Have you ever been robbed?

[craighnt]

I have, a long long time ago. Of course they only took my wallet watch and diamonds! It was someone I knew too. Not a friend, but a friend of a friend I only met a couple of times who was at my house. Couldn't prove it but I know they did it. They were in the jewellery trade too, the watch and wallet was just a cover for the diamonds.

At least the universe stepped in. 6 months later the friend in the business "who would never do such a thing" got arrested for doing that same thing at his place of employment.

But I never got anything back except knowing I was right about who took my stuff. I never even got to wear what was taken, it was a gift I only had about 2 months and was waiting for a special day to wear.

What about you? Ever happen to you? Are you still skittish about it?

 

[dk168]

I had car theft twice, once in Calais, France on a shopping trip in late 1990s; and once in London near where I used to live about 10 years ago.

A back pack was taken in France, and nothing was taken in London.

Nothing much in the back pack except clothes, my wash bag and shoes etc., all could be replaced except my favourite shirt and could not find a replacement.

In Calais, France, the local police reckoned the thief was looking for passport as he/she left all the food and drink in the car.

In London, I parked near a building where down and outs would gather in the evenings, and the police reckoned they were chancing it to see if there was anything worth taking under the picnic blanket that I used to hide the mess in my car!

Apart from that, so far so good.

DK

 

[House Cat]

When I lived in an apartment, I had all of my laundry stolen from the laundry room. I couldn't believe it. I just kept reopening the dryers with the expectation that my clothes would reappear.

 

[monarch64]

When I was in college I was doing laundry in the on-site facility and left my stuff there to run back to my apartment for something. When I got back I went to change out the loads and discovered that someone had gone through it and stolen all of my underthings. I remember feeling really angry and a bit violated, not because of what the items were and what that could mean, but because that stuff is expensive to replace! I reported it to the leasing office, who told me it had been happening to others in the community. A few days later, one of my friends' apartments was broken into (1st floor, they cut the screen on the window to get in) and someone stole all of her intimates. Left her laptop and jewelry. At that point I started to get creeped out, and then I was asked to look at a lineup. Nope. I didn't want anything to do with it and certainly didn't want images of weirdo fetishists burned into my brain for the rest of my life.

 

[that_someone_special]

A heroin addict relative robbed my family blind. Nothing happened to him because the family covered it up.
I'm still angry.

 

[Ally T]

In 2006 when my then boyfriend now husband had just bought our first house together. We took 6 weeks off work to gut the place, decorate & squeak in a holiday to the Caribbean before heading back to work. They kicked the back door through, took my jewellery, they keys to my husbands motorbike & my brand new Toyota MR2, which I LOVED, obviously taking both vehicles with them, both our work laptops & some bits & bobs. We live in the middle of rural farm land & they had come across fields to get here, so consequently our brand new floors & cream carpets were covered in mud. They turned our bed over, my underwear was thrown around - it was soul destroying.

Thankfully I had given a neighbor mums number for emergencies, and her husband had noticed our side gate was swinging, unlatched & open, gone over to close it & noticed the damaged door & trail of destruction. So by the time we got back, the police had done what they had to so that my lovely family could straighten up & clean right through. The day we got back we had an all singing, all dancing alarm system fitted & motion detection lights outside, but it has left me nervous if i'm honest. I felt so violated. The jewellery & bike were never recovered but my car was found abandoned 3 weeks later with the keys on the front seat. No damage, but I sold it immediately

 

[Amber St. Clare]

When I was married to my first husband who was going to school at the time. We lived in NYC at the time. My grandmother gave me a diamond ring to wear with my wedding band. I had taken what little jewelry off to go out jogging and someone came in, went right to my little stash of pathetic jewelry and took it. Obviously the police weren't too motivated to find my jewelry. The marriage broke up before I got new ring.

Our car was stolen from a Park N Ride about 12 years ago. It was found in a very seedy part of NJ, completely stripped.

I'm religious about setting the house alarm when I go out or my husband goes out without me.

 

[Smith1942]

I haven't had a home break-in.

However, I've had several non-expensive items of clothing stolen. And once, in a shoe shop in London, I put my bag down for a second and despite there apparently being no one in the store, someone nicked it (guess they were professionals), hacked my PIN, took out 300, and used all my cheques over the next few weeks. The police sent me copies of the cheques and they'd forged my signature exactly. I got all the money back from the bank, but it was a real pain - I had to fill out eleven forms for the police and bank. Inside was also a nice present of cosmetics that I'd bought my mum. Fortunately, my monthly Tube pass which had just been renewed was in my pocket.

