Re: OT: House burglary tonight
Wow, It looks like people these days really don't care for Christmas spirit, eh? Glad to see you didn't lose your precious, Phil! My friend got his laptop, mobile phone and wallet stolen on christmas eve while he was sleeping. Eerily similar to Phil's story except they came in through the window. Thing is there were THREE people in the house and they all slept through it! I guess you really need good security these days. As for sleeping with your laptop, I am probably as geeky as the rest of you guys and gals, but that (for me) is just that little bit too far! My solution is to just use a kensington security cable on my powerbook, and attach it to something big, in my case the cable hole in my office table. I'm pretty sure they'll at least need to make some noise to get it out of there! Also if I slept with my pbook, I could well end up rolling onto it, as I have done with countless walkmans and other devices in the past and end up wrecking the display or something. While I like security, I don't know whether I'd go the whole hog with security grills etc. I am reminded of the vietnamese family recently who got burnt alive in their home. Their placed had security grills over all the windows so they couldn't get out through them and no one could save them either! All your really need is a good alarm with motion sensors and some pepper spray handy. The alarm will scare off 90% of burglars, the other 10% will try anyway regardless of your security measures. I've been robbed in a fully secured place - they just came through the roof instead! Dave On 29/12/2003, at 8:05 AM, WAMUG Mailing List wrote: Message-Id: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2003 11:03:35 +0800 From: Phillip McGree [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: OT: House burglary tonight Yup, I'll be faxing all the pawnbroker shops in the next few days. And here I was thinking that I would never use the fax function in 10.3! And I'll be getting some cops that I know socially to keep an eye on recovered goods records. My emptied wallet was found around the corner from here this morning. Damn, that was my last $100 so now I'm left with $3.35 to my name and a bloody empty stomach! These kids are bloody experienced, even the hidden compartments that nosey girlfriends, etc, normally don't find had been gone through. Rather miffed about losing my camera though... now I can't take any photos of the ripper grazes that I've got on my right knee and hand from when I fell over whilst chasing the car down the road. Moral of the story... don't leave your PowerBook on your desk at night, always take it to bed with you! My geekiness/nerdiness paid off, I always take my PowerBook to bed at night (the cat to, but he always runs away as soon as he can). :-) I've been wondering all day if these kids will ever come back now that they have seen the masses of Mac stuff that I have in this house. But then again... I'm 6 foot tall, 118kg... big ugly fat bastard, particularly unattractive when running across the front yard at 3:30am in nothing but old underpants. Being chased by this huge pissed off pale bloke who's bare skin hasn't seen sunshine in many years must have had them at least a tad concerned. Would have been a classic for Funniest Home Videos... if I had the whole iSight thing set up I would still have lost my camera, but could have won a new replacement one with the video. Phil - Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.- Thomas A. Edison
Re: OT: House burglary tonight
On 29/12/03 8:07 AM, Dave Choy [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Wow, While I like security, I don't know whether I'd go the whole hog with security grills etc. I am reminded of the vietnamese family recently who got burnt alive in their home. Their placed had security grills over all the windows Which is a particularly dangerous situation. A better proposition from a Safety point of view is to place Security Grills only where Fly Wire would otherwise be placed. That should leave you with some glass to break for an emergency exit . And by the way, when you decide to Instal grills make sure that you have Them on each side of your house. That is, you need at least one grill on each of the North, South East West sides. For best ventilation you always need an outlet on the opposite side of the house to where the Inlet is So if the natural breeze is from the East, to get the best effect make sure you also open a window on the West side of the house. This might seem to be a natural action but I know there are a lot of us that forget to open that other window. Cheers, and keep cool Bob
