Thursday, August 27, 2009

Don't These Things Only Happen on TV????

Some of you may remember the photo below. I posted it back in March on my way out of town for a girlfriends' weekend.

Well, that very Jeep Grand Cherokee was stolen out of our driveway Sunday night while we were asleep. JC realized it was missing Monday morning about 6:30 when he took the recycling out. We called 911 and reported it stolen. We were not given very much hope that we would ever see this car again. Where do you even start looking for a car? The only identifiable characteristic was the license plate which we were sure would be replaced instantly. The whole thing made us feel extremely ill and creeped out that someone had been in our driveway while we were sleeping. We live at the back of our neighborhood so we haven't had any problems with theft on our street in the past. Later Monday I also realized that our garage door opener was in the Jeep! I was scared to death that someone was going to come back and try to break into the house. We slept with three lights on outside and the lamp on in our foyer Monday night, and JC disengaged the garage door controls so that the openers would not work.
We woke up Tuesday and unfortunately the Jeep overshadowed the boys' first day of school this year, but I still managed to get a couple of photos. We took them to school and went on to work. When I got home around 2:30, I called JC so I could be on the phone with someone as I entered the house...again very creeped out! While we were on the phone, he said, "if you are ok, the Sherriff's Office is on the other line. I need to take that call." So we hung up and about 10 minutes later, he called me back saying that they had found the Jeep!!!!!!!

A NC State Trooper happened to be pulling out of a DMV office in our town and two cars were racing towards him going 69mph in a 35mph zone so he did a u-turn and went after them. He pulled the Jeep over and ran the tags, and of course they were not ours. They were registered to another vehicle type so he ran the VIN# and saw that it was a stolen vehicle! As it turns out, the driver of the other vehicle was a friend of the 16 year old girl who was driving our Jeep, and she was in a stolen vehicle as well. Neither of them had drivers' licenses, and the other car had illegal drugs in it. They towed that car away, but we got ours back! Both girls were arrested, but we have no idea what will happen to them, and I feel pretty certain that they probably didn't steal the cars.
Everything that we had in the car was gone including the DVD system, our garage door opener, clothes, a rolling cooler, the boys' booster seats and some other small items. Thankfully the registration and insurance information was still in the glove compartment.
Yesterday we had an alarm system installed in our house. I did sleep a little better last night, but I will never feel as safe as I once did in our home.

We are so thankful that it was just a car that was stolen...they could have broken into our house or someone could have been hurt or worse!
Y'all don't forget to lock ALL of your doors! It is a crazy world out there!!!

18 comments:

Tara said...

Oh this just makes me so mad to read! Happy no one was hurt and nothing else was taken but people just have NO respect for others or the property of others. I hope they get in some serious trouble but I'm sure it will be a slap on the wrist and they'll be out doing it again.

Glad you got the alarm system. We've always had one and it makes me feel so much better!

Henley on the Horn said...

I am so sorry. That is awful. I will never understand why people steal. I'm glad you're safe!

Lakeshore Cottage Living said...

I am so sorry this happened to you....it leaves an aweful feeling I know...

Sounds like you are taking all the right steps...so you will be just fine!

Now it is time to think happy thoughts and get ready for your daughter to come...soon!

Mommy said...

Ummmm...WOW. That is scary! Glad you guys are OK. Stay safe--you can never be too careful.

Anonymous said...

So sorry that this happened to you - it is so scary to think about. Prayers going out to you guys:)

Ashley

Anonymous said...

I am soooo sorry that happened to you! So very scary! I would never be able to sit in that car again! You are very brave.

teg said...

I am so happy to hear that you are all okay and that you got your car back. You know Todd had similar troubles (many) in the past year with break-ins. It's crazy. I don't know if you read my blog post from a while ago about how I went to my friend's house to dog sit (at night, in the dark) and the door was WIDE opened. I made Emma (the fierce dog I was there to care for) go through the entire house with me to check for predators. I was scared to death.
Anyway, glad you're okay and hope to see you very soon for Tar Heel football! xoxo

Jodee said...

Holy moly! How scary! It must be a jeep thing. My uncle's jeep has been stolen three times. He always gets it back though.

So glad you got an alarm system. Have a great weekend!

Stephanie @ dirtandlace.com said...

I still can't believe you got it back. I hear so many stories of cars getting stolen and then they immediately take them somewhere and strip them apart and sell the parts. I thought for sure that's what would happen. What a miracle! But I agree, it's scary that it can happen, anywhere, in any neighborhood. Sometimes I have to remind myself that even in a quiet, "safe" neighborhood like my own, things like this happen all the time and I can't let my guard down.

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

That is so scary.....I am glad that you are all okay and no one entered the house!! The new alarm system should make you rest easy!

Have a great weekend!

Lisa

Jo said...

This does sound like a story on the 6 pm news! I'm glad no one was hurt and that you have your jeep back. \

Jo

Natalie said...

I'm so sorry you had to go through that awful experience. I am so glad that noone was hurt though and that they didn't enter the house.
I'm glad you've gotten an alarm. That should make everyone feel better.
Prayers going your way.

Over-Caffeinated said...

That happened to my SIL one time and she ended up selling the car because she couldn't feel like it was "hers" anymore. Ugh! It's so WRONG on so many levels to violate people like that. I am so sorry that this happened to you, particularly now when your heart and mind are focused on something so positive.

Heather said...

I am sorry this happened to you! How crazy!!! I am glad you have an alarm system on your house now. It does seem like there's been more crime recently wtih the economy and everything. It is scary.

findingourdaughter said...

Oh my gosh, I would be scared to death! Praying for your family! I'm glad you got your car back!
Hugs and God bless!

Barb said...

So sorry this happened! I would be totally freaked out too . . . thinking about the garage remote !

Marci @All Things Wonderful said...

I am so sorry that happened to you. That is so scary. So happy that they found your Jeep! We have an alarm and it makes me feel very safe. Take Care.

3 Peanuts said...

Oh I am so sorry that this happened to you. Glad you got it back but I know it must have ben so unsettling!

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