About three years ago, someone working in our home took my mother's 22k gold filigree ring that I'd bought her in Bahrain (she was staying with me at the time it went missing) and some silver and pearl twist earrings I had from Tiffany, which I wore on my wedding day. The ring cost about $50 due to the low gold prices when I bought it many years ago, and the earrings had cost about $220 equivalent, but they were really pretty. It wasn't expensive stuff, but it was nice.

I can't prove that it was the worker, but neither my mother nor I had worn those items in a long time so we know they went missing from the house. Since then, I have had two major spring-cleans, pulled out every piece of furniture including the fridge, and emptied every single drawer and closet in the whole place. Neither turned up, so the fact they they vanished from two separate rooms and they had not been taken out of the house - I think they were stolen not lost, and the only stranger around was the worker, so......

 

[MichelleCarmen]

When I was in middle school, someone stole all the stuff out of my purse. Since I was so young and this was so long ago, nothing of value was in there... Am I still skittish? Well, the deal is I had some specific makeup in there and the day after everything was taken, a girl I knew started wearing those exact shades! Since people have reunited on FB, every time I see her pop up, I think, "make-up thief!"

After a few situations and hearing of other peoples' encounters, I'm REALLY picky about who I let in my house and will hide things if I have any concern. Now we might have some moochers or people who don't follow etiquette, but none of them would steal. They like what they can get for free, but they wouldn't take material items. We won't host large events bc one person had a reputation for stealing (not sure if she's better now).

 

[boerumbiddy]

Three purse snatchings, about 10 years apart. The first was a bag carelessly left on the back of my chair at a small Village jazz club early one evening on the first anniversary of what turned out to be a failed marriage. $20 or so lost. The second was two guys early one evening on the stairs of a "safe" subway stop, also in the Village. One watched, one grabbed. Again, about $20 lost. The third was a push-in early one evening in the lobby of my small apartment building. About $30 lost this time, and this guy turned to be a serial robber, 17 women in two police precincts in Brooklyn. He was caught and confessed to several of them, including that of a former Congresswoman who lives around the corner from me.
They say that a conservative is a liberal who has been robbed. Guess what? I'm still a liberal. And guess what else? I have decided that it is safer to be out late at night than early in the evening....

 

[distracts]

When I was in high school I had a purse stolen. It was annoying to lose the purse but what was the worst part was that there was a very lovely fountain pen that my grandfather had given me in it. I have never found a fountain pen where the ink flowed so beautifully (eh, well, my father has some nice ones, but I'm not yet at the point where I think a $500 pen is a reasonable purchase). I KNEW who had done it because there had only been one person around, and she was a 12 year old girl - I had my mom call her dad but of course she denied everything. I even said all I wanted was the pen and she could keep the money and the purse. Horrible. She never showed her face at that particular afterschool activity again - and good for her, because I would have beaten her down for taking my pen!

 

[April20]

Let's see.

1. Our car was broken into a few years ago in a parking lot and the GPS was stolen. It was out of sight, but they took what they could find.

2. A couple years later, we decided to rent the house we own out and move into a loft. The day before the renters were to move in, DH went to the house to do some last day moving and the house was hot. Someone stole our A/C unit over night! I know it was the neighbors two doors down, but I couldn't prove it. I was out of town for work (a common theme, as you will see below) and got that lovely call. $2,000 later, we had a new a/c unit installed. UGH.

3. A few weeks after the a/c event, DH's truck was broken into while he was out of town, visiting me on a job site where I'd gotten stuck (long, horrible story). He lost several expensive tools. Not fun.

4. The very next day, DH drove my car back to where we live (I had flown there and he drove my car to suprise me there to cheer me up). He was in a meeting at night, came out AND MY CAR WAS GONE. Seriously. One car broken into one day, the other car stolen the next. You can't make this stuff up. The bad thing was we were on the tail end of moving at the time and I had a ton of stuff in my car that I hadn't brought into the new place yet. None of it valuable to a thief (my entire knitting stash and needles among other things). And DH had one very expensive tool, that he was thankful wasn't stolen when his truck was broken into because it was with him. Yep, all that gone. My car turned up six weeks later. They estimated damage at $1000. Yeah, ended up being $5000 to fix the car. Insurance covered it at least.

