(no subject)

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

About quarter to 3 this morning, I was awakened to the sound of breaking glass...LOTS of breaking glass. Got up to investigate, and found a very apologetic fellow in khakis & a Red Sox hat apologizing for breaking my kitchen window (it's on a level w/the driveway, since I live in a "garden" apartment), claiming he was with the fire department, although the exact nature of why he was there seemed to shift as time went on, from thinking there might be a fire to "well, firefighters are all family, and we take care of each other". (Keep in mind he was alone this entire time, not wearing a uniform, and there was no sign of FD vehicles anywhere.) Yes, really. I did finally let him in (my roommate was also home, and woke up briefly), and he did clean up most of the glass in the window/in the sink/on the kitchen counters, although I did a much better job of sweeping than he did; and he kept apologizing and saying that it would all be taken care of, not to worry, etc., and even gave me his name and cell phone number (Jay Blune, I believe--does this ring a bell w/anyone?). I suspect he may have been drunk/on drugs/something, as he was rather red-eyed and not completely on the ball, but I'm not 100% sure. Anyway, I was up until nearly 5 cleaning up, and then tried to go back to sleep for a little while (not very successfully), and am now in the process of trying to contact my landlord, etc., as I don't dare leave until the window is at least well boarded up (right now, there's a large contractor's trash bag taped over the window, which is really only good for helping keep some of the cold out).

I'd call the fire dept./police/311, except I'm kind of nervous about the whole business--is this guy really in the FD? Was he trying to "pay back" someone and ended up at the wrong house? Do I need to worry about retaliation from anyone in city government/services? Was this just some random drunk/stoned guy who just happened to pick my window to smash, and came up w/a story off the top of his head? WTF is going on?!? Help...

Comments

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Yes, you need to call the police. It is extremely unlikely he's affiliated with the fire department, and even if he is, "taking care of our own" doesn't extend to B&E attempts.

[library-sexy.livejournal.com]

You need to report this, no question.

So sorry it happened. No one needs to be woken up at 3am to broken glass.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

OK, I just did, and they're sending someone over right now. Of course, they wanted to know why I didn't call right then, and of course, I didn't really have a good explanation other than worrying that he WAS with the FD and I was setting myself up for some kind of retaliation, which sounds stupid as hell now, but made sense at 3 this morning...

[desiringsubject.livejournal.com]

Don't beat yourself up over your logical reasoning at 3AM. Few of us are at our best at that time. On the other hand, I wouldn't tell the police that you were afraid of retaliation, because I doubt police like the implication that they are bad/ corrupt/ etc. Just say that you were buying his story because it was 3AM and in the light of day you realized it was ridiculous.

Perhaps he tried to break in...

[nvidia99999.livejournal.com]

And something went wrong... Creepy. Definitely report it...

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

OK, so the police have been here, I've spoken to a detective on the phone, and while I don't want to say anything quite yet, it's looking as if this might actually not be a real B&E...at least, not one w/bad intent. I'll say more later, but I may not have been quite as stupid as I was afraid I was when I first posted.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

at least, not one w/bad intent

Does that actually matter? I am genuinely curious, and not snarking.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

They're used to people being intimidated at 3am. Just tell them exactly what happened as you remember it and you'll be fine.

[ron_newman]

Do say more when you can. This hardly sounds like ordinary behavior by the fire department.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Jesus Christ, the guy's lucky I wasn't still living there. I had a big freakin' hiking stick in my room at that time and would have been likely to use it on an asshole who broke the window at 3am.

Though it does sound to me like this guy was just a drunken idiot who was probably embarrassed as all hell and tried to make up a cover story.

Do yourself a favor, hon: no matter WHO they say they are, DO NOT let anyone into your apartment at 3am who you don't know. Not unless it's a cop who can show you his or her badge and would be willing to wait for you to call the PD and verify the badge number before opening the door.

[firstfrost.livejournal.com]

Well, intent matters as far as whether it's a crime or not, or what sort of crime it is. If I break your window because I'm a real fireman and I have to get to the real fire in your house, it's not a crime at all. Obviously that's not the case here. If I'm a real fireman and I got the address wrong? That's probably a mistake rather than a crime. If I'm a sleepwalking fireman who only *thinks* there's a fire? Um, I don't know about that one, but it's probably at least not attempted burglary.

[miss-lisa-ma.livejournal.com]

What badseed1980 said. And if you like, I'd be happy to buy you a nice, shiny, hefty baseball bat for...oh...the equinox...or St. Pat's Day...Evacuation Day...the anniversary of the break-in at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum...

[redcolumbine.livejournal.com]

Even if he is in the fire department, he should be in the FIRED department after a stunt like that. Even the union will disassociate itself from someone who pulls a stunt like that. (I hope.) I agree with badseed1980 - stranger in the house, get the phone, dial 911, don't listen to their story.

