My week so far.

Discussion
1

So, last Friday I had my first set with Catholic Guilt in about 2 years. It went swimmingly, even after we got there and found out there were two shows that night: ours was upstairs, downstairs was a bunch of dubstep DJs. After every song you heard WUBWUBWUBWUB shaking the whole building. The bass downstairs was enough to control the sound activated lights upstairs over the sound of the bands. We killed though.

Sunday was NoisefeSTL VIII, it was just one day of locals this year instead of the 3 day regional showcase it usually is. I performed second out of 23 acts or something like that. Performance included me proposing to my girlfriend. She said yes- not really a surprise, she knew it was coming, but it was a lot of fun.

Monday after work, we came home, took care of the dogs, and went out to run some errands. We left the house about 6 PM. When we got home about 8:30, I was pulling into the driveway and this black guy comes running out of my back yard and hits the front of my car, kind of slides across it like an action movie. Not realizing what was going on, I slammed on my brakes, and then two more black guys come running out past my car and I realized my house was being robbed. Should have run that motherfucker over and then backed up and got the other two, unfortunately it happened too fast for me to process what was going on and before I knew it they had gone through the trees next to my house and into the power cut on the other side. Not sure if there were other people that went out the front door, but there were at least three people in my house. They had dragged the trash can over and used it to climb up in through my kitchen window. They got over $4000 worth of stuff, including my 47" LG TV, the brand new computer I built for my girlfriend and am still paying on, about 100 DVDs, two wireless Xbox controllers, my BB gun, some hair clippers, and who knows what else. Of course they were wearing gloves (thanks, CSI!). The cops are pretty sure it had to be someone who lives on the street on the other side of the power cut, and that they probably had been casing my house for some time. It hurts that we got hit like this, but if we had come back earlier or later, or it had been a different night, I’m sure it would have been MUCH worse. I’m okay, she’s okay, and the dogs are okay (little guy was in his crate, her dog was out but too friendly and old to probably even bark at them). If it had been two days earlier, they would have got the engagement ring out of my drawer. If we came home a little later, I’m sure my computer would have been gone too, with all my music and podcast stuff and everything (I’m sure they took hers first because it was in a fancy new case- mine’s a better machine, but I built it in a seven year old Dell case). Apparently they dropped her external hard drive on the way out, so she still has all her old pictures she was worried about. Almost all of my music gear was still in my car from Noisefest, which is usually is a horrible risk that I should be yelled at for, but really saved my ass this time.

Luckily, we didn’t sign the lease when it came up in September, because we were waiting for the management company to fix some stuff on the outside of the house that got fucked up in a storm in July that they STILL haven’t got around to. So yesterday we took the day off work and packed up just about everything of value in the house and threw it in my parent’s garage and are staying there for the time being. We still have some furniture, major appliances, all our dishes and all our books at the house, along with a big pile of junk in the basement they probably wouldn’t want anyway. Hope to have it all out by Saturday. Then we have to find a new place to go. We have no money lined up to pay a deposit anywhere, and both our credit kinda sucks right now. My mom has a friend who’s mom just went into a retirement home, there’s a lien on her house so they can’t sell it without that being paid first, and the vacant house insurance is costing them a ton of money, so we’re hoping we can work something out with them.

This sucks. Scariest thing that has ever happened to me. Trying to stay positive.

2

That sucks.

Unfortunately shit like this happens…move out asap because you guys won’t feel comfortable there again.

Hopefully you guys were covered by insurance???

3

Nope. No insurance, and I also didn’t register the TV or write down the serial number anywhere. Like a fucking dipshit.

4

When I read you’re engaged I was all ready to congratulate you… but then I read on.

That is a fucking kick to the balls, man. It is absolutely sickening getting burgled and robbed. My place was broken into about 3 years ago, they got cash (not mine) and car and house keys so we had to change all the locks on the car and house BUT just the feeling of having your place broken into by some fuck(s) is the pits. I remember being in white rage for hours.

Davely, you and your girl were hit hard so you’re already doing a lot just being able to deal with it calmly. It’s always worth reminding yourself that it could have been worse (these fucks knew what they were going to do, if you’d come back earlier and unbeknownst to them you or your girl could have been attacked so you avoided that, and your dogs were ok.) But it will take time to smooth over the pain of it.

