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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2011-10-24 09:48 AM


MORE QUACK QUACK
24 October 2011

It is getting a bit old hat
and old hats don’t sit well
on a quacking duck.

Fifth metal theft this year,
and 8 days after the fourth one,
this time the immovable part
of one of my internal garden gates
twice the width of the gate
and that keeps in my dog and cat
when they are outside.

My dog told me most insistently
that somebody
was on the property
and the security company
raced some kilometres around
to get to the other side of the railway line,
found the perpetrator, who dropped my gate
and his burglaring bag and ran
and although I got my gate back,
though damaged and unusable
until I can get it fixed,

sadly, the perpetrator got away
and I spent a large chunk of the morning
with the security company
and a large chunk of the afternoon
giving my statement to the police
(and hopefully will still
spend time with the gate repairman
who promised to get here
late afternoon)
and got next to no work done
for my deadline tomorrow.

Owl

© Copyright 2011 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
1 posted 2011-10-24 11:41 AM


Dang burglars.

Tell them to pick on someone else;
better yet, tell them to straighten
up their act - they're close to getting
caught!


OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
2 posted 2011-10-24 05:08 PM


Thanks, Karilea for your kind concern.  I am kinda getting tired of these dang burglars and the disruptions they cause.  

The repair man arrived, but it is a big job and can only be completed tomorrow.  The part he stole and that was recovered, is locked away.  The part that opens was partially ripped from the wall, but not completely.  I am checking once an hour with the only torch I have (my cell phone torch light) tonight that that part is still there as I am afraid he will come back for that tonight.  Heard a noise while I was typing this, so did an extra check, but it was still there.  

Owl

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
3 posted 2011-10-24 10:02 PM


As much as you love animals, have you considered a loving pooch that would guard you beyond belief? I fear for you - it's a shame that you live "in a secured area" while your gates are being stolen. Sending prayers for your safety, and hugs just because!

latearrival
Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499
Florida
4 posted 2011-10-24 11:46 PM


You need some geese to wander around. No one could pass those little creatures. So sorry to hear this story once again. It must be the same person.He thinks he found a gold mine in your yard.So persistant! I am so sorry about this.jo
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
5 posted 2011-10-25 01:12 AM


Thank you, Karilea again and Jo, for your kind concern.  

I already have a loving pooch who will and does guard me beyond belief.  However, it is a known and publicised fact that the most effective way for a dog to protect one’s home in South Africa is to have the dog inside the house, which is where Benji was, is and will be, except when I accompany him out when he needs to go out and for his outside playtime.  His violently threatening barking at the windows when somebody is on the property is one of the reasons why none of my latest thefts were inside the house.  That however, is simply a deterrent and it doesn’t mean that there will never again be any repetition of the innumerable intrusions into my house, because if they want to get in, they get beyond any security measure whatsoever.  Dogs or geese outside are no threat whatsoever to all of our criminals here, again simply a deterrent, but a less effective one than having a dog inside.  The criminals simply and callously drug them temporarily or poison them (killing them most times, letting them suffer horrendously if the vet can pull them through) or, as was sent to me on one our networks last night, throw bricks at them.  

I kept up my hourly check last night on the piece of gate that had to be left outside and thankfully it is still here now (7am), but I have to be out for a short while this morning drawing the money to pay the repairman and doing a few other things and be back by 9am which is the earliest the repairman can get here – and that is, in fact a more dangerous time than last night to leave the unprotected gate on its own, as the crimminal came at about 9.00am yesterday.  Hopefully I won’t walk into the perpetrator on my way back home.  I will let the security company know that it is a likely time for the perpetrator to return and ask them to have a car drive past a couple of times while I am out, perhaps even come in (they necessarily have a remote for my electronic outside gate) and check.

I have had to postpone my appointment with my client today because of my unwanted visitor.  

Thank you for your prayers and hugs and good wishes and concern.  I appreciate them more than you can know.    

Owl

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California
6 posted 2011-10-26 12:50 PM


Good grief, Diana, You're a braver woman than I'll ever be. I would be a basket case if I had to put up with that nonsense. Not that we are crime free here, but it seems like it when I read about your situation. Please take care of yourself and the babies.
                                    Ida

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
7 posted 2011-10-26 01:21 AM


Thank you for your kind concern, Ida.  

It's the fallout that gets me the most - cost of repairs and time not working.  I will have lost 4 working days this week because of the burglar.  Now my electronic gate is not working and will have to be on manual when I leave and return today putting me and my laptop and my car in danger at the moment of exit and re-entry, but worst of all, the property and house while I am out and anyone can just push the gate open.  Electronic gate man will try to get here today after my (postponed) meeting with a client today and my mad rush to finish what I need to do to the database before it.  My deadline to finish it (and therefore be paid then) is Thursday - and I can't see it happening as I can't work while people are using machinery that keeps tripping my electricity.  Must rush to get as far as I can with the db.

Owl

suthern
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Seraphic
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723
Louisiana
8 posted 2011-10-26 01:20 PM


I hope you're able to get your work done on time... but more, I hope you stay safe and get your barriers back in place quickly!!
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
9 posted 2011-10-26 04:02 PM


Thanks, Ruth, I got done what needed to be done with only a few minutes to spare before I had to leave - even got there 10 minutes early.  It was a pre-delivery check that my clients were satisfied with the almost completed database.  They all loved it for a variety of reasons.  Left home and returned with security company officer here.  All was well and both repairmen will arrive tomorrow and hopefully finish tomorrow.  However, I won't be able to work on my computer while either of them are working, especially the one who will be welding (and tripping the electricity every few minutes).  

However, in Tuesday's paper, there was an article about an incident the previous Wednesday.  Our local ward councillor whom I have known for years, and who lives about a kilometre or two away from me, was held up at gunpoint at 5pm as she tried to enter her electronic gate.  Three men in a car had followed her home and jammed her electronic gate and got her car and her handbag, injuring her wrist, shoulder and fingers in the process.  However, thanks to the fact that they didn't know how her Toyota Corolla smart key worked, and to the fact that a neighbour who was driving past at the time phoned the police and the security company and they arrived pronto, she retrieved her car, her handbag and her sanity.  Three unknown men chased the fleeing criminals, but they got away.  She was lucky.  She could so easily have been shot dead or taken with them and raped and murdered.

Owl

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