I've been reading these forums for quite some time, but have only recently become active in some of the discussions. I read a few months back about the need for collectible insurance. I thought about it for awhile as my collection of Harbour Lights and other pieces were rapidly growing, but did nothing about it. I live in California, in fact, right next to a fault line. We're known for our 4.0 earthquakes but not much more. I've never had anything fall off a wall or break. So I put it off. Well, about a month ago my apartment was broken into. I was in the process of moving so things were getting boxed up. I wasn't in a hurry so I would take a few thing at a time. You see, I live in a small town where nothing happens as they do in the big cities like Los Angeles. There's not much crime here. People move here to get away from that. I became very complacent. Anyway, part of my collection (about 60 pieces) of Harbour Lights was sitting on my kitchen
table. The thieves had broke in through the bathroom window and helped themselves to what they wanted. They had to move my kitchen table to get the TV out the back door. Fortunately the thieves didn't realize the value of my collection. They didn't take or break one Harbour Light. I even had my CH1 and gold plated ST George sitting on it. I still lost alot in that, but a TV or stereo can easily be replaced. A month has passed and I'm just getting over the anger I've been feeling. In a way, though, I was very lucky. The time spent, the money, the memories, could have been destroyed in just one night. If your thinking about getting collectible insurance or even haven't thought about it. GET IT! I never thought this would happen to me in this town...but it did. I was very lucky. It could have been a lot worse.

Jeff, I`m glad for you and yours that it was not worse. I think it could happen anyplace, at anytime, to anyone. The worse has to be the feeling of having your personal space violated. Its good you still have your HL "treasures".


terry

You were blessed that they didn't break any of your HLs. So many times, thieves are no respector of where they are and smash and junk up trying to find goods that they can hock or use....from the articles I have read about getting robbed, your anger is normal. You are right, so many things can be replaced, but without a rider or collectible insurance, you'd be paying out again.....thanks for the reminder.....

By the by, think you will ever know who the thieves were?
Derith

Sorry to hear about being robbed. Glad that your HL's came through unharmed... More glad that YOU weren't harmed. Most people that have no respect for property also have no respect for life. A downfall of our present society IMHO. I too am from a small town... where you never locked your doors and didn't think twice about it when leaving the house for a day or two.... Times have changed...

While on vacation in 1990, our van was broken into and we lost EVERYTHING in the van. Yes, it makes you very angry. I too felt violated. There were things stolen that could never be replaced. To this day, I have never cried about the loss of these items because I felt fortunate that noone in my family was harmed. If we had come upon the crime in progress we all could have been killed. Fortunately our homeowners and auto insurance covered the loss, but there was untold aggravation in replacing all the stuff.
I am sorry for your loss but I am grateful that you were not harmed. People will kill you for a dime.

chris g

Derith- After thirty days, I'll probably never see my stuff again. It was probably a neighbor, and I have my suspicions about who did it, but I have no proof. I'll let the police handle it.

Jeff,
Glad to hear they didn't take your collection! You were "lucky" in that respect! If they only knew what they had left behind! I had two Nausets "shipped" that never showed up at my doorstep a few years ago. I did get my purchase price back, but they were worth more than what I paid for them! So, I have to think they were stolen from someone in the mail system. I also have a gold Cape St. George and have no idea how it would ever get replaced if it was ever taken.
(Can't get that replaced from insurance money!) Thanks for the information, it can happen to anyone!

Sorry to hear about your loss, Jeff. Your feeling that a neighbor might have been involved may be true. Your thief may have known your whereabouts at a certain time and what you have in your home. This gives him or her opportunity.

Most B&E's are performed by drug users to support their habit. They will usually ransack a place looking for whatever they can steal and get money for. A common thief would have no idea what HL's are worth, unless he or she was a collector of some sort. Instead they look for easliy sold items like stereo equipment, CD's, DVD's, camera equipment, jewelry, etc.

Sometimes a person will steal out of revenge or jealously. You have something they don't and they want it. Usually they aren't too considerate and will do malicious destruction in your home instead of just taking what they want. I'm sure the local Police have their suspicions regarding the perpetrator of the crime. Proving it can be tough. The only good out of this is the stuff that was stolen is replaceable. Pay a visit to your area's local pawn shops to see if any of your stuff ended up there. If you see anything, notify your local police immediately.

Bob