Anyone have experience with burglarized home/apartment?

Several years ago someone broke into my apartment. I came home and parked my car in the garage and the door into my place was locked so I knew something was up. Went around through the front door and my place was tossed. Stole my flat screen, ps3, some games, all my blurays, a gold bracelet, some computer stuff, and some really nice camera equipment. Cops seemed to not really give a **** but a couple of weeks later the cops found my camera stuff at a pawn shop. I would get in touch with the police and just call the detective or whoever every week. The more they feel you're on top if it I think the more they keep an eye out. Never got any of my other stuff back though. Good luck.

 

I had my apt broken into a couple years ago...mainly electronics and jewelry stolen. Police officer was not much of a help, other than taking the police report and recommending I check the local pawn shops for my stuff.

Fortunately I had renters insurance, so I got all my stuff replaced. My recommendation would be to hunt for deals to replace your electronics when you get your insurance check.....I was able to get a better TV/Laptop/Electronics, etc from the ordeal just by deal hunting.

 

House got robbed back when I was a kid, and my brother's apartment was robbed as well last year. Police took fingerprints and went through protocol but really they're not much help. Most you can do is keep in touch with the police, wait to see if any of your codes appear somewhere. I would go check pawn shops around your place because you never know, you might find your stuff. Good luck op, I know it's a terrible situation.

 

No the police do not take this seriously. Assuming you are in Houston?

Unless it's above a certain dollar amount they won't even send an officer. You file a report for insurance purposes, but that stuff is gone.

 

We just had a pretty bad break-in/home invasion last weekend. A lady's house was broken into in the middle of the night while she was home. They made her give up her keys and purse, the story made it to the news. In response to this HPD came by and gave a little presentation to help lower your risk of being involved with this kind of stuff.

He said most of the crimes are about opportunity. Is there anything about your unit specifically that would be attractive to a burglar? Are you on the 1st floor? Near a fence or gate? Do you leave your windows open? Are your electronics in view from the door? If your unit is not specifically vulnerable or attractive compared to others I would consider it to be someone you know or the Comcast guy like you were saying.

This sucks OP, best of luck regardless.

 

Damn, I'm sorry to hear this, I hope it works out in the end with you getting better stuff, the guy getting caught, or you getting your stuff back (if anything, hopefully your laptop).

With that said, to answer your question, generally they won't put forth the full effort unless the items are above a certain amount (usually about 20k+, but I'm definitely no expert), or you're constantly on their case. When our house was "robbed" I called them every other day or so. Of course, I was about 13 at the time. My room was in the back, and it just didn't make any sense to me that they would take 1 item from the living room (a crappy stereo) and the other items from my room (super nintendo, games, tv, vcr, card collection, walkman, bb gun, and a few other things). Turns out, it was concluded that my mother was the one. She had staged the break in, and pawned my items. They found out a lady had pawned most of the items that were taken, including the specific games I had identified, one had a name written on it, all at once, the day of the break in. After this they checked the cameras, sure enough it was her.

Morals of the story....it doesn't hurt to try (keep calling them, ask them for updates) and be careful who you trust, it could be anyone, although some are less likely than others.

Good luck finding the culprit.

 

Keep after them, OP. You've already done a lot of the work for them by finding what appears to be a solid lead on a suspect. Keep badgering them. Can't hurt and perhaps it'll lead to something. Back in the '70's, my garage apartment by Hermann Park in Houston was broken into, and I have no doubt about the culprit. It was someone who had been over recently, a guy I hadn't seen in a long time that I went to school with. I didn't have any proof, though. Sounds like you might.

 

It would be nice if you could find out if he drives a dark blue Buick LeSabre.

 

Good deal on a 55" Smart TV here:

$998 and you get a $300 gift card.

 

Actually I did have the person that robbed my home arrested. Ironically they searched his house for another reason (drugs I believe) and found a stack of pawn slips which included property from my home.

I actually got my property returned to me because I had the serial numbers off the electronics and could prove they were mine.

of course this is in KY not TX.

 

I was robbed last May in my apartment, he didn't think anyone was home and just popped the door open with a crow bar. I was up and ran out to see what was happening, he had a gun, made me lay down and tied me up, took basically the same stuff, electronics phones jewelry and my wallet. Story was on the news and had two detectives working the case and still have not found the culprit or my belongings. I had a good view of the guy and did a sketch of him and still nothing. It's hard to catch these guys and with no one being hurt I don't think the cops really put too much effort into it.

 

Sounds like your gut is pointing towards the Comcast guy (wouldn't be the first time they robbed you) or someone you know. How did they get in? Was the door kicked in? Did they bump the locks? Do you have an alarm?

PSA to everyone else: the officer informed us that having a record of all of your serial numbers is one of the best ways to catch a burglar after you have been burglarized. You recorded your numbers but I don't know how helpful it will be in most cases.