Taking a Leave of Abscence as My House was Robbed
05.26.08 - 12:19pm
As per the title, chances are I’ll be rather scarce around here for the next couple of days/weeks. Early this morning I stupidly answered the door to a knock and a single young man standing at the door. Upon opening the door 2 more guys appeared and forced their way into my house and my room. While one guy fought with me the other two started tearing through my room, screaming about money. Considering how I am a very poor college student and absolutely never carry cash, their search was in vain. After a few seconds of pulling myself and the intruder on my back up half the flight of stairs, I started flailing on him, landed punches to the face and neck, and broke free. Sprinting up the stairs and out of the house, I ran across the street to my neighbor who happens to be a cop. Sadly he didn’t wake up fast enough and I thought he wasn’t home so I sprinted to a nearby campus police station. There was nobody on duty so I ran till I found somebody with a phone and called the police. With the police on the way I ran back home and within 30 seconds of me arriving, the police rolled up. Unfortunately the intruders had already left with my black Macbook and wallet.
Being attacked in my home and having someone steal from me was a very new and frightening experience. I’m pissed at myself for opening that door, now I need to find a new place to live as Paul’s mom is forcing him to move which puts me in a bind. Losing that Macbook though is a huge blow as I have developed quite an attachment to the Macbook itself and OS X in general. I’m already suffering through Windows XP as I try to utilize my hot corners, up-right doesn’t activate spaces and bottom left doesn’t clear the screen. Hopefully I can wrangle together enough cash to get something mobile with OS X Leopard on it. I’m now eyeballing a Macbook Air, I’m a little jealous of Paul’s and considering how I have a desktop to do all the heavy lifting, I would really like one. Chances are though I’ll have to get another Macbook considering my lack of savings and mounting bills. So in closing, don’t open doors for strangers, and I’ll be gone for a few days as I sort out my life.
You’re in my thoughts. This absolutely sucks. Hope you get a working Apple somehow, some way.
Just one thing: get a gun!
Sorry to hear about this Chris. Best of luck getting everything sorted out.
You know it would be one thing to be robbed while your away, which would suck too. But to get attacked in your own home. That had to be a frightening experience. Hope everything works out for you.
OMG dude that sucks… I’m soooo sorry to hear bout this. This makes ME scared now, cause I live in an apartment by myself. I hope they find those crooks. I think ima go buy some mase now…
Now if you had been trained in UFC or BOXING this situation could have been resolved. always have a keyhole in your door to look out from, be prepared to jump. One punch to the victims windpipe will give u 10 seconds to quickly sort something out, in those 10 seconds the other theife should have been approached, and hopefully a elbow to the middle of back would have given him serious pain but not enough to kill. after imobilising the enemy go back to the first one and kick him in the knee so he buckles AIM TO BREAK EITHER ARMY OR LEG FOR SERIOUS PAIN, you should never live in fear but always be on the edge, get your self some martial arts in close quater combat, if you cant always have a gun or a knife somewhere hidden but remember karma if you use it it could be used against u. good luck in the future, you should also had got some tracking on your laptop due to its expensce, good luck my friend
Damn dude, I’m very sorry you had to go through that.
Man that sucks! We got robbed once while we were undergrads at Tech. They broke in while we were asleep. Even stole one roommates car! Yeah, I know the sense of invasion. We used to think the area we lived in (Home Park) was pretty safe, but you never know. Where around campus was this?
Considering everything, you are very lucky it was just a few things taken/broken, and that you guys were not hurt.
Good luck in getting your stuff back.
Thanks for the messages guys, means a lot to me. Suffice to say, I’m furious at myself and even more furious at the guys that jacked my laptop. Just noticed a few spelling errors in this article, still feel in a slight state of shock and pretty certain that’s why those little spelling gremlins got by. Anyways, I’m in the process of finding new lodging and debating on the lesser of two evils in regards to locations. I look forward to the day I can leave this life of poverty for something better.
You should make a chipin.com account/campaign, maybe some of your readers and XS peeps will donate? It’s a shame I slept through this entire ordeal, but that’s why we had you on the first floor and me on the third - so we couldn’t hear each other. ;-/ You’re always welcome to crash at my next place.
Really sorry to hear that man. In times like this, martial arts does have some fringe benefits. Hope everything gets back on track soon enough.
Hell…hope the bastards that did this get caught.
I feel your pain man. We opened our home to an old friend of my wife around October of 2007. She had this sneaky ex-boyfriend that we had banned from our house because I didn’t want someone who beats on someone he supposedly “loves” around my children.
In retaliation for being banned, she left our doors unlocked one day and while the wife and kids and I were at a high school football game, they stole 100% of my computing inventory. My Flat Screen iMac, my iBook, my External Hard Drives, even my modem and airport base station. (luckily my antique Macs weren’t in their sights)
I had to start completely from scratch and I agree, it’s a sickening feeling and it’s downright pathetic that someone would do something like this.
I wish you the best of luck and if you set up a donation fund I’d be glad to toss something your way. Every little bit helps.
I’m sorry for what you had to go through. I’m shocked just reading this. I’m glad that you didn’t get hurt or worse. Be thankful for that. They’ll get theirs in time thats for sure. I hope everything works out for you during this time.
