Caught an intruder in our bedroom at 2AM!

[mitch777]

Can't sleep so I might as well share the story.

2AM.

Kenny had finished watching The Sopranos 10 minutes prior and just happened to see a flash of light and thought it was just lightning but he saw another flash and woke me up by asking "what was that"? I rolled over and saw this big black blob (it was pretty dark at the time) next to the bed. I had just brought down the suitcase (black) from upstairs earlier that day and wondered why it was moved.

Me being foggy headed at the time from meds and sleep I reached over about a foot from the edge of the bed and tapped the blob with 3 fingers. Suddenly the blob came to life and ran out of the house!! Scared the shit out of us!

Called 911. Four state troupers came after about 15 minutes. After explaining what happened they sent for the canine unit.

Within 15 minutes of the arrival of the dog they had tracked the guy to one of the Goodspeed actor houses of all things. The police requested that everyone leave the house so that they could let the dog narrow the search. They refused as there was no warrant. WTF? I know it's within their rights but geez. They were taking video of the police with their cell phones and giving them a hard time. The police explained what had happened to us and explained that they were there for the benefit of everyone. It didn't matter I guess.

They found some drunk (actor) guy laying in a lawn several houses away and cited him for public drunkenness but I don't think this was the guy for many reasons.

The whole thing is still rather confusing.

Had either Kenny or I been able to identify the guy they might have been able to make an arrest. No such luck.

I will be contacting the Goodspeed General Manager to make them aware of what happened. Not sure what they will do.

Crazy event for this little town.

Nobody hurt, nothing stolen. Hope nightmares aren't forthcoming. What a night.

[Jeff G]

Terrible ... just terrible . Maybe he wasn't a real intruder just a good actor ?

[wolfter]

Maybe he's just a voyeur?   

[Miss Philicia]

THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN PHILADELPHIA

[mitch777]

Terrible ... just terrible . Maybe he wasn't a real intruder just a good actor ?

Ya, he was acting like my luggage. He might have fooled me if he didn't move after my frightening and powerful three finger tap and my yelling at him to get out. lol.

Maybe he's just a voyeur?   

lol. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN PHILADELPHIA

Of course not.
These actors all come from out of state so I'm not sure where to point the finger.



I just walked over to the theater and am awaiting a callback from the general manager. This should prove interesting.

[Jeff G]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RjRfpPcGVo

[wolfter]

where exactly did you poke him with those 3 fingers?

[mitch777]

lol^^

[Dachshund]

You sure it wasn't Robert Downey Jr?

[J.R.E.]

   Damn Mitch, Sorry to hear this happened, but glad that no no was hurt.

How do you/police think this person got in?  Through an unlocked door or window?

Did the police dust for any fingerprints, at the doors/windows/ entrance ways Etc... ?



Ray

[absopozilutely]

Lol I was just reading an article that says "why violence is not the answer" then I read this and my first reply is to be lemme come find them and fuck em up for screwing with you guys. Lol but trust me my bark is way worse then my bite, I'm a softy never even been in a fight! lol!

[Miss Philicia]

mebbe there's an angel dust epidemic in the elite confines of the East Haddam arts community

[Dan0]

In this day & age, he should be lucky that instead of three fingers it wasn't two barrels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XK8G7W6MZ4

[zach]

man, i keep a hatchet under my bed

[mitch777]

So, Kenny just went out to his truck to get us some lunch. The glovebox was open and $15. was stolen. He left the truck unlocked.

Also, I had a talk with the woman in charge of the actors. She was dragged into this last night as well. From her description of the police behavior, I am beginning to question the involvement of the Goodspeed.

The actors were having a party and it let out at around the same time as the invasion. One of them was sitting on the lawn waiting for some of the others and apparently the police were "rude" to him. He was detained and they asked him which house he lived in. He said 63A.

Well, the police told the guy that the canine unit was on it's way and sure enough the dog "tracked" the scent right to 63A. hmm...

Some of the comments that the police made to the actors seemed a bit odd. When they wanted to enter the house and were told no they said to the actors, "Aren't you American?".

They also cited the guy for walking on a state highway, I'm sure just to push buttons for one reason or another but told us that he was cited for public drunkenness. hmm...

They did not spend much time getting info other than the basics from Kenny or me and we never had to sign any statement. Not sure if that's the norm.

