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This really unnerved me. I'm so sorry for your suffering!
Would it have helped if your address was not listed anywhere -- phone book, car registration, pharmacy, doctor's office, etc? Because this is usually possible, even if you have a mortgage on the property. Please consider this, particularly if you move away, which I think is a good idea.
Resolve to protect your privacy going forward. Do not get mail at your home, nor any UPS or FedEx parcels. No deliveries by pharmacy or groceries. It may inconvenience you a bit, but bullet-proof privacy has its advantages.
Sincere wishes for a swift recovery from this trauma! For the rest of the seniors on this board, try to put yourself in the OPs position. You may not be on any drugs at all, or nothing the addicts would want. But home invasions are a fact of life today. Please give some thought to your privacy. What passed as 'normal' years ago, may not be wise today. Stop your home address from becoming known to all.
What you're suggesting will make life much more difficult. In today's digital age, your personal information is already on line. When I google my name, it comes up with my address, my phone number, my age and a lot more. Renting a PO box costs money and FedEx and UPS will not deliver to a PO box. Your doctor can't write a prescription without having your address, by law. I don't know about your vehicle registration, but mine has both my mailing and physical address on it. If you own a house, your address is probably available on line. When I go to vote, I see everyone's address listed. And even if you manage to hide everything, criminals can still tail you home and know where you live. But in this case, they don't have to. They already know where the victim lives. They can bide their time and come back the next time a script has been filled. So, short of moving far away, other measures will have to be implemented. And soon.
What you're suggesting will make life much more difficult. In today's digital age, your personal information is already on line. When I google my name, it comes up with my address, my phone number, my age and a lot more. Renting a PO box costs money and FedEx and UPS will not deliver to a PO box. Your doctor can't write a prescription without having your address, by law. I don't know about your vehicle registration, but mine has both my mailing and physical address on it. If you own a house, your address is probably available on line. When I go to vote, I see everyone's address listed. And even if you manage to hide everything, criminals can still tail you home and know where you live. But in this case, they don't have to. They already know where the victim lives. They can bide their time and come back the next time a script has been filled. So, short of moving far away, other measures will have to be implemented. And soon.
I can go online and find the property owner, valuation, and a scan of their mortgage lien at the Registry of Deeds for any house in town. Unless you hide the ownership in a trust or corporation, you can make a pretty good guess about the household net worth of anybody who owns a house.
This kind of home invasion armed robbery could happen to any of us. Opiate addiction is a nationwide problem faced by every community. The police shot a 22-year-old kid in front of my house last winter. His father was a physician in the neighborhood who died a couple of years ago. The kid went off the rails with a drug problem. He committed suicide a few weeks ago in a psych hospital.
We had another incident. going to stay in the travel trailer we have in the mountains. think things through. i do not think we are moving back. a neighbor will be taking care of the chickens.
Wow I am so very sorry to hear of the horror you and your family went through! I can't even begin to imagine how that felt and if I try to it just makes me sick.
You are and will be dealing with a lot right now with but you need to get you and your family safe and regroup. Then I would seriously think of moving. Get new friends and a fresh start. No place is perfect but there really are communities that are safe. Do your research and find one. Avoid any areas with gangs and don't buy a house that was a gang hangout at one time. Wishing you and your family the best!
We had another incident. going to stay in the travel trailer we have in the mountains. think things through. i do not think we are moving back. a neighbor will be taking care of the chickens.
I'm glad to hear that you have someplace to go instead of back to the house! Stay safe!
I'm sorry to hear there was another frightening incident. I know from some of your earlier posts how much you loved the house, and how otherwise perfect the area was for you. Damned criminals ruin things for everyone!
So sad you were so violated in your own home. I cannot imagine ever feeling safe again.
Folks looking for drugs even go to real estate open houses to go through the cabinets.
A friend was robbed 3 times. The crooks knew when the insurance paid off and were back again when the replacements were there. She just did not replace after the 3rd. time.
My neighbor was robbed. It was somebody who had been in the house working. They left an upstairs window unlocked so they could get in. They also knew when the owner would be gone due to the work schedule.
Vicky, I am so sorry this happened to you and your family. There has been some helpful advice and I would like to add, if it's not a great imposition, getting your husband's medication on a daily basis and letting people know that, would decrease the chance of their coming again.
I know it would inconvenience me but...
You could also let it be known that your husband has improved and able to deal with the pain without narcotics. Yes, you would be lying but this is war now. US against drugs.
I hope you find comfort in the support you are getting from us cd folks.
I'm sorry but this is a totally unrealistic idea. When one suffers from chronic pain, there is nothing worse than running out of meds or being worried you don't have enough... you always need to know you have what you need.
I also think that the invaders asking for drugs probably had nothing to do with someone telling them there would be drugs in that house. Drugs of any kind would be one of the first things a burglar would be looking for -- something small and high value and easy to sell on the street. Jewelry also falls into this category, as do smart phones, laptops and tablet computers. None of these items should be left lying around or stored in obvious places.
Of course in Vicky's case it wouldn't have mattered if things were hidden. They were home when the invaders showed up, which is the scariest part of all.
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