I took my daughter back to her student digs today only to find out she had been burgled.
Laptop gone this was last years Christmas gift. £500 and meant to last uni.
Camera with case and SD cards. Last years birthday gift.
GHD hair straighteners and assorted box sets of DVDs.
They also took her rucksack from scouts( it's been all over with her) to take it all away in.
Her DS and games, case, etc.
they left her tv though.
It was all very tidy like they knew where to look. She's very unsettled and I hated to leave her. The police are going to call in the morning to take a statement.
It's not the stuff so much as someone has been in her room and taken her things and she's worried they might come in again whilst she is sleeping. Poor girl.
Her flat mate ( known each other 9 years) has said he'll kip on her floor or she can have his room and he'll take hers if she wants.
Its a good job she makes lists of everything because she now has a complete breakdown of what has been taken.
Being a parent is so hard sometimes. I wanted to bring her home but I couldn't say that as I knew she'd never go back.
I know she needs to reclaim it as her own but it's so very hard.
Bank on Monday as she had statements in the laptop bag.
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Danslatete
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My son brings all his precious items home between terms and has photos of all his items with their details recorded. Students unfortunately are targets for theft, empty digs are a target, less chance on campus but not unknown.
Sorry, it's such a bad start to the new year, it'll be difficult for her to settle. My son would throw the towel in, he hates being away from home.
She also had photos of everything... On the camera that was stolen and backed up on the laptop that was stolen!
She always brings this stuff home but because she had gifts she used a suitcase and took everything in that. The laptop was in a black case behind the drawers of the desk, the desk chair was in the gap and a clothes horse with washing on was in front of it. It was not at all visable. Her other items were in a box. She is super tidy and very organised. The box sets were all together, series were in another drawer and Disney collection in a chest of drawers, etc etc. everything in alphabetical order.
She is a forensic psycho biology student. A bit o c d I think, but she lives better in order, not chaos.
I'm so sorry to read that Danslatete, know how you feel!
Was the room door locked and she was the 1st to return there?
Can you claim on your household insurance for property away from the house (yours).
Was it Uni quarters or a private rental that was burgled!
If yes to 2nd, don't the students have to have some form of student insurance themselves?
If no, has a cleaner had access during the holidays, or the landlord., if yes to either tell her to inform police of the fact. Also to get a Police Report No, plus name of visiting officer tomorrow.
I'm just trying to think of things, you're probably too angry to think yourself at the moment! She needs to have a list of people who would have had access to her room in her absence,
Finally is there a chance the things were put somewhere safer out of sight, until her return?
I do hope they can be recovered so you can all de-stress and feel better.
The place is a private let. The landlord of representative had been in to show an empty room over the holidays.
Her flat mate had been back a few times when he was at work but didn't go in her room as he didn't need to, Jordan asked him to check up that her room had not been damaged after the massive deluge of rain. The place had been burgled then bug he wasn't aware of that.
There was just storage boxes on her bed but he assumed she had been taking things home and left them there.
It was very neat and tidy, no drawers pulled out, no cupboard doors open. They took the rucksack from the far corner shifted a couple of boxes and took her stuff then moved the clothes horse and chair and went to the gap behind the drawers to remove the laptop.
She believes it's someone who knows her, hence the fear of who to trust.
Oh dans, yes it all sounds so deliberate doesn't it, like someone knew she had the laptop and where she'd put it especially. Perhaps she told that 'someone' a 'friend' or someone connected with house, dare I say it, boyfriend even? when she left there for Xmas?
If it was me I'd certainly give names of possible suspect/s to the police.
A postcode Ultra Violet marker pen for anything else she has in the future. Or if goods retrieved might also be a good idea. Have you heard how she got on today with the police and if she informed her bank!
I hate it when people steal stuff gits ( would use stronger words ) People steal bikes all the time and especially over the Christmas period, presents too. I hope you find them and her stuff my prayers are with you and your daughter. Nick XX
I'm so sorry to hear about this.......its such a nasty shock for you to arrive to find something like this after a long journey. I do understand how you must be feeling having been in a similar situation myself. Do check out insurance claim possibilities as other people have suggested. I'm very sorry to hear about it - hope you get it sorted out quickly with help from the Police. Be sure to inform the university even if the accommodation is rented from a private landlord. There may also be charitable funds available via the uni? It's always worth an ask.
I never thought about informing the uni. She it at landlords on Monday first thing and then the bank to change her account details and go through the history with an advisor to make sure they haven't taken any funds.
The land lord needs to fix her door lock. There is a Yale lock on the street entrance, another key lock to the flat and then the rooms each have a lock.
Poor girl. My son has little of any value besides his lap-top and phone which he brings home each time. However, I did have to push my insurance company to confirm that his belongings are insured under our policy as long as our address is his main residence and that he is away for no more than so many weeks at a time. So do fight for this if you have to and don't get fobbed off by anyone. I've found out the hard way that the only people who care quite as much about you and yours, is you!
Sorry to read this - NOT what you need at the start of a new year at Uni ( or anywhere else really).
My lads have always brought everything home between terms - except for pots and pans and perhaps duvets - can never be sure what may happen otherwise. I hope insurance ( yours/hers/college ??) covers the basics and that actual work on computer not lost forever.
One of the worst things that happened to me years ago was being burgled about a week after my then husband left - I HATED the fact that all my bedroom seemed to have been ransacked - papers and undies everywhere - I made the policeman go into the loft to make sure no one was hiding there and hated the thought that the perpetrator may know more about my boys than I would want a stranger to know ( obviously they were just looking for jewellery to steal and hadn't stopped to read my kids' school reports or try on my underwear but it made me feel unsettled nevertheless .) Police suggested I talk to victim support - wonder if this may be usefulto your daughter ?
She normally brings her stuff home but needed the room for Christmas gifts, so left the things there. She has never experienced this type of intrusion.
She's still not able to eat, the police came and took some details. She has to fill in some paperwork with details of the things stolen and they're cakking hrt back with the crime number. They're going to ask around The local cash converter type shops to see if they can trace anything.
I'm so sorry Dani. What sh*t-heads to invade someone's private space and take stuff without a thought for the loss to the owner.
I really feel for you, both of you. Burglary is so unnerving & upsetting. Thank heavens your daughter has a good friend who can help her feel less threatened.
Please Dani, cancel any bank cards or numbers through the 24hr helpline immediately . xx
I hope the money side of things turns out to be ok Dani.
We didn't have much when I was a teenager, but one day my mum disturbed a burglar as she came in from work. She chased him across the field but had to give up when the lad jumped across the brook.....................lucky for him I'd say.
But she was unnerved afterwards for a long time and seeing the effect on her has always made me really angry where house-breaking is concerned.
Maybe a good quality mortice-lock on her own room will make your daughter feel more secure. I know that Victim Support used to arrange for fitting of extra locks for their clients.
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