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Have you had anything stolen?Did you get it back?

(101 Posts)
kircubbin2000 Thu 08-Apr-21 19:09:35

Reading about crime in your lovely village reminded me that I have had a few things stolen over the years. I won't list them all yet but one was our trailer. It was packed ready for the dump and as my neighbour was sharing the load I presumed he had borrowed it. We didn't miss it for about a week and never got it back.

M0nica Thu 08-Apr-21 19:17:08

We have had three break-ins in three different houses. First time round I lost all my jewellry, such as it was - some silver bracelets and a small ring, but each item taken was of sentimental value and I still miss them.

Second time, the burglar, whoever he was, left with a handful of costume jewellry, all my jewellry having gone in the previous break in.

Third time round they got away with the video recorder and tv control because as they walked into the living room the alarm went off and they scarpered.

GrannySomerset Thu 08-Apr-21 19:21:09

Well done MOnica for having set the alarm. We were burgled in the twenty minutes between DH going out and me coming back and, like you, almost all my jewellery went, mostly of modest value but including my engagement ring and other markers of significant events. The police knew who had broken in and retrieved my silver wedding gift of an emerald and diamond ring. The thief had kept it because he didn’t understand the platinum hall mark and thought it was of little value, so I did get it back eventually.

Susiewong65 Thu 08-Apr-21 19:24:36

Quite a few years ago I had a hand bag stolen off the back of a dining room chair.

The cheeky devil must have walked in through an open back door as it was summertime and quite warm at the time.
I didn’t notice until that evening and then went into a flat spin thinking about all the possessions I had in there !

The cards were all cancelled but strangely enough they had not been used.

The police thought that the person must have been after cash, well there was only about £5 in the bag but the thing I missed the most was my address book and all the addresses of friends I had around the world. It took me ages to get back in touch with people.
Never did get the bag back or any of its contents.
I never keep my address book in my handbag anymore.

BlueBelle Thu 08-Apr-21 19:34:36

I ve been broken into twice both times the culprit was eventually found and were both drug addicts, obviously I got nothing back but I was insured so claimed on some things however only a few weeks before the first break in, my mum had given me her dad, my grandads medals to look after they took them and I was mortified, all my electrical equipment TV, stereo and all my cds went

The first boy that was involved in my burglary died of a drug overdose not long afterwards I felt so sorry for him and his Mum who I met in uncanny circumstances a few years later I never mentioned to her that we had a very bizarre link

BlueBelle Thu 08-Apr-21 19:36:17

Oh yes I have had my purse or handbag stolen twice both times at two different work places , neither were ever found

M0nica Thu 08-Apr-21 20:15:04

I have also had handbag related thefts, My handbag was taken from the car in the seconds it took me to dump a bag of clothes in a charity shop door. Half an hour later the thief rang me at home pretending, very credibly, to be from the

He told me how a man had been arrested trying to use my cash card in the bank. But then he began, very gently to ask me for numbers - bank account number and sort code. As soon as he did that the bells started sounding off and I told him I never gave numbers to anyone on the phone, not even the police. He told me that was very wise and could I come down to the station with the information!!!!!

Instead I rang the police. They traced the call, but inevitably it was from a public call box.

I also had my purse picked out of my handbag on a crowded bus.

As Susiewong65 says the most inconvenient thing is not the loss of money and cards but the loss of diaries, in my case my filofax, which had my life in it. names and addresses, business cards, membership cards, library tickets, details of repairmen and workmen I used, my basic shopping list, all my life was in that filofax and it was the loss of that, that caused the biggest problem.

Katie59 Thu 08-Apr-21 20:16:59

We had mowers and tools stolen from outbuildings, caught on cameras, police traced vehicle back to local travellers camp. Nobody knew a thing, surprise surprise, vehicle was stolen elsewhere, didn’t get anything back.

diygran Thu 08-Apr-21 20:30:01

We had two full sets of cutlery and serving spoons stolen from our cabinet. Only discovered this at Xmas as we usually go to daughter's.
So hadnt actually seen the items since 2016! only 12 fish knives and forks were left plus approx 4 of usual individual items. Not even enough to make up for a dinner for 6!
We are at a loss to who would have taken it - it was stainless steel, not silver plate but good quality. The drawer was full to bursting.
We have burglar system and outside cctv and no sign of intruder. Can only remember the last sighting was that Xmas 2016 when we hosted DD, SIL and in-laws and they stayed over. Dont like to make an issue of it - more fool us!

Beauregard Thu 08-Apr-21 20:32:14

We were burgled one afternoon while I was at work and DH had taken the dog to the park in the car. We lost a computer, tv and my jewellery. They parked a very distinctive looking car on the drive while they collected their haul and a neighbour noticed it and later described it to police. It led to a drugs gang, well known to the police, being arrested and charged with a string of robberies. We found out later that the gang leader had also been responsible for the murder of a couple whose son had crossed him. A chilling experience.