Not knowing everything about the robbery it’s probably out of your hands re being able to get your stuff back or some sweet payback so it’s best to not dwell on it. From the list of items you mentioned it seems to be replaceable (yet expensive) stuff and no personal, irreplaceable items, which is something to take solace from.

So celebrate the engagement and keep spirit about finding a nice new place.

5

I had my lawmower stolen from my garage once.
Kinda pales in comparison…

6

Dude, Goddamn, I getcha. I don’t even HAVE a lotta things and being robbed sucks. It’s a real bummer that it happened during an otherwise stellar night, too.

Goddamn.

8

Someone tried to mug me once. Wanted my walkman (yes, Walkman, that’s how long ago it was…) I asked him if I could at least keep the tape that was inside (TLORAH no less…), I took it out and then as I handed him the walkman, I smashed him in the face with it. Totally broke the walkman over his face. I left the broken pieces with him on the ground. Lost a walkman but I felt good about it. Also got to keep the tape.

Sorry to hear about your experience though. Congrats on the engagement, however.

9

What the fuck is wrong with people?!

I stopped by my desk today to get something out of my locked drawer, and two items that were on the wall at my desk were missing. I pulled my desk out from the wall to make sure that they just didn’t fall behind my desk onto the floor. Nothing! I left the 5-finger discounter a note to put my shit back and sent an email to management to make the rest of the team aware to lock down their items. Bastards, go buy your own shit and stop taking my shit! I’m not sure I can replace the two items either.

10

that is fucking awful. ugh. sorry man, at least you have an alternate place to stay at the moment.

good luck sir.

11

Sucks to hear that man, I’ve had my streak of bad luck in the past with having my ride stolen and being held up at gunpoint. Both times I lucked out, when they stole my ride, I barely had any gas, so the dumb fucks pulled into an Exxon to put gas in her and a cop spotted the broken drivers window and then when I got held up by two fuckers it was for my ride again. Looking back they wanted the keys to my car and my dumbass put up a fight, only because i was drunk, and they got nervous and ran. Getting shit stolen is a fucked up feeling, but everything can be replaced , and your life cant. Keep your head up and congrats on the engagement! Just got engaged myself last week also.

12

thanks urrbody.

and congrats back at ya dumbphuck!

13

Dave, reading this story made my heart ache. The details you shared would be painful for a lot of people to recount and write about. I’m truly sorry this happened to you and hope you’ll get through this okay. This post has actually inspired me to assess my own home security and the locale around here. If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of neighborhood do you live in, is crime of this nature fairly common?

14

Yeah, that’s total dogcrap that you guys got robbed. But like Zick said, I’m glad you guys are okay. Also glad to hear the ring didn’t get jacked. Best wishes getting back on your feet.

It’s kind of a reminder to me to get my place insured too. I have a condo so the structure itself is insured if it all burns to the ground, but I’d be up a creed if someone decided to empty my place.

Anyway, sympathy and best regards to you and your lady.

15

Well, I’ll never get caught without renter’s insurance again. And a security system. At least a sign and stickers to make it look like I have a security system.

MY neighborhood is a racially mixed lower middle class neighborhood. It’s off of a main road, but it’s just four little streets that don’t connect to the surrounding neighborhoods at all, just to the main thoroughfare. My house was at the end of a dead end street, next to a power cut (big field with high tension power lines). There is a stand of trees and brush at the edge of the power cut that runs along the driveway, which always made it feel nice and private, but that seclusion really worked against me here. Overall, though, it’s been a pretty pleasant and peaceful place to live.

On the other side of the power cut runs a street perpendicular to mine, which is decidedly more downscale. There’s been shots fired over there (including a memorable occasion at 2 in the afternoon the day after Christmas with girls screaming “Kiki you stupid! Kiki you stupid!”), a house just burned down less than a month ago, etc. I’ve walked down that street with my dog in broad daylight before and really felt like I could be jumped at any time. I just didn’t belong there, ya know?

