The dog is off the hook. The Wickedest Whippet has been found not guilty this time and although I should be relieved that she doesn’t have a penchant for pinching pink purses I am afraid I don’t feel very good at all.
Last night I had a caller who had picked up my purse from the bottom of a dried up pond near a footpath across the village from here. The land where it was found belongs to the same farmer who owns the fields at the back of my house.
I couldn’t help it but I put two and two together and probably made five. But it seems such a coincidence.
Perhaps I had better explain. The person who stole my purse had to have entered my house through the back door. My back door cannot be accessed from the front of the house. It is found in an enclosed back garden. The only way to acces the garden is ove the fence at the back, through the house itself or via the side door which leads out to the kitchen garden. On Tuesday last you would have had to encounter Tatu the gardner who was working on the veg patch right by the door. So the only way to reach the backdoor last Tuesday would have been over the fence at the bottom via the Farmer’s fields.
Problem is there are no footpaths around those fields so a casual passer-by is hardly likely to pass by and see my back door open and saunter in on the off chance. There is no way of seeing the back of my house at all from any road or other byway.
I can’t help it but I think the perpetrator is someone who was working the fields who could see into my back garden and note the door was open.
The reason why I feel so awful is that the only people working the field were the farmer and his sons.
I don’t want to believe it. But a complete stranger is so random especially whern there have been no other reported crimes of this nature according to the police. This was a total one off.
So all last night I mithered over this. All today I have been acutely aware of the ploughing going on and the revs from the tractor and all I seem to be able to do is get angry and frustrated. For they are far more likely NOT to have done anything at all but my mind just refuses to focus on anything else. It seems stuck on the fact that it must have been them.
Or maybe it is just me preferring it that way. Wanting it to be someone I know rather than a scary stranger poking their way into the sanctuary that is my home in the broad daylight while my boys say barley 10 feet away. I hate feeling so vulnerable.
10 comments:
The pink purse is back, which is good. But the worry continues, as does the sense of violation. And perhaps by someone you know.
Oh Tattie; I'm so sorry this has happened to you!
Blessings and Bear hugs in a trying time.
Here's what I did when I suspected someone working in my house had taken something - I let him know that the items were gone, and I also let him know that I was on the alert, and that he wasn't off the hook. I casually asked him if he had accidentally mixed the items up with his stuff when he was packing, since they had been on the chair right next to his work bag. Since no one else had been in the house that day, he knew that it looked a bit obvious. Lo and behold, he came in the next day and said "You were right. I had packed the stuff up with my own stuff."
You could ask them if they saw someone and then go on to casually explain how difficult it would be for a complete stranger to get into your house like that. Nuff said.
Rob-bear - Thank you and it is a sense of violation. All this past week I have been looking for my purse somewhere int eh hosue and thinking I must have put it dopwn somewhere stupid so I actually wasn't too upset but last night it was all brought home...
Expat Mum - Hopefully the Police who went round to the farm to see if they saw anything might have done that. Papers in purse are now with forensics though it might be a few weeks..nothing like CSI is it!
Having been there (someone burgled almost the entire contents of our ground floor whilst we, including the dog, slept upstairs) I know how awful the feeling is and how everyone becomes a suspect.
In my case the police said they knew who it was as they had video of them ditching the car seats, they stole the car as well, outside the local co-op but they couldn't arrest them as the video wasn't of high enough quality.
How I wanted to ask who it was so I could arrange my own justice!
The feelings do lesson over time.
Tattie, as an ex-policewoman, I'd like to offer you some advice. Do not confront your neighbors about this.
1. You have no proof. If it wasn't them, you are creating bad blood.
2. If it was them, they have no scruples and you are just opening yourself up to further harrassment and/or danger.
3. These people live next to you. Think about that, and what it means.
Let the police handle the investigation, and if the neighbors need to be spoken to let the cops do it, as it's their job. You don't want to make yourself look fearful or weak to people that may be unafraid to take advantage of it. You also don't want to create strife with your neighbors, on the chance it wasn't them to begin with.
Finally, lock your doors. And have a back fence put up that cannot be climbed over. And perhaps get a Dobermann or a pit bull. That'll learn 'em!
Horrible thought that it might be the farmer or his family. Presumably your purse was empty?
I really like the solution that Expat Mum presents. I'll keep that in mind if I ever have this situation
Spencer Park - ther is a lot for taking justice into ones own hands esp if you know who it is but is it worth it?
Marcheline - very sage advice. I DONT know it was any one of them so I am NOT doing anything. I will rely on the police even though they effectivley closed my case at the parish council meeting this week! Budget cuts I suspect!
Sunburbia - As I said I don;t really know and as I am reminded supposition without evidence could be taken as slander/libel and I sdon;t wnat any of that! And yes there was no money left in trhe purse, whoever got away with iot is now £200($350) richer!
About Last Weekend - if I knew hwo it was I would def go down this route and NOT involve the police!
Horrible feeling ! And since you have no proof that your neighbours were involved , you can do nothing to recover the 200 pounds.
But you can lock the back door and close the bottom windows and foil any further attempts .
Husband scoffs when I do this .... but when I managed to lock myself out last year , I found that I could get back in by scaling a fence and dropping 8 feet or so onto paving slabs . If I can do it in my '60s , a young lad could be over in a flash ( and not hobble for three days afterwards !) . I'm not very keen on unannounced guests .
SmitoniusAndSonata - not desperately keen myself. Am in awe of your gymnastics though!
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