This is chilling. I hope you can feel safe once again, in your own home. That will be a process, I can tell you. No advice, because I'm sure you're getting that from those who are in a much better (more local) position to give that. Just best wishes.

Years ago I came home on a Sunday afternoon to find my doors open, a window smashed in and a house ransacked. I have never felt so violated.... in fact I dont think I understood what that meant until then. I had to sell that house although we had only owned it a year.
I tell you this to say I understand and feel your anxiety ~ that shaking inside that comes out in drips and drabs. I hope for your sake and your neighbors that this guy is found. Its disturbing to think he was confident enough to come in when you were home.

An awful experience. I hope you never have another such.

Getting your home broken into is never fun or funny Natalie. I am just glad you and the children are okay and only a few things got taken.

I truly worried when I saw Nana's post and read it.
Glad to see you here.
Hugs.

I can't tell you how sorry I was to read of your awful ordeal. I had three break-ins during my years in New York and although none of them came near to your experience as we weren't at home, I can sort of imagine how you must feel. I also had young children and I worried for them as well. My solution was to get a large sweet but tough looking dog. I never had another break-in and we all loved the dog. I hope you feel better soon.

Whoa - that's so scary. I can't even imagine how violating that must feel. Thank goodness y'all are all okay. Hopefully since they are taking it as serious as they should, they'll find the guy. Yikes! Man, between this and your neighbors, you've had a rough week. Hang in there.

So glad you're safe. Nana and a few others had some ideas on home security . . . I admit, not all of them were good ideas, but still . . .

Oh my God, Natalie, I'm so sorry this happened to you. And so glad you and your children are okay. I hope they catch the guy and throw him under the jail.
Hugs to you.
Kim
~R~

Damn, honey. I hope they catch the SOB!

So sorry - what an awful experience. I sure hope karma catches up with that slimy bastard.

I can imagine the terror you felt but pray I never know it! Such acts steal more than material possessions, they still your sense of security and a host of other little pyschological things you don't realize until they surface. I am extremely grateful that you and your children were physically unharmed!

I'm so glad you were all safe! I hope they catch the slimy bastard and lock him up for good. I cannot imagine how scared you were. this is a silly thing to say but Be Safe!

wow. I came for the title and stayed for the story. let me tell you it struck a chord. I've been burglarised but never while I was home. I'm so sorry you endured this but really glad you weren't hurt other than having some possessions taken. I wonder if they can't track him with the cellphone. after all, it's a GPS. and would your webmaster know when your online account is logged into? with all the electronics and connecting involved in these devices, one would think they would help in locating this creep.

Oh my god, Nat, what a terrible experience! How shocking, how scary! I´m so glad you and your children are well, and I do hope the police find the bastard. How horrible. I´m sending you a big hug, try to stay calm.
Kisses and hugs, friend,
Marcela

Nothing worse than a thief. Awful experience being ripped off is. I can understand your feelings of being violated, because you were. Sorry, you had this experience.

I'm really sorry this happened to you. I know what it feels like on several different levels and some day I'll write about it.

You and your kids are safe, that is the most important thing.

As long as you and the kids are safe, Natalie. And the thief soon contracts a painful, lingering disease that rots his innards.

I know how violated I felt when I was broken into when I wasn't even at home. Glad you're okay any way (relatively speaking).

Hm. Disconcerting. When I got broken into, some years ago, I changed all the locks. I don't know why, since they busted in an old side door that had almost rotted through and left the lock in the frame. But it felt right. Things we do after events like this have a lot to do with feeling right again in your own home. Hope you find the right rituals to feel that way once more.

May take a while to feel safe. Delayed emotional reaction is normal. We all need to function in a crisis, so you can go a while on auto-pilot without even realizing it. That only lasts for a while though. After that a truer baseline of emotion will be felt that may be harder to function thru.

Whatever you feel is valid. Take whatever steps you need to feel safe. You know how you feel. No one else does.

Here's to hoping he gets hit by a bus.

rated for camaraderie. we're all with you

ouch

Natalie, I am angry on your behalf!@ I hope he is caught and prosecuted.

(And, I love the title of your post.)

Coming Home, I hope karma has an extra spicy dish to serve up to him too.

Painting, that's the thing - he definitely took more than my material possessions. My children were frightened when they realised what happened and I've lost the sense of safety that I took for granted. I'm trying not to let it effect me too much though - i don't want to let him win in any other way.

LL2, not silly at all. One good thing that has come out of this experience is that I'll be more aware from now on. Even when I'm sleeping, I hope.

Foolish Monkey, I'm not sure what they're doing with that. I know the cell was on for a couple of hours because I called it. After a while it was switched off - does that have any bearing on whether they can trace it? I'll ask them.