You would think that would be enough for any two people, right? WRONG.

5. Back in August, we flew home from Haiti for a week. We landed, got picked up by friends, got our car and then went to dinner. While we were in the restaurant, someone broke into our car and stole our backpacks. Two laptops, two ipads, an ipod.... all gone. That one was sort of our fault. The suitcases were visible. While the backpacks were not, being able to see suitcases was enough to make them see what else was in there. We were parked on the street and when the neighbors came out, they said we were at the least the 7th or 8th vehicle broken into that summer that they knew of. Thiefs target that street because the restaurant lot is so small it overflows on that street and they know they can hit different vehicles nightly. UGH. That was an EXPENSIVE loss. We still haven't replaced everything.

 

[Rhea]

I had a flatmate who was a bit flighty. I tried not to get annoyed about the little things, but one day she left her bedroom window open and someone cut through the screen window. I had a jewellery box on my dresser and a couple bits were stolen, the earrings I had designed for my wedding and some silver pieces. Even though I wasn't married yet I'd decided to wear my wedding ring to work that day so it was safe. I didn't normally wear my engagement ring to work either but did that day so that was a lucky escape as well. My camera was taken, the alcohol in the house, and I think another electronic thing of mine, but I can't remember what it was. My credit and debit cards were stolen from my bedside table and used at a petrol station.

I was pissed. Even though they came in through her window nothing of her's was taken. I'm glad all her stuff was safe but she was all upset because they were in her room. I felt that she overplayed that even though it was my camera with unsaved photos and jewellery that were stolen and I had to deal to with the police and insurance company.

DH's car was parked outside our flat one evening and they broke in and stole his work tools which totaled about £500 - £1000 to replace. A couple were homemade and couldn't be replaced. They bent back the door, I'm not quite sure how as I'm not that familiar with the car. He takes most things out but had left the tool bag in the boot overnight. It couldn't be seen from the outside. In speaking with the neighbors, it was a fairly common occurrence by a certain group and several had had it happen to them.

 

[Polished]

We were broken into one time while we were down at the coast for a family holiday. Our next door neighbour who had been feeding our cat, noticed our side door was slightly ajar. She phoned the police and us. We came home (after going for a swim in the ocean, sod you burglars!) to discover everwhere in the hugest mess. CDs, DVDs had been taken (probably for their own use the police thought), my mother's wedding ring, various jewelery pieces (including little pieces that I had given my mother as presents over the years, that had come back to me after she died), of my daughters, also a patterned, cylindrical brass cigarette case my father had had from a posting in India. None of the more precious stuff that was hidden in non obvious places was touched, indicating a quick, reasonably thorough grab only. One of the things that affronted me the most was that one of my favourite t-shirts had been discarded in the lounge room, making it lightly that they had used it to pick stuff up with to prevent leaving finger prints. In the event they did leave finger prints near the window they had smashed to get in. The police caught them about eight months later identifying in another house the same finger prints that were left at ours. They turned out to be habitual thieves with a heroin addiction. The police tend to catch them but not before they've robbed 20 or 30 houses.

The house burglary that disturbs me more though was the one that occurred while I was growing up while on a three year posting in Singapore. The burglary occurred while our family was off down the local swimming pool on the weekend. This spree involved my mother having seven of rings stolen, including her three stone diamond engagement ring. I still lament the loss of these rings that would fascinate me now. They weren't all precious gemstone rings but reflected places they'd been posted. They got the insurance money and used it to purchase a large ruby set in yellow gold. Years later they found out the ruby was synthetic. It reads like a gothic horror.

Some of these stories where the person knows, with reasonable certainty, who the perpetrator was and can't get the item back really reinforces that idea that possession is nine tenths of the law. Never has breaking into their house and turning their whole place over until you find the item seemed so attractive.

 

[monarch64]

I can't believe I forgot this, but my husband and I have had our vehicles rummaged through and stolen from on two different occasions within the past two years! The thieves in our case are called "car hoppers" and what they do is walk through neighborhoods late at night (like 3-4 a.m.) checking vehicles to see if the doors are unlocked. If the doors are open, they rummage through the vehicle and take whatever they quickly see is of value to them or has re-sell value. So, the first time it happened to us, my husband had left his car unlocked (he always does), and they took a twenty that was stashed in his glove box, and a lot of coins, but left a fifty cent piece. Husband said it had to have been kids who didn't know what a fifty cent piece was. The next time it happened, husband had driven my vehicle home and left it unlocked/unarmed and they took my ipod, the conversion kit that makes the ipod work in my vehicle, and some sunglasses I had in my console. I didn't even realize it until weeks later. Our HOA has a FB page and people were reporting incidents on that page. I looked in my console and discovered what had been stolen then. A ton of our neighbors had reported either stolen property from their vehicles or actual damage to the vehicles on various occasions.