Grandmabatty Thu 08-Apr-21 20:32:39

I had garden ornaments stolen from a previous house and garden some years ago. My dog never made a sound as the burglar manhandled two large China elephants and other stuff out of the back garden. I never got them back.

Grannybags Thu 08-Apr-21 21:25:32

My car many years ago. I did get the car back but the radio was gone (In the days when they were fitted separately)

kircubbin2000 Thu 08-Apr-21 21:51:47

The children were careless and had a bike and overcoat stolen, probably by a friend of my sons who had been in young offenders.
I didn't know that at the time.
The dynorod men casually lifted my weed killer that I had just taken out of the car. Of course it was different men the next day and I had no proof.
3 lovely joiners ,brothers, were working extending my kitchen. They offered to box up everything to clear the cupboards. A few months later I needed a sander and drill but all was left was the boxes.

Gelisajams Thu 08-Apr-21 22:46:54

We once had a garden shed and some of the contents stolen. It was February and snowing. We called the police who followed the footsteps he had left in the snow. Our tools were found discarded in a nearby field.

Sundaze Thu 08-Apr-21 23:27:21

My underwear off the washing line! shock

I had pegged out one summer's evening, putting the underwear in the middle of the rotary line, hidden by tops etc.
We sat in the dining room, overlooking the garden until bedtime.

The next morning I went to get the washing in as it had dried overnight-to find every pair of my pants missing!

I was initially shocked- the garden wasn't overlooking, and had a 2 metre brick wall all around.
I then became worried that I would find the missing items strewn down the road, as unfortunately for the knicker nicker, they were not my best ones, more along the lines of apple catchers blush.

Funnily enough, it never happened again!grin

Georgesgran Thu 08-Apr-21 23:35:09

Someone broke into my house during the night and stole my daughter’s car - despite it being clearly adapted for a disabled driver. The car was found two days later, minus the wheels. I won’t say what I’d have done to the thief had I got my hands on him. Sadly, never caught.

GrandmaKT Thu 08-Apr-21 23:49:54

A student once tried to steal my mobile, We had just finished a review and she got up and walked out of my office. Amazingly the phone started ringing as she was walking down the corridor! She mumbled something about thinking it was hers and fled.

Gannygangan Thu 08-Apr-21 23:53:16

My Patch doll. Sindy's freckle faced sister.

I adored that doll.

On my sister's 8th birthday she had a party. I would have been 4.

As we were saying goodbye to the guests I saw a child walking down the driveway with my Patch doll in her hands

I was desperately yanking on my Mum's arm, telling her that this girl had my doll but it fell on deaf ears

I never did get it back

Grandmafrench Thu 08-Apr-21 23:55:54

Knickers! Not my opinion, but two thefts. Once when I was a teenager, my best ones from washing on line left out overnight at my Mum's house. I was most upset and unsettled.
Second time at Cowes Week, lots of Hooray Henrys crossing our boat and others to get to theirs moored further from the quays. Very hot weather, forgot that some tee shirts and children's shorts left out after dark, along with my best knickers - again. Only the knickers taken. Angry at myself that time.

My DH's new gardening boots and a chainsaw and some other tools, taken by our furniture removers moving us from one end of France to the other. Not missed for weeks as stuff was going into storage. We were financially compensated, but annoyed.

Lovely heavy tub filled with flowers in full bloom from outside our gates in a French village.

Nothing very valuable, fortunately, just unsettling and frustrating. It always feels like an assault, I think.

geekesse Fri 09-Apr-21 00:16:20

I had a motorbike stolen from the carport in my back garden. I guessed it was likely to be kids from the local area, so I went for a walk along all the back alleys until I found my bike in a back yard. I walked in and took it back home. They’d smashed the lock, but apart from that, no damage.

misty34 Fri 09-Apr-21 00:23:37

I have lived in 11 properties in total but never ever had anything stolen I must not have anything anyone wants Lol

nanna8 Fri 09-Apr-21 02:02:38

When we left the uk back in the 1970s we had the house up for sale and some lovely house viewer stole my grandma’s gold jewellery . We thought we knew who had done it but no proof and that was the end of that. Hope they enjoyed their ill gotten gains. Quite upsetting because Grandma had died recently.

kircubbin2000 Fri 09-Apr-21 07:32:33

We used to have some paying guests. An arty couple who were renovating some statues at local NT left with my best bath towels and some computer discs and a hairdryer!

Sparkling Fri 09-Apr-21 07:40:48

Yes, my purse with lots of cash in it and all my cards, went to the police who said gangs were at work, little or no chance of getting it back. My late husband's wedding ring was in it, it stopped me carrying cash and cards together. I have also found a couple of valuable items, never a thank you. I returned a bag left on a bench by looking inside for the address, made a journey there, the door opened, hardly listened to me, bag grabbed, thank you and door shut.

dragonfly46 Fri 09-Apr-21 07:42:17

I had a pair of Dutch clogs stolen which were hanging at the front of our house. I had to go back to Holland to replace them!
I also had my lovely badminton racket stolen from my bike while I nipped int the doctors.