James,
Ouch, that sounds terrible. If I had lost ALL my gear I would be in shambles right now. It just blows my mind that someone would willingly do this, I guess that’s what I get for being honest and helpful. I just hope this incident doesn’t have any longterm effects, currently slightly paranoid whenever I’m home but thankfully I’m moving out. I’ve contemplated making a donation fund, my roommate Paul suggested setting up a chipin.com account. I’ll have to think more about it, if some of my hardware sells and I can buy a used Macbook then the issue will be settled.
Nadder, Edrei, Paul,
Thanks for the messages, I’d say I’m back to normal in a sense and really looking forward to this summer. Just had a great day with lots of positive things and hopefully within a week this will all be behind me.
I went the slightly paranoid route in that I now carry my iBook and my iPod Touch with me ALL THE TIME (even on vacation)… figure if someone’s gonna take em they’re going to have to approach me.
Chris, sorry to hear about the crap you had to go through. Glad you got a shot or two on the guys! Take care of yourself.
¡Ánimo tío!
Hang in there man. Sad to hear… everyone stay alert. Hope it works itself out and you catch the morons. Anything is possible.
Sorry to hear about this. If you do make a chipin account I’d be happy to through in what I can. I hope things are ok now and that the dumbasses that did this get caught.
Sorry to hear about all this happening. Crime was one of the reasons why I choose against living at Centennial. Hope GTPD catches those bastards.
…and life without hot corners is also a terrible thing. ;)
I’m keeping you and this situation in my prayers.
Glad everything’s alright Chris. I can imagine how pissed off you were, heck try getting mugged while your sleeping on the last train (marta, 5points to H.E.holmes). Two guys attacked me out of nowhere and took my rents late fee money ($75) (which was the only time I carried cash in months!). It’s pathetic the people who do this and I found out later that it was apart of a gang initiation.
After they started hitting me while I was asleep, I eventually woke up confused but was able to grab one and bash his head against that silver pole next to the exit door ready to go after the other, but he supposedly had a gun under his jacket that he pointed at me. I knew it was fake since it looked like he was just sticking up his index finger and thumb but I didn’t want to play hero at that time. So they took my money and ID card saying if I snitch, they know where I live (luckily it was an old address). Mind you nobody was in that cart when all this happen and the train just so happen to no stop during all this.
The didn’t look too smart so I beg for my money back eventually saying things like we could split it 50/50, 20/80 but they said no. So then I said well just give me $5 bucks to catch the bus after and he did, while his partner was saying no and that he was an idiot (I didn’t even need bus money but why not). The train finally comes to a stop and they ran off leaving me sitting there pissed off. (I had one more stop to go)
This was last year and now cops are on the train sometimes. I cant help but laugh at the situation now but i’m still debating in the back of my mind how bad I’d kick their ass if I’d see them again.
Hey Chris,
Sending big hugs your way and hope you find a safe, cheap place to live. I am glad you are realitivly healthy. I know how hard it is so you will be in my heart tonight.
Take care you will be back to the swing of a Mac in no time!
Hugs,
Jen
Hey chris you might be covered by your parents homeowners insurance. often, full time students living in another place are still covered. Id check into it
Thanks for all the comments guys. I spent today moving all my furniture into a friends basement and sifting through all my belongings. I have tossed a remarkable amount of stuff, it’s a slight shame but I need to de-clutter my life ASAP. Supposedly moving into my temporary summer residence on Thursday and Friday and handing in the key to the townhouse on Friday afternoon.
Sent email responses to most of the comments, if I missed you I apologize! Haven’t had much downtime today and when I have I usually wasn’t near a computer. The lack of my Macbook is grinding on me and slowly making me use my computer less and less. Guess that’ll be the topic of my next post =) Time to grab a few hours of sleep and finish up the moving/packing.
Very sorry to read that, frustrating! ;-(
Any description of the miscreants?
Hey, Sorry to hear that, it must be agonizing to be without your blackbook, I feel your pain.
Never had that happen to me, but none-the-less I can sympathize.
-Ezra Hilyer
-http://www.straypoetry.com
open a donation thingy so we can donate
I think I’ll actually setup a chipin account in the next day or so. Almost done packing up my gear and I’ll write my next post tonight/tomorrow. Actually going to get to bench tomorrow, cannot wait!
yeah, a chipin widget is good
Dang, Chris. Sorry to hear about this. Glad you’re okay.
Never really commented, but I do keep up with your blog - as well as Paul S. Glad to see your okay. That’s a scary ass ordeal, that I hope to never come across. . . very lucky that they weren’t armed, you see stories of robberies that end far far worse .. good to know it wasn’t one of those. Best of luck mate.
Chris, heard about this through Stam’s website. Let me know when you get the chipin collection up and running.
That is really sad to hear, hope the cops catch those guys and give you your stuff back, that way you would not have to spend money buying another Macbook.
I was sorry to hear this (through Stammy’s blog). I hope you get your stuff back. At least, you’re OK.
That´s really mad, dude. I feel so sorry. I think there are not much worser things that can happen. But you are alive, it could happen more!
Man this sucks… I hope for you only the best in future…