I carpooled with my mom to work yesterday. I usually leave my car in the grass when she drives, but since we had had so much rain, she asked me to park on the street. We left early from work because it was so slow and as we drove into the carport, I saw the door was completely open. The frame was splintered into a jagged hinge, and there was a huge muddy boot-print on the door. I also noticed standing water on the patio beside the house. As my mom talked to the 911 operator, she slowly pulled us out of the driveway and we parked by my car. I remembered that Leah had come by to check on the dog (who was at work with us) earlier that afternoon, so I dialed 411 to get her at work and ask specifically when that was. She was really freaked out when I told her the house had been broken into. I figured it happened after she came by, and after the mail had come, because there was still mail in the box.

My theory is that some stoned teens tried to jimmy the door, got frustrated by the deadbolt and gave up, but were able to kick the door in after a couple of tries. They really cased the place. Work-gloves were pulled out of their drawer, DVD cases were tossed on the living room floor. Our "antique" piggy-bank (it's a rip-off) was torn apart, with the base on one side of the living room, the barrel on another, and the ringmaster on the other. The bedroom mattresses had been completely upturned, and the firebox broken into. Before they left, they made sure to stop up the kitchen sink with a rag and turn it on full blast. The dining room carpet was flooded, and squished when you stepped on it. They left a quarter-eaten apple by a file cabinet in the living room, and we know it was a guy because he left the toilet seat up.

The thing is, they didn't take much. They took a credit card, the digital camera and port we gave Mom last Christmas, my dad's class ring, a necklace my aunt had given Mom on her wedding day, and $15 worth of quarters. At least, that's all we have figured out so far. I wonder if my car had been in the grass, would this still have happened? One of the cops said they might have broken into the car as well, but you never know.

I had to call a water damage company to come deal with the carpet, and they didn't get by until 11pm. Luckily, we have a friend who was able to come by and fix the doorframe, and she stayed with my mom until my dad got home.

I'm glad they didn't take more, but it was freaky nonetheless. It is so cruel, invasive and somewhat violent. I did joke - they left the main bathroom untouched, and left the books on bookshelves alone. I told my mom now we know to hide valuables in the bathroom. She said - yeah, we'll put it in a tampon box and they won't bother it!

Anyway, that's what I had to deal with last night. Fun!
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