It just seems odd that an actor would be involved, especially well before their departure date which is sometime in mid September.

I will be anxious to see the police report.

Oh, and Ray, we lock our front door but not the ones downstairs. We will from now on. And no fingerprints were taken.

[Dan0]

man, i keep a hatchet under my bed

Ever the romantic!  Remind me not to make sudden movements on my sleepover! 

[OneTampa]

Sorry to read this.

Glad no-one was hurt.

Wonder if the intruder was studying the Strasberg Method for acting.

BTW, have you considered a home alarm system? You can even set
some systems to alert you when doors and windows open with
a voice (volume adjustable) that says "Front door open", "Kitchen window
or garage door open", etc. I don't believe regional accents and vocal
characters are available yet.   

[Miss Philicia]

You leave the door to your house unlocked?

girrrrrl

[tednlou2]

Wow!  Very scary.  So glad this didn't turn bad.  Well, it is bad, but glad no one was hurt.  The kids didn't get him?  Moo Goo and Gai Pan, right? 

[mitch777]

Wow!  Very scary.  So glad this didn't turn bad.  Well, it is bad, but glad no one was hurt.  The kids didn't get him?  Moo Goo and Gai Pan, right?

Oh, they were working hard that night! Moo Goo was upstairs just in case the guy decided to try to escape via the front door and Gai Pan, bless his little heart, was under the bed. I'm certain that he was doing the attack mode but wiggle but my finger tap beat him to it. I told him he could have the next one.

[BT65]

If there's ever been a reason to get a firearm....Truly though, my friend is a liberal through and through, and she has a gun.  Of course she was stalked a few years ago also (the friend I moved in with), so I totally understand why. 

Mitch, wow.  I read this on facebook and it's very, very scary.  I'm so glad the guy ran out.  Small time crook.  Glad you're all safe, including the kitties.

[wolfter]

I'm surprised Betty.  From your FB posts, I wrongly assumed you are anti gun. 

I'll never forget and am grateful that I had my ole gun the night an intruder kicked in our front door and I confronted him in the hall.  Even with a gun, he kept acting like he was lunging. 

[BT65]

I'm surprised Betty.  From your FB posts, I wrongly assumed you are anti gun. 

I'll never forget and am grateful that I had my ole gun the night an intruder kicked in our front door and I confronted him in the hall.  Even with a gun, he kept acting like he was lunging. 

I am for stricter gun control.  I believe in stronger background checks, including mental health.  I don't agree with those open-carry groups either.  If I was eating at a Chiptole and saw a group of people with guns slew over their shoulders, I would not be comfortable.    However, I do believe people who are capable, and trained to shoot, should be able to own firearms.  I used to carry a .357 myself. 

[tednlou2]

I've never had an intruder, per se.  However, I did have someone enter my home.  Brian and I had just started dating.  I just broke up with my partner and he broke up with his.  We met, while living at the same apt complex.  Brian was still living with his ex, for a while.  Brian would have to sneak over to my apt, as to not cause problems.

Brian stayed over one night.  We woke to some dark figure standing over us.  His ex told the maintainence man that I had been very troubled and had not heard from me in a while.  I was friendly with his ex, but we were never friends.  The maintainence man let him in and left.  If his ex were more unstable and had a gun, we may be dead.  Well, I raised hell over what the maintainence man did.  Even if he thought we were best friends, he should have never let him in.  And, especially not unattended.  Actually, if the maintainence man was concerned, he had my number.  He could have called.  He could have knocked.  There was no knock.  He could have called the police.  What he did could have led to two deaths.  Or, if I had a gun, he may be dead. 

[mitch777]

Thanks again y'all (I'm practicin' my southern talk).

I don't own a gun and don't intend on buying one. Had I had one that night it wouldn't have done any good unless I slept with it in my hand. Just holding one would make me feel about as comfortable as a 5 year old girl smoking a cigar. Each to his own.

The image of him crouched next to the bed will never leave my mind. I'm not losing any sleep over it but we will be taking more precautions. Nothing is foolproof but the doors will always be locked along with motion detector lighting installed. Not sure if fake security system signage works but hey, it couldn't hurt.

[Jeff G]

Um ... why not get a real security system . ADT does free installation and its cost about $40 a month to have them monitor it .

