i mean, your underwear? Okay a lot of people hide valuables there actually so it might not have been with a creepy intent but still, UGH. I were you I'd trash them and go buy new ones, they're psychically dirty now. ~__~

i'm really sorry about all the sentimental value jewelry, though. That must really hurt. it's just plain awful to lose this kind of thing. I hope you can find them again.

[edenfalling]

*clings* I have rarely been so completely freaked out as when I saw that man standing right there in my home, and then he ran into my bedroom. *twitch*

I think he was just looking for valuables in my dresser (and with the only light being the dim two-rooms-away glow of my lamp and computer, he probably couldn't see what he was doing very well), but still. It's my underwear. That I wear. Touching my body. *twitch* I'm not going to throw them out, but I think I will do a lot of laundry later today.

Weirdly, I am most upset about the rings and earrings. I think that is because I wear them every day -- I don't feel dressed if I go out without earrings and at least one ring. So again, it's the violation of losing things that have a strong connection to my body. I am also very upset about the necklace that belonged to Ardis, and the watch my parents gave me as a birthday present when I was young and didn't like wristwatches, but that's a more emotional/intellectual and less visceral reaction.

[fateofshadow.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I'm so sorry! *hugs you hard* I've never been robbed in my lifetime but my parents have been. They still talk about how horrible it was to discover a large collection of Levi jeans and a jewelery box missing from their room one day, the window open and my elder brother asleep in his crib.

I can only imagine the level of violation you're feeling with such personal items missing and your underwear raked through (I really HATE these people!). I'm just really glad you're not hurt, he could have pulled a gun or knife on you *hugs you again*

And you should still get the window swept for fingerprints. Unless he was wearing gloves he WILL have left some and after yours are eleminated they can at least have this bastard's on record in case this happens to someone else. >:(

[autumnia]

Wow. I'm so sorry to hear of this, but I'm glad that you weren't injured. Even if most of what he took wasn't worth much retail value, I'm sad that there were pieces of sentimental value to you. And it's horrid to learn that he was rifling through such personal items.

I hope that the police will manage to find who he is and arrest of him. But it's more important that YOU were physically unharmed; that's all that truly matters.

[rurounitriv.livejournal.com]

Oh man. That's horrible. I hope that they can find your jewelry, and the bastard who took it. *hug*

[alchymie.livejournal.com]

Oh good Lord. I am so sorry about this. The important thing is that he didn't go after you. For which I think speak for all your friends when I say we're very grateful.

The sense of vulnerability and violation won't subside soon, but eventually you'll open the window again. ((gentle hugs))

[dameruth.livejournal.com]

Oh, no! Sending long-distance hugs!

[erised1810.livejournal.com]

yikes! {{hugs}}

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

Oh, Liz. *hugs you hard* How awful for you. Personally I WOULD have called 911; maybe it doesn't work in Ithaca, but here 911 works on cellphones and the dispatcher just asks for your location. Anyway -- the idea the burglar was pawing through your underwear AND your jewelry WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING is just too creepy. You are very lucky he didn't hurt you.

*more hugs*

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

YES YES YES to getting the house dusted for fingerprints. You (Liz) can give them your prints so they can eliminate those prints from the mix. You would be surprised (maybe not) by the sophistication of fingerprint analysis these days. They might even be able to get prints or skin cells off some of the items he touched. < /forensics TV show geekery>

[aishuu.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I don't know what to say.

[edenfalling]

The police may well have swept for fingerprints while I was at the station. I know they took photographs of the window.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. I doubt the police will find the thief -- I couldn't give much of a useful description, and the jewelry he took is not the sort that will be readily identifiable if he tries to fence it (seeing as it's not worth much money). But yeah, mostly I'm just glad nothing worse happened.

[edenfalling]

Thank you! *wraps self in hugs for psychic warmth*

[edenfalling]

It's funny -- I am okay with having all my other windows open, but not the one the thief used. That one is staying locked for a good long while, hot weather or no hot weather.