We reported everything to the police again, and have been speaking with a detective off and on for months. There isn't a lot we can do to recover our belongings, but we have made sure that our vehicles are always locked and that whenever possible we park them in our garage now. The last time it happened a few months ago, I was in my daughter's room and actually HEARD two people trying to open my vehicle and then running away. I was too freaked out to look out the window or run downstairs to try to get a look at them. It's an awful feeling. We've researched and found that it's happening everywhere.

 

[VRBeauty]

My house has been broken into twice, both times 25 or more years ago when I had less to steal. The first time I came home mid-robbery but fortunately I didn't see the robbers (pretty sure it was two) and they snuck out the back door - which they had kicked open to get into the house - while my back was turned to that part of the house. They didn't get much and didn't take any jewelry. Second time my doors were well-secured but they found a weak spot in a back window. This guy filled a small suitcase with very sell-able stuff - my stereo, camera and binocs, every CD I owned except classical. Again did not touch my jewelry. My purse has been snatched twice. The first time a guy on a bike grabbed it while I was walking the block or so from my parking spot to my office. A passing motorist thought it suspicious that a guy on a bike would be carrying a purse, chased him down, and the purse was returned to me unharmed. The second time I was going to "help" a young girl - she grabbed my purse, pushed me down, and a car that had been hiding around the corner came by and whisked her away. To this day I try to carry my keys apart from my purse when I'm in surroundings that are even the least bit questionable. My prior car was broken into more times than I care to remember, but I've had no problems with my current car, which I've had 11 years now.

Needless to say I've upped my home security and become more careful over the years. More importantly though the overall economic situation in my neighborhood and the next one over (I'm sort of on the cusp between a middle class and lower class area) seem to have improved, resulting in less vandalism and petty crime overall.

 

[TooPatient]

First time was when I was under six years old. I don't remember the specifics, but I do remember being very upset because someone stole my Cinderella tape -- it had been in the VHS player.

A "friend" in middle school took a ring my grandmother had given me. I eventually got this back by offering a reward for it.

A few months after graduating high school they broke into my mother's house (I was still living there) and took pretty much everything of any sort of value. I lost my jewelry box (including several nice pieces my grandmother had given me) and some other stuff. They also got a gun, coin collection, computer, antique stuff and more.
They actually came back the next day! I was home but all of the cars were gone at the time so I saw them back up to the garage door. They'd managed to get into the garage (separate from house) the first time but probably had run out of room to take it all. There was also a collector car that would have been easy to take if they had a bit more time.

First time in my own apartment was some stuff taken off the patio (battery charger & a couple of batteries -- car batteries so not super cheap).

Then the car was broken into and they got the stereo.


I refuse to live without a monitored security system.
I also don't carry a purse -- car key & house key in my pocket, ID and other cards in my cell phone case, almost never any cash.

 

[missy]

Only once-I was in my twenties and on a first date with a Manhattan ADA. We were in the village and enjoying dinner and when it was time to leave I noticed my pocketbook was gone. Totally my fault because I had left it on the floor next to my chair. I was young and foolish, and nothing like that had ever happened to me before. Lesson learned. I had no money in the purse (I was on a date after all LOL) and no ID because in those days I just never carried any. But I lost my apt keys, lipgloss and most importantly my grandmother's pocketbook. I am still sad about that. Funny thing is my date got to meet my dad because we had to wait at my apartment for my dad to show up with the extra keys...haha, First time a first date had ever met my dad! We went on to have a longterm relationship so meeting my dad didn't deter him lol.

I never leave my pocketbook anywhere since then if I have it with me but on my person or have my dh hold it for me if necessary and at restaurants it sits firmly in my lap.

We have a security system at our beach house and truthfully I got it more for when we are home and sleeping. Ever since that Connecticut murder of the mother and 2 girls during a home invasion I decided alarms are more important for when you are home and vulnerable.