[mitch777]

Um ... why not get a real security system . ADT does free installation and its cost about $40 a month to have them monitor it .

Well, maybe we are being penny wise and pound foolish but the crime rate is pretty low here. I'm going to speak with the local police and ask them how many burglaries happen here in the average year. The answer might surprise me and we will have to give the idea more serious consideration.

[OneTampa]

BTW, have you considered a home alarm system? You can even set
some systems to alert you when doors and windows open with
a voice (volume adjustable) that says "Front door open", "Kitchen window
or garage door open", etc. I don't believe regional accents and vocal
characters are available yet. 

My previous suggestion above.

Comparison shop: http://home-security-monitoring-review.toptenreviews.com/

 

[leatherman]

Well, maybe we are being penny wise and pound foolish but the crime rate is pretty low here.

betcha there IS a crime rate and I bet it ain't zero. Banking on that the fact that it is pretty low and you'll probably not be the victim is probably what all the other victims have said in your town.

start easy. Motion detector lights. (not only will that deter someone trying to commit a crime in the night; but it may just attract the attention of the neighbors or you in the house). dead bolts. Heck, in your case, just lock all the doors. LOL As I told you in a PM, you really only have to deter the criminals. Often the easiest things (like lights and locks) will make your house less attractive to criminals or too much trouble to enter. (I mean why break into your house when there's money in the unlocked car in the driveway. LOL) so there are a few more easy things to do: don't keep money in your vehicles and lock the doors.

here's another thing to consider, not all neighborhood crimes are done by "cat-burglars" or "professional" or previously-convicted criminals. Many times minor neighborhood robberies are young people looking for a thrill or a quick fix of money. All that's needed to stop those kinds of crimes is a locked door, a light on, a barking dog, etc.

[Jmarksto]

Well, maybe we are being penny wise and pound foolish but the crime rate is pretty low here. I'm going to speak with the local police and ask them how many burglaries happen here in the average year. The answer might surprise me and we will have to give the idea more serious consideration.

Mitch;  I am glad to hear that no one was hurt, and it sounds like a fiasco, but still - what a feeling of violation.  Here is a site that will help answer your question about crime rates:


http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ct/crime/


While the prevention efforts make sense, I hope you don't need them again.
JM

[mitch777]

Mitch;  I am glad to hear that no one was hurt, and it sounds like a fiasco, but still - what a feeling of violation.  Here is a site that will help answer your question about crime rates:


http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ct/crime/


While the prevention efforts make sense, I hope you don't need them again.
JM

Thanks JM.

The link shows pretty much as I suspected it would. We do have a very low crime rate and property crime is well below the national and even state stats.

Violent crime is almost nonexistent. There has been one murder since moving here in 1977. The people knew one another which is typical.

Anyway, I just ordered 5 Mr. Beam motion detector lights.

[idee]

Sorry to hear this is happened to you. My husband and I were victims of a home invasion June 27, 2013. We were told to continue with our vacation plans this July 5-9, 2014, but a Material Witness Warrant may be put out for our arrest since we were subpoenaed for July 7, 2014.
On July 2, 2014 we were told that the court date had been rescheduled for September 22, 2014. After I told the DA I have my last semester of school from August 25 - December 4, 2014. I dislike this whole court thing. The police who showed up in the first place were extremely insensitive. They were so rude and careless.
My husband and I lock our doors and windows and check them every so often just to make sure. My daughter sleeps with an old police baton beside her every night.
I recommend locking all doors and windows among with keeping a weapon next to you. I go outside now, but never with headphones on like I used to. I always remain alert to what is around me.

[wolfter]

Mark, perhaps when you visit down yonder in the deep south, Jeff can give you some shooting lessons.  They have adorable lady Deringers in all sorts of vibrant and fun colors. 

[skeebo1969]

  Mitch, where was the dog cat during all this?  I'm glad you two were not harmed.  I'd have plenty trouble getting shuteye at night now.

[mitch777]

  Mitch, where was the dog cat during all this?  I'm glad you two were not harmed.  I'd have plenty trouble getting shuteye at night now.

Skeebo, see post #19. The cats were hard at work. As far as sleeping... sometimes that Trazodone comes in handy for multiple reasons. Ha!

idee, I remember your home invasion. I think we were far luckier than you and your husband. Good luck with all of the court stuff!

Greg, lol.