Re: OT: House burglary tonight
On 28 Dec 2003, at 5:19 AM, Phillip McGree wrote: My house got burgled tonight. On 28 Dec 2003, at 5:19 AM, Phillip McGree wrote: My house got burgled tonight. Okay moral of the story people #1 lock your doors #2 dont chase them Phill be lucky they ran I have heard of lots of occassions were they havent and the homeowner is on their way to hospital after the incedent AND last but not least without sounding condescending sell all them motorbikes and get insurance for the house, YES i agree its bullshit but in these times we live in where the bad guy can sue you for injuries sustained while robbing your house is it worth it
OT: House burglary tonight
My house got burgled tonight. I fell asleep really early tonight, whilst laying on my bed watching tv. I didn't mean to doze off so early, and so hadn't locked the front door. I woke up at about 3:30am and noticed that there was someone in my bedroom (I live alone). In that first few seconds I have recognised that there were two unfamiliar people in front of me, looking as startled as I was. I look to my left, where my Apple PowerBook G4 laptop normally is, and notice that it's gone. Alarm sets in as I realise that these people in front of me are stealing from me, and have got my PowerBook. I jump up and give chase. The people run off and I pursue them across the front yard. They run to an early model Mitsubishi Magna, which is parked out the front. The driver's window is down and I race towards it, having decided that the only way I was going to stop this lot is to stop the car from taking off. It was like in a movie - I missed by split seconds. My hand was centimetres away from reaching into the car before it took off. Its headlights were off, and I wasn't able to see the licence plate. It turns out that they have taken my wallet, which was in my shorts on the floor. They have gone through my desk drawer and taken the $100 note that was there. They have also stolen my Canon G2 digital camera. They were obviously working their way through the house when I have woken up and disturbed them. If I had have woken up a few seconds earlier then I could have prevented them from taking anything. If I had not have woken up at all then they could have cleaned out the entire house. I went for a ride on my motorbike to see if I could get lucky and find anything of mine that had been thrown from the car. That PowerBook is worth money, and although it's backed up fairly regularly, there's always daily email that I can't afford to lose. And I just can't afford the financial loss (ie it's not insured). I locked up the house and rode a lap of the area on the bike and didn't find anything so returned home to survey what was taken. I noticed that the power supply for the PowerBook was still there, but the cable was stretched out to where it doesn't normally go. Then I see that my PowerBook is in the corner. Turns out that they were in the process of taking it when I woke up, so that was a huge relief. Being a metal casing, the police should be able to get fingerprints from whoever moved it. Another few seconds and I would have lost it. I'm pissed off that I have lost my digital camera, my wallet and some money, but the PowerBook was the most crucial and valuable thing. These people were aboriginal, about late teens. The Mitsubishi Magna was in excellent condition, which leads me to believe that it's stolen. They have obviously driven around looking for somewhere to break into, tried my screen door, and come inside. Not really the sort of thing that one expects to wake up to, and certainly reinforces the harsh reality of home security. Phil -- -- Sent from the Apple PowerBook G4 of: Phillip McGree Web: http://www.phil.net.au Perth, Western Australiahttp://www.perthcomedy.com Mobile Phone: 0418 922 500 Macs for sale - new and secondhand http://www.themacshack.com.au Disclaimer: This transmission is intended for people that have functioning eyesight and literacy. If you have no eyesight, or can't read, please disregard this email. Thank you.