There is one house in particular on the other side of the power cut, a big white house, where there was always 3-4 guys standing by the back corner of the house, where they could easily get out of sight of that street, being loud, shooting dice, etc. This house has a clear view of my house. A lot of times I’d go out on my front porch, and at the sound of my screen door banging shut, four heads would swing over to look at me. The cops said it’s highly likely that it was someone from that street that did it, I think it’s probably someone who lives at that house or their friends, but I didn’t get good enough of a look at their faces for the cops to do anything about it. If I wasn’t scared of a confrontation, I have half a mind to go snoop through their trash cans, see if any of my stuff is in there. I’m honestly a bit surprised it took over three years for something like this to happen. People say this could have happened anywhere, and to a point that’s true, but I figure that the lower the income level in the area, the higher the crime rate will be.

So: insurance, security system, and the nicest neighborhood you can afford that isn’t immediately bordered by a shitty neighborhood. That’s what I’ve learned.

16

Here’s a google map showing my house.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=8116+Toddy+Avenue&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87df35aede682edd:0xeabfcc51b884acdd,8116+Toddy+Ave,+St+Louis,+MO+63114&gl=us&ei=FzGgTo6sMYKPsQLF3vG_BQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBwQ8gEwAA

St. Charles Rock Road is at the top of a hill, so from the street you can’t see what’s going on in the power cut. The white house I was talking about has some orange circle thing lying in the grass behind it. I checked a crime blotter website, and there was another burglary on St. Charles Ln. a week before they hit me, and there was a vehicular theft on Wheaton (the ghetto street) recently as well.

There are some much nicer, stabler neighborhoods to the west and south of me, but to the north, towards Natural Bridge and up into the Berkeley/Kinloch area are even worse than by my house (Kinloch in particular is FUCKED UP), and if you follow St. Charles Rock Road east, it soon turns into Martin Luther King Boulevard, and you know that street name is synonymous with crime in just about every city.

17

BIMBO BAKERIES

18

sorry to hear about your misfortunes. tough economic times bring out the worst in people.

congrats on the engagement though (too you dumbphuck!)

19

Someone tried to mug me once. Wanted my walkman (yes, Walkman, that’s how long ago it was…) I asked him if I could at least keep the tape that was inside (TLORAH no less…), I took it out and then as I handed him the walkman, I smashed him in the face with it. Totally broke the walkman over his face. I left the broken pieces with him on the ground. Lost a walkman but I felt good about it. Also got to keep the tape.

Sorry to hear about your experience though. Congrats on the engagement, however.

probably one of the most badass stories i’ve ever heard! did he not attack you once you smashed his face in? what happened!? TELL US MORE!

20

probably one of the most badass stories i’ve ever heard! did he not attack you once you smashed his face in? what happened!? TELL US MORE!

It was in the Metro (Subway, Underground, etc…) system here in Montreal. Somewhat late in the evening, and before the stations had cameras posted everywhere. I got off at my stop, no one else got off, and dude followed me. Got me into a corner and tried his shit. He didn’t follow me after I hit him because he was laying on the ground holding his face. Don’t know if I broke his nose, got a piece of walkman in his eye, or what. But he certainly wasn’t in any condition to follow.

And believe me, it wasn’t all preplanned or cool on my part or anything. It was a pure adreneline, instinctive move. Never thought I had it in me.

I did however feel like booting him while he was down (I was wearing steel toe boots at the time) but figured I wouldnt push my luck and got out of there.

Was kind of nervous to take the subway for a while after that. Kind of always thought he’d be on it with some of his friends looking for me. Never saw him again though.

21

economic times bring out the worst in people.

Frequency of stuff like this does go up when times are tough, but these aren’t typically Joe Blow’s trying to put food on the table for their kids. They’re worthless crackhead bastards looking to victimize whoever they can for whatever they can get.

My company just had to do about $60,000.00 worth of repair/ renovations because some junkie a-holes saw some exposed copper pipe outside the shop. So they chopped at it with an axe or something trying to get the piece of metal so they could convert it to $15 or however much at the rendering station.

Well, they didn’t get the pipe. Turns out it was a water main and they just busted it open and it flooded about a billion gallons of water into our facility (over an entire weekend) such that about 12 offices were wrecked and we had to cut up and replace drywall, carpeting, etc. not to mention ruined files and other stuff that may’ve been on the floors.

I have no tolerance for scum like this and the pieces of garbage that broke into Davelybob’s pad. I don’t need to hear their supposed sad luck stories and don’t give a crap. Send them all to a giant meat grinder and make sausage out of them to feed the rest of their junkie garbage friends while they’re in prison, because Spam is too good for them.