Sunday, October 14, 2007

Seven times now!

I'm writing this on Sunday while it's still fresh in my mind. It bears breaking my no posting on Sunday rule.

We went out Saturday night for dinner and then drinks with our friends Adrian and Rosie. I've mentioned before that they are leaving for Texas on Wednesday. I will miss them and want to spend as much time with them as possible before then. We had a great time. Lots of laughter and good will. Other friends stopped by along the way to chat for awhile. We all had a great time and mentioned on the drive home what a nice night it had been. Until we drove into the driveway.

Our wonderful feeling of the night came crashing down when L noticed that one of the cabana windows was hanging off its' track. We rushed over there and discovered that we have been burglared yet again. They evidently used a crowbar to jimmy the window and got in. Then they collected a bunch of stuff like the stereo, blender, toaster oven, all the towels and even the extra bar of soap from the bathroom. These things were all sitting on the steps that lead up to the roof of the cabana. I think we may have disturbed them in the process of making off with our stuff. Today we did a bigger look around and the only thing we can discover missing is the extra rolls of toilet paper. How weird.

They climbed over the gate leading to our backyard and pried open the aluminum doors to our laundry area. They made off with one of those giant plastics jugs of laundry detergent. How weird again.

We called the police to make a report this morning. They were here in twenty minutes. They looked around at stuff. We pointed out the empty beer bottles lying on the ground in front of the cabana. They probably contain fingerprints of the culprits. We just got that "duh" look as in why are you telling us this? They were just full of good advice for us. They basically said we were pretty stupid for allowing this to happen to us seven times. We allow it to happen? How do you figure that? They said we should have learned by now and we should install iron bars on all of our doors and windows.

Like that is an option. How do you retrofit iron bars into a cement block building? Even if you wanted to? And then how would we be able to cover the windows when the next hurricane comes along? Nope, sorry. Not an option. So the police have been very helpful to us after each one of these burglaries. Yes, they certainly have. They suggested at one time that we get a dog. When we said we did not want a dog, they told us to buy a tiger then. Seriously, they said that. The other times they have refused to take a report and have just shrugged their shoulders. Not our problem in other words. Now they tell us to get iron bars, which is impossible and they would turn to rusty mush in six months or less anyway with the tremendous amount of salt we get here.

At first I was angry about another break in. Then disgusted. Then sad. I think now I am just plain depressed. I think we all are. I am at a loss, a total loss, as to what to do about this problem. I wish I could catch whoever it is in the act. I am sure it is one of my neighbors. It is just happening too much to be anything else. And they would know when we are not at home.

One of the things that attracted us to this island was the lack of crime. Nobody locked their doors (except maybe the Gringos) and people went wherever they wanted at any time of the day or night knowing they were safe. That just is not true anymore. Crime has found the island and I am sick of it. Is it too much to ask to feel safe in your home? I have lost that feeling totally. I doubt that there will be much sleep in our house tonight.

4 comments:

Brenda Maas said...

I am so sorry to read this. Take care and stay safe. At least this time they didn't get away with the stuff.

Anonymous said...

I think the bars are necessary and they can be added to your windows, even on the inside of a block wall. In Harrisburg PA, I had a business that was robbed twice in a year. I added live electric wires under each window (inside)which was very easy to do and costs virtually nothing. One morning I found a broken window and a broken wire and nothing missing; the wire had shocked the thief and made him flee. Ironically the local police warned ME about using illegal traps! I kept on doing it though and no more trouble.
Come on over to Fortin, Veracruz no crime here to speak of. frankania

Anonymous said...

You can add bars, I used to live there and I have seen they add they after the house is built, they also have the kind the is like a door with hidges, you can open they to board up for hurricanes, they have a lock I guess you would call it a pad lock not sure on the spelling, my grandma used to have those kind of bars, I don't know if you have a video camera but if you do you could hide it and set to record when you go out to dinner you should have at least 2 hrs of recording, I actually had an incident with a very well know-stablished upholster, to make story short he had denied I have already paid him and 3 months later he hadn't finish the job and wasn't even working on it because he got a bigger gig for more money so untill he finished that job which he got 2 months after mine ggrrr lol I went to his shop with a voice recorder in my purse and had a nice conversation were he admited to everything and once again said he would get to it when he was done and I couldn't get my money back, next day I went to the court file a claim we got a hearing and he denide everything I said till I pulled out the recorded and played the tape, yeeeaah! I got my money back and he gave me the couple cushions he had made.
Don't give up Isla!!
-Vanessa-

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear this. we have a lot out on South Point. Our neighbors are having lots of problems with break ins. Whoever it is is watching for rental golf carts and scooters.
There is a big meeting tonight about it with the police and the homeowners association.
David