I am, in a weird way, almost glad that I wasn't in the room when he broke in -- if I had been in bed sleeping, I'm sure I would have woken up and thus startled him off with no loss of property, but the shock of having someone try to break into my bedroom while I was in there sleeping would have been just as bad as, if not worse than, walking into my living room and seeing him already in my home.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. *wraps self in hugs*

[edenfalling]

Thank you.

[edenfalling]

*wraps self in hugs*

Here is a link to some information about cell phones and 911 calls. It looks as though 911 does work from cell phones, but they prefer not to tie up 911 resources if you're not in an immediately life-threatening situation, so calling the police non-emergency number (especially since I know that goes right to the local Ithaca station) was probably the better choice.

I wasn't actually sleeping -- I was at my computer in the other room -- but I wasn't wearing anything besides a nightshirt and I had no idea he was there at first. (I think if I had been in bed, I would have woken when he tried to open the window and thus scared him off before he could get in and steal anything. But that would have been just as bad from an emotional perspective, because he would have been opening a window right at the foot of my bed.) Anyway, from now on, if I think something sounds like a person in is my house, I am going to investigate as if there might be an intruder, rather than thinking that sort of thing just won't happen to me.

[edenfalling]

*hugs back* I don't know either! This is just so outside my experience. But I am less shaky already (though that particular window is still shut and locked), so I will get through this.

[rurounitriv.livejournal.com]

*offers more hugs*

[aishuu.livejournal.com]

I know you will, but burglary is a horrible crime. It steals your sense of safety. *worries*

[romyra]

I'm so sorry this happened! Omg I'm so glad that you weren't attacked. That said, I hope that you can feel safe again behind closed doors.

[crystalheaven.livejournal.com]

I was going to tell you that 911 works on cell phones, (I stopped to assist an accident, and they tracked my location. But that may just be my phone. It's got that nifty feature that gives 911 your GPS location when you call. Standard on new phones, now that I thing about it.) but I see you already figured it out.

*sending you hugs across the miles* I'm glad you're okay. You've heard this before, but I'm so happy that all he did is bold out the window, and not come after you.

Maybe talk to your landlord about a dog? Even something small like a corgi or a beagle will make enough noise that most people will think twice about entering and having to deal with them. They aren't called ankle-bitters for nothing. ^.^

[edenfalling]

Thank you. I slept with a nightlight on, a hammer on my nightstand, and a railroad spike in my hand last night, which made me feel a little silly but hey, if it works, it works. My landlord will be making some improvements on my windows on Monday, and he already replaced the broken Venetian blind, which helps -- now I don't have a visual reminder hanging in my bedroom.

[edenfalling]

Oh, I would love a dog! The thing is, my schedule is way too irregular for me to care for a dog, and also, I don't think I could afford to feed one. :-(

*wraps self in hugs* I am really glad he didn't have a weapon. It didn't even occur to me until afterwards that he might have been armed -- in the moment, all I could feel was shocked outrage that this stranger was in my home, and an overwhelming need to make him get out. Hence me moving toward him instead of away.

[leahnari.livejournal.com]

First, so glad you're safe.

Now, I'm having fantasies about grinding the thief's kneecap to dust. >_>
(w_ _)m

Nightlight and hammer are a good move. If it's not a hassle, maybe a cheap alarm system. I hate to sound paranoid, but shit.

I hope you get your things back.

;_; *hug*

[rthstewart.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh, I am so very, very sorry. What an AWFUL thing. I am so glad you are safe.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. *hugs back*

I am not sure how to set up an alarm system in my apartment, nor whether my landlords would go for it, but I will keep that in mind.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. I was so glad, afterward, that he didn't have a weapon and ran instead of trying to, well, do anything.

[rianax.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry. I pray that your belongings get found and this man gets arrested.

[edenfalling]

Thank you. I doubt he will get arrested for this particular crime, since I couldn't give a good description, but I'm sure he'll get caught for something eventually. And I am keeping an eye on the pawnshop and the little not-quite-antiques store in town, in case my jewelry turns up.