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It was almost 1 a.m. on a Friday in February and I was pulling into
my driveway. It was dark outside, but my duplex was well-lit against
the night sky. The living room lights shone through the window and
the small outside light chased the bugs away from the door.
I haphazardly parked my car in the driveway because my roommate was
already out of town for the weekend. It was her absence that
prompted me to leave on the interior and exterior lights, and even
the television.
Walking to the door with my dog, Copper, nothing seemed out of the
ordinary. I unlocked the deadbolt and entered. As I walked towards
my bedroom at the back of the house I noticed something funny. Our
back door had been forced open and was sitting sideways in its
frame. Scared that someone was still inside the house, I took a
quick peek inside my bedroom and immediately noticed my laptop was
missing and my window was broken.
Running to the phone, I dialed 911. I told the dispatcher my name,
address, what happened and ran back to the safety of my car with
Copper.
I answered the dispatcher's questions, but all I could ask myself
was how did this happen to me? I did everything right. I left the
lights and TV on and deadbolted the door.
When the police arrived, they informed me that this crime was not
uncommon in my neighborhood. Apparently, a group of teens was
believed to be responsible for several break-ins over the December
holidays. Our leasing company even offered free alarm systems, but
my roommate and I never took the time to fill out the simple
paperwork that would have prevented so much trouble.
In 2003, there were 1,090 reported burglaries in Athens-Clarke
County. Of these, approximately ten percent occurred when students
were on spring, fall or holiday breaks. I happened to be a victim on
a random Thursday night, which just shows that break-ins can occur
at any time.
After the police responded to my call, I called my parents and told
them the situation. When they arrived in Athens, they came to my
apartment and surveyed the damage. The door and window had already
been fixed. The black dust the police used to collect fingerprints
coated my room for everyone to see; it was a big, black dusty
reminder that I never wanted this to happen again.
At dinner that evening, my mom revealed to me that I did not have
renters insurance; she assumed my possessions would be covered under
my parents' homeowner's insurance policy. Some policies cover
on-campus housing. Ask your parents if you are covered. If not,
renter's insurance is available; average policies are less than $150
a year.
Renter's insurance is good for other reasons too, not just
burglaries. Damages caused by floods, fires and other hazards are
also covered. Armed with renter's insurance and a new alarm system,
I now know that crime can, and does, strike anywhere.
There are easy ways to keep your ass from getting robbed:
- Automatic timers - Place lights
and a radio or TV on timers to turn on at dusk and off at bedtime
to give the illusion that someone is home; timers start at $7.
- Door and window alarms - Easy to
use and install, these alarms chime when doors and windows are
opened. Window alarms start at $5 and door alarms start at $20;
available at home improvement stores.
- Security systems - Check with
your property manager before installation.
This
article is published in the 2004 spring issue of The Informer.
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