 

[diamondringlover]

I had my house broken into we lived in a not so nice neighborhood when we first met, they took nothing as we had a German Sheppard and a home alarm...they left running...but we had to fix the door, hubby was working on it till like 11:00 that night and it robbed us of our sense of security, we moved about a year after that..the house was up for sale at the time..it took us 4 years to unload it. I have also had my car gone thru a couple of times where I currently live at (small rural area) but nothing was taken, now my car is always locked.

 

[NOYFB]

When I was in high school my wallet was stolen out of my purse at a party. I had $7 in it. The thief mailed back the wallet and my driver's license, thankfully, but the $7 was gone.

The day I traded my car in for a truck I had the stereo stolen from under the seat. I didn't have time to have it installed because I had to go to work. The thief used a screwdriver to try and pick the lock, and when that didn't work, broke the window. So, I had to replace the window and the locking mechanism. My truck was the only vehicle in the parking lot that was targeted. It just seemed really odd to me because the stereo was completely hidden under the seat. It's almost as if they knew exactly what they were looking for..

DH had a jar of change stolen out of his Jeep Wrangler (soft top). He also had a non-working VCR (from his job) stolen out of his car. And his car battery. Yes, his car battery! Oh, and his tool bag with all of his hand tools was stolen from the garage because the idiots who share the garage with us (3 car garage in a 5 unit condo building) didn't close the damn door!

A "friend" stole all of my pain meds from my medicine cabinet, after I had my wisdom teeth removed.

Someone stole my spare tire, right off the back of my SUV at work and the security guy watched it happen.

Thankfully, nothing of real value has even been stolen. I would be devastated if someone stole my jewelry!

 

[ame]

Yep, I've had my purse stolen 2 times in my life, and multiple break-ins in the past. But the most recent purse theft was the most shattering, because my rings were in my purse. I was at the gym, and I was a hot mess when the cops came in to get me, and I knew exactly why they came for me. When it occurred to me that my rings weren't on my hand and my purse wasn't in with me I knew exactly where they were. I spent YEARS combing pawn shops to find them, even after filing insurance and replacing.

 

[luv2sparkle]

Many years ago, I came home for lunch from work and walked in on a burglary in progress. They only stole my 14K class ring and a tape recorder that I played music for my kids when they went to bed. They caught the guy but I never got my stuff back. I really wanted to give my class ring to my daughter one day. She probably wouldn't have worn it, but when I was in high school a lot of girls wore their mom's old rings.

Sadly, I have a son who is a heroin addict and he has stolen a lot from us. Some I was able to purchase back, some I wasn't able to recover. He has stolen stuff from his siblings and many expensive tool belonging to his dad. It breaks our hearts.

 

[VRBeauty]

Sadly, I have a son who is a heroin addict and he has stolen a lot from us. Some I was able to purchase back, some I wasn't able to recover. He has stolen stuff from his siblings and many expensive tool belonging to his dad. It breaks our hearts.

I'm so sorry to read that. Huggz, L2S!

 

[OreoRosies86]

A very dear friend of mine who had a horrible drug addiction stole money from me using my ATM card. I got the call from rehab apologizing. He passed away some years later. It's very upsetting. I would have helped him if I could.

 

[that_someone_special]

Sadly, I have a son who is a heroin addict and he has stolen a lot from us. Some I was able to purchase back, some I wasn't able to recover. He has stolen stuff from his siblings and many expensive tool belonging to his dad. It breaks our hearts.

I really feel for you. The addict in my family is my brother. He has stolen tens of thousands worth of goods/ money. He is supposed to go to jail soon (and treatment) for the 4th xmas in a row now. Unfortunately, my parents paid off one family member to keep him quiet (that one was way over $20k in stolen items that we even know of), and they don't do anything when he steals from them, me, and my other brother. He is emotionally manipulative and is not allowed in my house or my parents house. He has a warrant out for his arrest right now so we won't be seeing him for a long time. Blah. I am sure it is different when it is your son vs a sibling... I know my mom has a hard time with that. I'm rambling now... I could talk about this for a long time. It makes me sick to my stomach all of the pain that he has caused.

 

[monarch64]

Sadly, I have a son who is a heroin addict and he has stolen a lot from us. Some I was able to purchase back, some I wasn't able to recover. He has stolen stuff from his siblings and many expensive tool belonging to his dad. It breaks our hearts.

