Attempted burglary on our appartment

In the middle of all the stresses of arranging US visas, repairing our appartment so it can be rented out, sorting out the shipping of our stuff State-side and general day-to-day chores…

Sofia and I were almost burgled over the weekend.

We went to leave the apartment and noticed that someone had tampered with the frame on the external door. Just below the main lock, someone had clearly tried to lever the door open with some kind of implement. Their actions had left a dent in the woodwork and exposed bare wood through the painted finish on the frame and door.

It happened within a two hour window because the (very noticeable) signs were not there when we opened the door a few hours earlier.

But what’s really shook us up a little was that we were home at the time and from the markings on the door/frame a sharp object, probably a bradawl, was used.

My guess is as they got to work they realised we were at home and aborted. But if they had got in and then found us at home… clearly the thought of someone entering our home with a sharp implement in their hand is a bit concerning.

We heard nothing – which is curious because we often hear our neighbours coming and going, and thus I would have assumed that we’d here someone up against our door.

Now, I need to be mindful of the fact that my mum reads my blog (bless her, it’s about the only way she finds out what I’m up to these days!). Mum: Sofia and I are ok, and we’re going to be boosting the already plentiful security in the apartment over the coming days. So please don’t worry.

(Do forgive me if I don’t go into the details of the existing and forthcoming security features of our home)

I think we’ve got over the initial shock, and of course we’re only here for a couple of months before we vacate for Amercia.

But in the 3.5 years we’ve lived in our apartment this is, at least as far as we know, the first burglary attempt on our home. It’s a strange feeling – clearly nothing actually happened, yet the sense of near-violation of our personal space and possible “what-ifs” with regard to the sharp object still float around in the back of my mind.

Back to reality with a bang, I guess.