Marcela, kisses and hugs. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend.

Spud, thanks. Thievery gets to me too. I've worked so hard for everything i have and it took me a while to get the things that he took in one night. That's probably a part of why I'm so angry.

NBF, that's pretty much what I've done since that night. I've placed things on all the accessible windows so that if they're opened the noise will wake me. I forgot to say in the post, but the dude that broke in must have made noise because he had to force the window over the screws. I just didn't hear it. My kids have been sleeping with me since it happened, so at least we're together.

Emma, I look forward to reading about your experience. Not because of some kind of voyeuristic weirdness, but because maybe writing about it will be beneficial. It was for me. I don't see you around as much on here and miss that.

Stim, that sounds wonderful. the nastier the better. Not that I'm vengeful or anything ;p

Cap'n, it's just a horrible feeling isn't it? here's hoping none of us have to go through anything similar again.

Boko, I may take up late night DJing instead of sleeping.

Charlie, I'm with you on the getting hit by a bus. Twice for good measure.

Brian, xo

Tai, thank you. I hope the visit with your daughter went well. You've been in my thoughts.

I hope you will heal soon after this experience. None of us is ever quite the same again after something like this happens, but there is a road through it and I hope you will soon be on it.

Natalie, I am so sorry to hear of this. Don't try to fight or deny the fact that you ARE affected. I had an attempted break-in years ago, and faced down the intruder. I used to be a very heavy sleeper. Since that time, I have sat bolt upright in bed at the slightest noise.

My sincere best wishes for you and your kids.

Nat, I am so sorry! I've been sick so I was off and on all weekend. That had to be terrifying. I hope they catch this bastard and castrate him. The lowest form of life! I feel helpless not being able to help you, but if I can, please let me know.

Glad you and the kids are okay, Natalie. I hope you're able to regain your sense of security somehow, and I hope his act comes back to bite him in myriad excruciating ways.

Sorry you had this experience, but glad to know you and the kids are safe.

Sickened to read this. Please go out and get an alarm for your home. Make sure it goes to a central station and that you have two sources for the signal to reach the station- phone and antenna. Then you should be able to sleep well. If you cannot afford an alarm I read that a sign , stating you have an alarm, is quite helpful.

Dr. Evan S. Levine

Wow, that is so scary. Did the sex site tape the calls? Just a thought--also, some of the cell phones have locators in them even if you aren't paying for it. You may think of a security system--some are really inexpensive and very affordable. So sorry this happened to you.

That is scary. I am glad to hear you are OK.

Hey first off, let me say, I'm sorry. That totally sucks. I've been robbed and it makes you feel so entirely violated. I wasn't there. My buddy was robbed while he was asleep, just as you were. Coincidentally, they took his laptop. He felt extremely violated. It's.. a weird feeling isn't it?

That aside, I don't know if you're the type who is... appreciative of levity, but I have to say, I did think to myself while reading this, who the hell calls a phone sex line while breaking into a house that is occupied? I mean... you could have caught him with his pants down. LOL Sorry. Hope it made you smile.

But really? Why not stop and make a sandwich for the road while you are at it? I guess if criminals were smart, they wouldn't resort to thievery. Unless they're really smart. Then they do it in a suit and tie on Wall Street.

Consider an alarm system. I have one, and I think I pay 25 bucks a month for the little sign out front that says I have one. The only times it's been tripped, I've done it. And they were Johnny on the Spot. If nothing else, it may make you feel safe again in your own home. Something everyone is entitled to.

speaking from experiances in Detroit. The wallet might be found but without credit cards. Still you'll get a llot of important things back. The laptop is probably at a pawn shop by now, Unfortunately do screw down all of the ground floor windows. Block all of the bacement windows with rivited on sheet metal or glass block them.

doors and windows can be broken but if it gets that bad move!

motion detector/occupantcy light switches on the ground floor are good too.

dogs are great.
don't! get a gun. don't!

This is so very scary and I'm so glad you can write about it, hopefully it will lasso your fear. Be safe.
R.

I have been very concerned about you. I disagree with the police, I very much suspect your neighbors of having something to do with this, the perp acted very "familiar" if you know what I mean. Years ago when I lived in the Caribbean I too was robbed while I slept. The robber stole from several of my housemates before moving to my room where he helped himself to a necklace I'd had since childhood, a gold representation of Australia set with an opal, and my beautiful antique gold watch that had been given to me by my great aunt. I woke up because I smelled him, there in my bedroom, and when I realized there was a strange man in there I screamed loudly. I had a private balcony off my bedroom and he jumped off into the banana trees below.