Re: OT: House burglary tonight
Hi Phil, I don't know if this is any help, maybe, maybe not, but go around to the hock shops and describe your camera. Chances are new digi-cams don't come in too often, and maybe there will still be images on the camera's memory that can ID it to you and that they didn't think to delete. If its worth money a hock shop's most likely the only place they can get rid of it, its not something the average criminals keep as a souvenir. When my car was stolen the child seat was taken when the car was abandoned and I was told to check out the hock shops for it. No luck, but that was hardly surprising given it was worth bugger all. Best of luck. A friend of mine also had his wallet and keys stolen last night, from the house of one of his friends. Hope today gets better for you. Kind regards, Kelly --- Phillip McGree [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My house got burgled tonight. I fell asleep really early tonight, whilst laying on my bed watching tv. I didn't mean to doze off so early, and so hadn't locked the front door. I woke up at about 3:30am and noticed that there was someone in my bedroom (I live alone). In that first few seconds I have recognised that there were two unfamiliar people in front of me, looking as startled as I was. I look to my left, where my Apple PowerBook G4 laptop normally is, and notice that it's gone. Alarm sets in as I realise that these people in front of me are stealing from me, and have got my PowerBook. I jump up and give chase. The people run off and I pursue them across the front yard. They run to an early model Mitsubishi Magna, which is parked out the front. The driver's window is down and I race towards it, having decided that the only way I was going to stop this lot is to stop the car from taking off. It was like in a movie - I missed by split seconds. My hand was centimetres away from reaching into the car before it took off. Its headlights were off, and I wasn't able to see the licence plate. It turns out that they have taken my wallet, which was in my shorts on the floor. They have gone through my desk drawer and taken the $100 note that was there. They have also stolen my Canon G2 digital camera. They were obviously working their way through the house when I have woken up and disturbed them. If I had have woken up a few seconds earlier then I could have prevented them from taking anything. If I had not have woken up at all then they could have cleaned out the entire house. I went for a ride on my motorbike to see if I could get lucky and find anything of mine that had been thrown from the car. That PowerBook is worth money, and although it's backed up fairly regularly, there's always daily email that I can't afford to lose. And I just can't afford the financial loss (ie it's not insured). I locked up the house and rode a lap of the area on the bike and didn't find anything so returned home to survey what was taken. I noticed that the power supply for the PowerBook was still there, but the cable was stretched out to where it doesn't normally go. Then I see that my PowerBook is in the corner. Turns out that they were in the process of taking it when I woke up, so that was a huge relief. Being a metal casing, the police should be able to get fingerprints from whoever moved it. Another few seconds and I would have lost it. I'm pissed off that I have lost my digital camera, my wallet and some money, but the PowerBook was the most crucial and valuable thing. These people were aboriginal, about late teens. The Mitsubishi Magna was in excellent condition, which leads me to believe that it's stolen. They have obviously driven around looking for somewhere to break into, tried my screen door, and come inside. Not really the sort of thing that one expects to wake up to, and certainly reinforces the harsh reality of home security. Phil -- -- Sent from the Apple PowerBook G4 of: Phillip McGree Web: http://www.phil.net.au Perth, Western Australia http://www.perthcomedy.com Mobile Phone: 0418 922 500 Macs for sale - new and secondhand http://www.themacshack.com.au Disclaimer: This transmission is intended for people that have functioning eyesight and literacy. If you have no eyesight, or can't read, please disregard this email. Thank you. -- The WA Macintosh User Group Mailing List -- Archives - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/archives.shtml Guidelines - http://www.wamug.org.au/mailinglist/guidelines.shtml Unsubscribe - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] WAMUG is powered by Stalker CommuniGatePro Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly...Ping your friends today! Download Messenger Now
Re: OT: House burglary tonight
Hi Phil, I don't know if this is any help, maybe, maybe not, but go around to the hock shops and describe your camera. Chances are new digi-cams don't come in too often, and maybe there will still be images on the camera's memory that can ID it to you and that they didn't think to delete. If its worth money a hock shop's most likely the only place they can get rid of it, its not something the average criminals keep as a souvenir. When my car was stolen the child seat was taken when the car was abandoned and I was told to check out the hock shops for it. No luck, but that was hardly surprising given it was worth bugger all. Best of luck. A friend of mine also had his wallet and keys stolen last night, from the house of one of his friends. Hope today gets better for you. Kind regards, Kelly Hello I can concur that checking hock shops is important. My friend was burgled in similar circumstances and went down to the 'cashies' nearby and almost everything was there, this led not only to an arrest but the 'perp' was found with my friends intact wallet containning almost all the $100 or so cash. Good Luck Paul
