Just when you thought it was safe to go back into your appartment

[globaljet]

Christmas used to be known as the silly season, however maybe because the planet is spinning faster, has a wobble or we are devolving, it now extends through most of the 13 moons per year.
One of my friends was robbed yesterday. At about 4am three guys climbed onto her 5th floor balcony, entered, woke her in bed and told her if she did what they said she wouldn´t be hurt. There for two hours, they tied her up, ate her food, used her toilet, took her shoes, clothes, everything and then lowered everything over the edge of the balcony into a construction site next door and left. People who have money spend it a little more freely at christmas, those that don´t have it covet it more. Be safe and have a bien fin de año.
Be a lert, we need more lerts

 

[El Duderino]

Not sure how being alert would have done any good in that situation.

That's terrible, sorry to hear about your friend.

 

[mini]

My studio was broken into Saturday at 5pm. They stole nothing but my old computer and a TV that sadly wasn't mine. I was bringing it back to Europe for someone else. And that breaks my heart. Sure if it's your own stuff it's one thing. But it I was entrusted too take care of someone else things.

Well, they did have a suitcase with 2 cameras in it. But the landlady took it out of the car. She tried to get the TV but the car was so small and it was jammed in too tight. And then they started threatening her so she backed off.

But it seems it was an inside job. That's the worst part. It was probably organized by a guy that works sometimes for my landlady.

Thankfully, nothing like what you describe happened which sounds absolutely horrendous. I think you are right, it's the season where these things probably happen more often. Also people go away on vacation and leave their home empty.

 

[Canick]

it must be some kind of year end rampage.
last night before going to bed at midnight, i went around my apartment to make sure all was locked up. I live on the 12th floor in a "safe hood" near the US embassy and there is a building under construction next to me. this building now has balconies exactly at the level of my building.
low and behold, on my balcony was a ladder from the building next door, perfectly positioned to break in/enter into my bedroom window a level higher. (duplex)
the bottom level itself was secure, as i just splurged a few months ago for those metal shutters. my video camera i had also installed had been broken.
end result, i turned my balcony and apartment into a night club light show hoping to scare anyone off and when i was sure the coast was clear, i took their ladder and brought it inside.
I got lucky.
not sure what else one can do. I may make a cauldron of boiling oil to pour on them if they happen to climb up and try again tonight.

 

[AlfajorEfi]

@Canick Wow good you were so alert! Sounds scary!! I guess you have to keep looking all the time...

 

[va2ba]

There were a lot of attempted break ins near where we live over the weekend. We live in an area where it is mostly houses and a lot of people were going out of town for the holiday weekend.

We had someone banging against our door at 4 am one morning, but they moved on to another place once our dog started barking. Then we had someone who I am presuming was drunk try to shake the door down at 6 am on Sunday morning.

You do have to be careful this time of year. More so than usual.

 

[irina]

Wow. such scary stories! I've never been happier to have a 70 pound pit bull!

 

[nativexpat]

Sorry to add to the feeling of being unsafe, but I have to report 2 more incidents:

One was 2 weeks ago in Plaza del Carmen in Nuñez, the first Friday of the month. Armed thieves broke in at around 11 pm when the restaurant was full. They took the night´s earnings + they hit a waiter on their way out.

The second one happened at Rond Point (Alcorta y Tagle) a couple nights ago: an armed person approached a guy leaving Rond Point as he was getting into his car, threatened him and took his car.

I doubt restaurant owners report these incidents as they probably fear their businesses reputations will go down.

 

[HenryNisental]

Buy a shotgun, best of the best for home security

 

[steveinbsas]

If you want to feel safe you could also be my neighbor (where 80 year old women live alone without fear).