A cleaning out
Comments: 8
I saw a television show tonight about the various ways burglars gain access to houses and apartments, and the methods they use for conducting their business. Something that can happen — call this extreme burglary — is that the entire contents of a place can be stolen. This happens during the day when the husband is at work and the housewife goes shopping (stereotypical gender roles are tremendously enabling social constructs for burglars).
The housewife is followed to the supermarket where it can be confirmed that she is beginning a reasonably long shopping trip and won’t be home for a while. The person who’s tailing her calls the team which then springs into action, backing up a moving truck to the house and literally carrying everything off, down to the potted plants (which I suspect were included for dramatic effect).
As we were watching this, my wife and I looked at each other and simultaneously wished out loud that it would happen to us so we could get rid of all the crap we’ve accumulated (OK, I’ve accumulated). Alas, there’s nothing of value here to make it worth the trouble of organising a truck. We’d have to pay someone to do it, and that’s a different deal altogether.
•••
Posted to General Rants • 2004.12.06 (Mon) • 00:25
Comments
Posted by Richard 2004.12.06, 01:36
When I get our basement a bit too full my wife starts talking about “backhoes” and the like. This moving van-theft technique is much more efficient because you’re left with a house to re-fill and insurance money to use to buy newer versions of the same crap.
The question for you is, what would you say if you came home and caught the thief/movers in action?
Posted by joseph M 2004.12.06, 13:20
In Sydney a couple of years ago people were pulling this scam in the Blue Mountains. As many of the houses were rich holiday homes the thieves got to clean out many houses during the week and no-one was around until the weekend.
Posted by John D 2004.12.06, 15:51
Funny. Reminds me of a bit from Canadian comedian Norm McDonald - who found himself too well insured. He placed a sign on his lawn: “Beware elderly recluse.”
Posted by Jerry 2004.12.06, 23:18
Didn’t this happen to the comedian Stephen Wright?
Oh, wait, they stole everything and replaced it with exact duplicates…
Posted by Zelnox 2004.12.07, 01:45
Spring is a but a few months away. Hehe. If you have a fireplace, maybe you can get a head start. ^_^
Posted by j. brotherlove 2004.12.07, 03:24
I have friends who joke about this happening to them. I would just die! Strange too, seeing as most of my belongings have only sentimental value.
Posted by Alex 2004.12.07, 19:01
The only problem is that burglars may choose to take some of the stuff you actually would want to keep ;)
Posted by Adrian 2004.12.10, 20:15
… and maybe they don’t even want some of your less spectacular items.
Post a comment:
Send This Story to an Enemy
• • •
