Mel Juer

Today we went to the beach for one hour. It was lovely and sunny. We returned to our new house, which is still empty as our container hasn't arrived. The door was open, and upon further investigation the laptops, our phones, our wallets, my kids xmas concert tickets to Vector arena.... and 2 rings that are antique and completely priceless and irreplaceable were gone! I normally wear the diamond ring as I've had it for 17 years...and its 100 years old. As I was kayaking this morning I took it off and left it in the small jewellary bag that I've carried right round the world thinking this was the safest way to treat it.

When we travelled it was insured. Our goods in the container are insured. But yes, you've guess it, nothing here was insured. Our goods arrive next Friday and we had decided to wait till they arrived to start out new insurance here because no one was going to steal from an empty house!!!

I am so sad. Those rings were from my mother in law who died a year ago at 88. They were given to me upon my marriage and then when I fell pregnant a second time. I don't think the person who stole them even realises what they've got and will probably sell them on for a song.

Moving isn't easy, even when you're positive and very committed as we are. There is a lot of loss involved and saying goodbye to many dear friends and family. This is the final bit of loss that I'm finding hard to come to terms with.

Moomoo

Hi

Sorry to hear this, I know exactly how you feel.

We were burgled when we moved here in 2008. We moved into our rental on the Monday, burgled on the Friday. The only room they went into was one which didn't have a sensor - our downstairs bedroom. The doors were forced open. I remember coming in and thinking 'why are the doors open' and then wondering why everything was thrown all over the floor - for some stupid reason thinking a freak wind had blown through! Then it sunk in.

I was only out from 8.30 am until 10.30 am dropping the kids to school and getting groceries, so think the house was being watched. We were rural so no houses right next door. I had left the gates open on the driveway and they drove in and parked outside our bedroom (the tyres marks on the grass showed this).

We had some jewellery taken, some cash, my digital camera (full of photos) and to top it off a small fireproof 'safe' that held all our documents nothing else - passports, immigration paperwork - medical stuff/police checks, birth certificates, UK driving licenses, marriage certificates, education certificates - every bit of paperwork that is important in your life was in there. The police found one passport in a car stopped in South Auckland, but nothing came of any of the other paperwork, I don't think anyone was prosecuted but we know someone had got the safe open otherwise the passport wouldn't have been in the car.

We had to apply for new birth certificates (all the stolen ones were the originals too - the lovely long ones you get), I still don't have a marriage certificate (husband jokes that he could deny it!). He did joke at the time too that even if I did want to return to the UK because of feeling so upset/p****ed off because of the burglary I couldn't as we didn't have any passports!

We then had to get new passports and pay for them, plus pay for the visas to be put in again.

Irony no 1 - we had carried this stuff across the world in our hand luggage, 8 weeks in temporary accommodation before moving into the rental with no problems, irony no 2 - we only put the stuff in the 'safe' (yeah right) the night before we were burgled, irony no 3 - our three dogs arrived the day after we were burgled - had they been there I am sure no one would have entered.

I am also sure that if we hadn't used the 'safe' to store all our paperwork it wouldn't have been touched.

We hadn't arranged insurance at that time either - it was insured all the way from the UK in the container but once it was emptied, not.

The police did say that the people who broke in probably wouldn't have the intelligence to use our personal data, probably looking for a safe full of money (not a chance after spending so much emigrating!) but it still didn't make it feel any better with all our personal information 'out there somewhere'.

Then to top it all, someone crashed into the back of my car on the Monday a couple of days later!

We're still here though four years later

love30stm

Oh I'm so sorry that really is the pits you must feel really bad especially just having moved here, don't know what to say but to give you a virtual ((hug)) x

Moomoo

We were lucky in a way as it was mostly paperwork that was stolen, nothing of real sentimental value.

It must be very upsetting for you

Hugs too x

simonsi

So sorry to hear this <hugs> from us too....

waikatoguy

So sorry to read about your experience. It must feel like you've been kicked in the guts. Not the sort of welcome anyone wants. All the best for a happier time ahead.

MrsFychan

how awful for you, do the police hold out any hope of finding any of what has been taken?
have no words of wisdom on trying to make things better, only been burgled once and that was in UK on holiday so just money and cameras nothing of sentimental value.
so sorry

dannigirl

Sorry this has happened to you. Awful to ever happen but to feel they may have been watching you is just creepy. I really hope you get your precious belongings back. Is there maybe a small local paper (you said you were rural) you could get in touch with and see if they will print a story. Might help to get news of the sentimental value of the rings out there and see if any locals know anything.

skends

oh my, that's awful.
Feeling for you right now.
i hope the culprits are found and you get your possesions back.

cappuccino

Sorry to read about your misfortune. Keep an eye on trademe and the local pawn shops. The thieves are usually kids wanting to get a quick buck with no idea of real value (sentimental or monetary)

A friend of mine was burgled in Auckland last year - they stole his clothes, shoes, vacuum cleaner, duvet cover and other random items! He spotted one of his suits on trademe and reported it to the police. Not sure what happened after that though.

tauhara

My heart goes out to you people. I look at this forum because we once lived out there for five years+. On our arrival we were ripped off by a taxi from wellington. Shortly after we were burgled. The our car was broken into twice. The last and final incident was finding a big guy with the bonnet of my car open trying to remove the battery. I could go on but won't -I had hoped the place may have improved.

ukecadet

sorry to hear about that. Burglars aren't the brightest of people.Put an ad in the local shop window for concert tickets wanted.They may reply. Or if it's seat allocation you may be able to get them on the night.It's worth a try.

Mel Juer

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I have provided the police with photos, am checking on trade me, have emailed every jewellery dealer I can find... and looking to advertise in every one of the Auckland suburban papers (at some cost but this is worth it). I don't hold out much hope.. the police say that the thieves probably don't know what they've got and will simply melt the gold down and discard the diamonds... the diamonds are the valuable bit but we may never see this again. I am terribly terribly upset by it... finding it really hard to move on.

Mel Juer

Thanks moo moo for an entertaining post though... it made my kids laugh. Me I'm finding it a bit hard to laugh... and I know I have to put this behind me but really its getting me down.

lfcfan

Mel juer I have just sent you a pm