I really feel for you. The addict in my family is my brother. He has stolen tens of thousands worth of goods/ money. He is supposed to go to jail soon (and treatment) for the 4th xmas in a row now. Unfortunately, my parents paid off one family member to keep him quiet (that one was way over $20k in stolen items that we even know of), and they don't do anything when he steals from them, me, and my other brother. He is emotionally manipulative and is not allowed in my house or my parents house. He has a warrant out for his arrest right now so we won't be seeing him for a long time. Blah. I am sure it is different when it is your son vs a sibling... I know my mom has a hard time with that. I'm rambling now... I could talk about this for a long time. It makes me sick to my stomach all of the pain that he has caused.

Add me to the list of those who have family members who are addicts. My cousin has had an addiction to heroin for quite a few years now and has stolen tens of thousands of dollars in cash from his parents, been to rehab more times than I know about, and then was allowed to live in my grandmother's home under the guise of being her caretaker. So he had access to her meds, cash, car, jewelry, etc for the past couple years. I no longer associate with that side of my family because they've done nothing but enable him. I'm so, so sorry anyone ever has to go through this. It is awful to watch people's lives entirely ruined by addiction.

 

[that_someone_special]

I am so surprised how big heroin is getting. The thing about addicts is that they are very, very, good liars. They could sell you volcano insurance on Antarctica. They tell everyone what they want to hear... and it usually works. Family enables and at least in my brothers case, he has not had to pay the piper for any of his actions yet.

Oh your car has been in impound for weeks? -Let me get it out. I'm sure you'll pay me back.
You are in jail? -Let me bail you out because it would look bad on your record.
Your car doesn't work and you can't get a job without it? -Let me fix it and give you extra cash.

I haven't seen my brother since May. I knew he was using again (left rehab right when my daughter was born in March) and I told him to stay away from us. So, he harrasses my parents and other brother for money. My mom is afraid of him yet still enables. They don't let him around anymore but after they locked up all valuables and bought a bigger safe he would steal anything. Ski boots and skis in the summer, tools, crystal, etc. He stole my mothers wallet, ran to the bathroom and hid it. When she found it all of the cash was gone and he was offended that they accused him. He stripped down and there was no cash... (ahm, but there was, hidden.. ) Addicts will go to any lengths for that next fix.

It doesn't help that all of his idiot friends are addicts too and he married a girl he met in detox (alcoholic). It's so stressful. You shouldn't have to worry about family members stealing ski boots and c-section pain meds.... I know this thread isn't about just addicts but there is such a stigma when talking about this in public and around my family that I tend to gush when I do start talking.

 

[monarch64]

I'm sorry, Bean. It is a really painful subject for me as well, as I am very angry with my cousin and my family, which makes me feel guilty and sad. Have you thought about talking to a counselor or joining a group for people who are dealing with addicts so that you can have a place to talk? Or of course you could start a thread here, I'm sure PSr's would listen and offer words of encouragement.

 

[TooPatient]

I'm sorry, Bean. It is a really painful subject for me as well, as I am very angry with my cousin and my family, which makes me feel guilty and sad. Have you thought about talking to a counselor or joining a group for people who are dealing with addicts so that you can have a place to talk? Or of course you could start a thread here, I'm sure PSr's would listen and offer words of encouragement.

A thread is a great idea -- seeing the number of responses on this thread and knowing a few others around who haven't replied here, I believe there are a lot of people who have similar stories. Support is important!

Bean -- I know what you mean about such things having a stigma. In my family it is my cousins and uncles who have (or had) the problems with drugs. I don't have contact with them but still feel uncomfortable talking about the subject because I feel like people are judging me for their problems (like I must have problems because of my family or how can I not be helping them more).

The sad reality is that most of my family is either directly involved with drug use or severe alcoholism (and associated violence) or are hugely enabling. I generally just avoid the entire topic of family (shift focus into DH & my family -- him, me, "A" -- when asked a question). If I'm comfortable with a person and feel it would benefit them to hear, I'll tell some of my family's story.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I am always surprised by how many people are touched by drug addiction. Heroin is a major problem once again, spurred on by the introduction of oxycontin, in my opinion. But that is another issue.

We have done our very best not to enable. It is such a difficult thing, because you love the person and they are such good liars. You want to help, you want to hope. We never give cash or anything pawn worthy. The only thing we ever offer anymore is an occasional meal or shower. He doesn't contact us very often. I am cautious and keep the house alarmed. We offer re-hab, and have spent thousands on it.