Just come home to find we had been burgled

[Ladygaggia]

That's it really.

Am numb, gutted and shaken.
Kids upset, but are sleeping now.

They took tvs, jewellery and digital cameras, but left stupidly obvious things like laptops, iPads, money...

Something deeply personal and unreplaceable was taken of mine. So it doesn't matter that our home insurance had lapsed - could never replace it anyway.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

That's shit. Have the police been?

[Ladygaggia]

Yeah, were lovely. But you just know it's a waste of paperwork :(
Need some positive stories of people that got their stuff back!!!

[changeforthebetterforObama]

Oh crap. So sorry. Write down everything you think has gone while you think of it. Hot sweet tea is good - oh and effing bastards!

[Ladygaggia]

My house is such a tip at the moment I had to explain that they hadn't ransacked it.

[ChippingInAWinterWonderland]

Oh love, I am so so sorry :(

Bugger about the house insurance - is it very far out of date??

I know it wont ever replace the thing they stole that was irreplacable. Does it have much monetary value? Have you looked around the house, street etc - they might have ditched it somewhere, or you/the police might be able to find it on-line, local second hand dealers etc.

Have they ended up with many photos you can't replace?

I really feel for you, it's such a horrible, horrible thing to have happen to you.

I don't think I'd have been as honest as you about the state of the place

[MerylStrop]

Oh you poor thing, it's so horrid.

We were burgled a couple of years ago. We were largely security unconscious at the time, try a bit harder now.

DH got his bike back eventually, which was cheering.

This will be little consolation but when I was burgled as a student, we all got our cameras back. The policeman said it was because they got such good fingerprints because the windows were so greasy.

Take care.

[WhispersOfWickedness]

Oh, you poor thing, it really is a horrible thing to happen
We were burgled as students in a shared house around the same time of year. He stole presents from under the tree (he unwrapped them first before deciding what to take!!!), a DVD player and a bit of jewellery. He also ate the gingerbread biscuits from off the tree!
Our burglar was actually caught, he was on drugs, left blood on a computer and had an ankle tag so was pretty easy to catch! We didn't get any of our stuff back but none of it was of sentimental value and we had insurance so it was ok.
I hope it is sorted out pretty soon for you

[Ladygaggia]

Luckily the photos were only of my daughters 11th birthday, I download everything to the pc which they didn't take.
It helps to hear other stories.
We just can't afford to replace anything.
So, I'm very pleased that I hadn't bought any Xmas presents yet.
Keep thinking it was planned.
We are quite rural.

We keep asking each other, why they didn't nick other stuff...

[ChippingInAWinterWonderland]

It's a bit weird isn't it - not to take laptops etc, but especially cash - even if they were stealing to order (the tv's maybe).

Bastards. I hope they are caught.

[HeathRobinson]

So sorry to hear this.

We were burgled but, luckily for us, he was hungry and stopped in the kitchen for something to eat. Then I came home with the kids and he legged it.

They did catch them though.

[Ladygaggia]

Had CSI round today which was less excited than it sounded.
They found finger prints and boot marks, but I'm not overly hopeful.
Kids enjoyed watching us fingerprint ourselves!

Daughter has requested that we don't replace the TVs - she wants to play board games instead

Don't think that will last!

[nancerama]

Oh Lady. I'm so sorry, it's an awful thing to happen. We were burgled 3 times at our old house - it makes you feel so anxious. You will mill so many what ifs over in your head. Just remind yourself that it's only stuff - your family are all safe.

Our insurance is sky high now - if you were insured they would claw back the money and more over the next couple of years - you're probably better off without. I really doubt I'd bother to claim if it happened again.

I found a cigarette end in our garden after we were burgled. Picked it up with my Tweezermans and plopped it in a Waitrose freezer bag. The police humoured me and my detective skills, but they got a positive DNA match to a convicted burglar. Bloody CPS decided it wasn't enough to convict with though

Oh, and next doors cat had used our garden as a litter tray. He traipsed through it and trampled poo all through the house.

Get outside hunting for clues - you never know. Also, check out Gumtree, eBay and local Facebook sales groups. I know someone who found their stuff on eBay.

Sending you hugs. It's a horrible thing ton happen.