It was a while before I realized what had been taken, but what he really took was my sense of security. It is a terrible violation to be robbed while sleeping your own home. I never felt safe there again, even with the addition of a very large dog who was aptly named Wolfie and would have eviscerated anyone who ventured uninvited into my bedroom. I had to move.

So glad you are okay physically. Remember he stole stuff, just stuff, the well being of you and your children is worth so much more than "stuff." But think about moving.

Thank God you and your kids are okay. R

So sorry for what you had to go through; you and yours are safe and that we should be thankful for. Welcome back, my good friend. Also thanks to nanatehay for his post and support.
Rated.

I can only add my hope you have gone through the worst. The violation one feels must be horrendous. So relieved you and the children are okay.

Natalie,
So glad you and your children are O.K. Much love to you.

Death would be too good. monkey fingered.

Like Ablonde said he does seem a little too comfortable. And like others said, if you're staying, get a dog.

so glad you and the little ones are safe. hope they find the bastard and throw him in the nick!

You're no stranger. You're Natalie Not Pedantic. And it's a three year old dell - you're welcome.
Glad you are ok.

Every once in a while...you just gotta hope a slimy bastard dies.
Be safe my friend.

((Nat)) Thank goodness you and your kids are ok. I hope they catch him, that is scary as hell.

You have my deepest, heartfelt hope-you'll-be-okay sentiments. This is chilling and scary, and yes we do have a wonderful community here, and I am so glad you came back to tell this story. The world is a very scary place. About 27 years ago I woke to see a strange man sitting at the foot of my bed. my 4-year-old daughter was in bed with me sleeping. I told him he had to go because I had to get up early in the morning for work. If my daughter had not been there I might have screamed, but he said okay and left. The police never found him and he never came back, but I moved out of state shortly thereafter. The fear and the instinct kicks in for the safety of your children. I do know the terror you must have felt as you checked on the children. their safety is something to be so thankful for.

Shiiiiiit...I'm so glad everyone is physically well. How disturbing this must have been to you the mom. Be well!

I'm so sorry! I hope the slimy bastard is caught and well-punished. I also hope you can move to a safer area soon.

Like Ablonde, I can't help wondering if your "redneck" neighbors might be involved with this somehow.

Just over 20 years ago, someone crept into my house as I napped one afternoon. They went upstairs, into the room where I was sleeping and took a shirt from my closet. That was it. I found it very strange and wondered who it was – someone that knew me obviously and wanted that piece of apparel – but never got the "violation heebie jeebies" that so many talk about.

About a decade ago, someone went into my apartment while I was gone and stole a broken VCR, a guitar with a cracked brace inside the body and some CDs. I missed the CDs but didn't really care about the other stuff. Once again, no "willies" from it.

I don't know why this didn't rattle like it does so many others. I think some of it might have to do with my lengthy childhood psychological trauma and the possibility that it erased expectations of sanctuary from my subconscious.

Glad you're safe. You might want to start looking for new digs but I'm sure you've thought of that.

I am so, so, so thankful you are safe. So thankful!

I can not believed this happened to you and understand your violation of trust. I am sending more good ju ju your way!

Stupid slimy bastard!! Make A phone sex call?? Sheesh, you know it wasn't me, I would have made dozen of calls. ;)

**huge hug**

At least you and the kids are okay and that's what matter. The other stuff, material things, can be replaced.

Geeze Natalie, I'm so sorry and yet, so relieved to see that you are okay!

I'm so sorry for this terrible experience you had. I'm glad to hear that you and the kids are okay. I'm sending hugs and good thoughts your way.

damn, Natalie. I completely understand the title of this post.

When I saw the topic I thought to myself that you might be a disgruntled gal with a chip or two on her shoulder about a ex boyfriend or something, so it came as a shock to me when I started reading, and then the shock got replaced by amusement ... not because of your situation, but because of all my fellow South Africans fleeing towards you little patch of earth to try and escape exactly the situation you found yourself in.

I am glad that you and your family are for the most part unhurt from what transpired in your lives, which I know, is very traumatic, and speaking from a country invested with crime where we almost have the attitude of "At least they didn't kill them after they raped and assaulted them" I agree with you, the bastard should, if caught, have the full extent of the Islamic Law (wish this was possible) brought down on him ... chop off both his hands and lock him up for at least 15 years.

Good luck with the healing sister

hell, i thought this was going to be about trig ... ;)

but i am sorry as can be about this violation of your home and the loss of your possessions. i hope that slimy bastard dies, too. (not trig) much love to you and yours as you come to terms with all of it and move forward. your strength and attitude are impressive and i think that is the first part of getting back on your feet after something like that. xo

you will catch him in your thoughts