I'm no longer upset with my landlord for putting in such tiny windows that I couldn't use them for fire exits.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Consider getting an FID card, getting trained on pepper spray, and buying some.

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

don't need a FID if have a bottle of sriracha sauce handy!

#

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

SO DUDES, if someone you don't know breaks your windows at 3am in the morning, the very first thing you do is call 911 and report a breakin/robbery. then depending, i'd call someone ELSE and tell them, and have them call 911 as well, and/or wake up the house.

i've seen a number of posts lately all the over the place, where a lot of drunk/stoned people attempt to get into the wrong house, and it's mostly comical AFTER the fact. during? any number of stupid things could've happened.

best of luck with the resolution on this one.

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[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

ok, color me curious -- why do all your posts end with a single "#" on a line by itself?

[tisana.livejournal.com]

Not as easily aimed, though.

[fangirl715.livejournal.com]

A pat on the back to everyone who said "drunk/stoned guy"--it's not cast in bronze yet, but that's what it's looking like. The name & cell phone number the guy gave me checked out when the SPD gave him a call, and so far it seems that this guy was out drinking at the Burren and may have had something slipped in his drink/had a drug reaction; somehow he ended up in someone else's car by morning, but apparently hit my place (quite literally) on the way there, and doesn't really remember anything he said or did. (Apparently it was the chemicals talking when he was yammering about the FD; FWIW, he does have a clean record as far as the SPD is concerned.) He'll be stopping by the station to give them a sworn statement, and is, according to the detective who told me all this, "totally mortified". (You think?) They'll have me stop on by to ID him and, if it pans out the way they believe it will, get a copy of his sworn statement and make sure to put him in touch w/the landcritters to reimburse them for the cost of the window. (Rose has been by to get the metal window frame out and is in the process of having new windows made & installed later this afternoon. I have also strongly recommended bars on the windows as well, but we shall see.)

Yes, I should have called 911 right away, and I'll definitely do that if (God forbid) the need arises, but you're just not thinking straight at 2:45 a.m. when you've been woken out of a dead sleep by the sound of breaking glass, and your immediate thought is making sure to get it all cleaned up before the cat or any of the humans get hurt. My roommate was also awake, got a good look at the guy, and was staying alert in his room just in case. And yes, a baseball bat/FID card/pepper spray might all be a Very Good Idea--how do I go about getting the latter 2?

...and the moral of the story, as of right now, appears to be "God looks after fools, drunks and little children"--one amnesiac drunk and one half-awake idiot, coming up... *sigh*

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

consider it a marinade :)

#

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

it's like my signature, and it's a habit from writing code.

"end of line"

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[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

sounds like this DUDE needs to evaluate his friends and/or where he drinks.

#

Coming in late...

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

Oh god, honey, I'm glad that you're ok. I'm glad that it wasn't worse and also that you weren't alone.

::glass-free hugs::

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

Well, thank goodness for that.

The least that should happen to this guy (IMO) is that he pay for the damages plus something extra for scaring the hell out of you, that the probation department watches him for a year or so, and that he gets help with his drinking problem before he gets in bigger trouble.

[gwodder.livejournal.com]

...in the future, do not let this man into your house.

[agharta75.livejournal.com]

The Universal Hub commenters are far less charitable, and they're right. He broke in to steal something and was trying to stall you. Be sure to press charges.

[ludimagist.livejournal.com]

And yes, a baseball bat/FID card/pepper spray might all be a Very Good Idea--how do I go about getting the latter 2?

This is the form you need to apply for an FID card, which I believe in this state you also need for mace:

http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/chsb/frb_fid_lic_app.pdf

This organization has a very good reputation as far as training:

http://www.aware.org/

In terms of general self defense and safety training, I highly recommend this organization. In full disclosure, I work for them:

http://www.impactboston.com/

[miss-lisa-ma.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, as I have discovered after getting my own, there is no mandated civilian training in Massachusetts for chemical spray use. Still, it's better than nuthin', especially if there's somewhere you can go to practice using it.

[adaptively.livejournal.com]

My heavy steel cattle castrators is up for borrowing if the OP needs something really intimidating. :V

[ron_newman]

Link to this Universal Hub item

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

On the bright side, she's finally getting off her ass to have that window replaced! It's needed it for years!

[duffless2323.livejournal.com]

Seriously dude....I can't believe it took this many people to determine that the real point of this story is DO NOT LET PEOPLE IN YOUR HOUSE.

I understand not thinking correctly that time of night, but if you get one take away from this is BE LESS TRUSTING!!!!

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

Jeez, Hon--so sorry you had to deal with this. Yikes! *Glad* you are ok!

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

And to top it all off.....your roommate was so helpful he immediately returned to to his room, but 'stayed alert'?
Remind me not to call him in an emergency!