Re: OT: House burglary tonight
Yup, I'll be faxing all the pawnbroker shops in the next few days. And here I was thinking that I would never use the fax function in 10.3! And I'll be getting some cops that I know socially to keep an eye on recovered goods records. My emptied wallet was found around the corner from here this morning. Damn, that was my last $100 so now I'm left with $3.35 to my name and a bloody empty stomach! These kids are bloody experienced, even the hidden compartments that nosey girlfriends, etc, normally don't find had been gone through. Rather miffed about losing my camera though... now I can't take any photos of the ripper grazes that I've got on my right knee and hand from when I fell over whilst chasing the car down the road. Moral of the story... don't leave your PowerBook on your desk at night, always take it to bed with you! My geekiness/nerdiness paid off, I always take my PowerBook to bed at night (the cat to, but he always runs away as soon as he can). :-) I've been wondering all day if these kids will ever come back now that they have seen the masses of Mac stuff that I have in this house. But then again... I'm 6 foot tall, 118kg... big ugly fat bastard, particularly unattractive when running across the front yard at 3:30am in nothing but old underpants. Being chased by this huge pissed off pale bloke who's bare skin hasn't seen sunshine in many years must have had them at least a tad concerned. Would have been a classic for Funniest Home Videos... if I had the whole iSight thing set up I would still have lost my camera, but could have won a new replacement one with the video. Phil Hi Phil, I don't know if this is any help, maybe, maybe not, but go around to the hock shops and describe your camera. Chances are new digi-cams don't come in too often, and maybe there will still be images on the camera's memory that can ID it to you and that they didn't think to delete. If its worth money a hock shop's most likely the only place they can get rid of it, its not something the average criminals keep as a souvenir. When my car was stolen the child seat was taken when the car was abandoned and I was told to check out the hock shops for it. No luck, but that was hardly surprising given it was worth bugger all. Best of luck. A friend of mine also had his wallet and keys stolen last night, from the house of one of his friends. Hope today gets better for you. -- -- Sent from the Apple PowerBook G4 of: Phillip McGree Web: http://www.phil.net.au Perth, Western Australiahttp://www.perthcomedy.com Mobile Phone: 0418 922 500 Macs for sale - new and secondhand http://www.themacshack.com.au Disclaimer: This transmission is intended for people that have functioning eyesight and literacy. If you have no eyesight, or can't read, please disregard this email. Thank you.
Re: OT: House burglary tonight
Must admit my mind was running riot, imagining you chasing those little bastards, some time ago I had a 2 litre Jensen open sports car and during the night the alarm went off. I was out of bed and out to the car in a flash but was still too late.:-( Probably just as well as I sleep in the birthday suit. Mac
Re: OT: House burglary tonight (and iSight Virtual Security Service)
On 28/12/2003, at 11:03 AM, Phillip McGree wrote: I've been wondering all day if these kids will ever come back now that they have seen the masses of Mac stuff that I have in this house. But then again... I'm 6 foot tall, 118kg... big ugly fat bastard, particularly unattractive when running across the front yard at 3:30am in nothing but old underpants. Being chased by this huge pissed off pale bloke who's bare skin hasn't seen sunshine in many years must have had them at least a tad concerned. Would have been a classic for Funniest Home Videos... if I had the whole iSight thing set up I would still have lost my camera, but could have won a new replacement one with the video. Phil So it's a Merry Christmas to you from your unexpected visitors Phil, and from all your friends up here in sunny Geraldton. I'm glad they didn't take your PowerBook, especially considering your previous PowerBook robbery! I read some time ago of a lady in the USA who used Timbuctoo remote software to track down an iMac thief. She waited until the robbers went on line, then somehow set it to wipe the hard drive when they next started it up. In the meantime her ISP company helped trace the login phone call and the iMac was retrieved. The police couldn't charge them with theft as they claimed they had bought it from someone, so they were charged with receiving stolen property and received a slap on the wrist. Several years ago, a week before Christmas, Elaine and I were woken with a torch being shone through our bedroom window. It wasn't the kids and wasn't the police so the next morning we rang up the security screen company and had full security screens and triple lock doors fitted. It's a bit like living in a cage now but at least we can open the doors and windows and let the Geraldton sea breeze blow through, without it blowing in any strangers. We do need to remember to lock the doors though. Maybe you could set up a Mac with an iSight and monitor the house. Hey, you could set it up with iChat and we could all watch for weckless wobbers - just think, the WAMUG Virtual Security Service - You sleep, we peep.
