[NPInfo] off topic-home invasion

Tue Sep 18 18:56:52 PDT 2007

I have never heard of anyone asking at the door to check their demeanor, but that alone would make me slam the door. As I mentioned I have had people come up to sell magazines, and whether they are still doing this now, I do not think they should be. It is not safe, for them or the homeowners. I just do not think anyone should be approaching people at the door anymore. I have noticed that my dogs have learned really quick that if the pizza guy comes, they do not even bark. They can smell the pizza and assume that the guy must be nice. I worry about my dogs as many people dont care about dogs and will lure them out with poison. I just will not answer the door if someone is supposedly trying to sell something. I do agree that a home security system is the best, they are just so expensive, and they want you to sign on for 3 years, which if you are not sure you are keeping the house can be a bit steep for those of us not rich. I think having some kind of panic button is a great
 idea, but it probably is tied in with the entire security system if it notifys the police station. A very good idea if you live in a nice house, or even not a nice house but a woman alone, coming home at night. Carla

Paula Sumner <nurse_healer at yahoo.com> wrote:  i think it is hard to remain vigilent 24 hrs a day, esp when you are in your own home-you just get too comfy and let your guard down. Heck, i am guilty of this.
paula

stephanie2u at optonline.net wrote:
This is a well known modus operandi. One person at the door distracts the homeowner while the confederates are going around to get access to the house. 

I agree with Jeff that she could have avoided a lot of trauma and loss (& potentially being in jail for committing homicide) by being more knowledgeable about safety. This isn't to judge her. But there's a lot of information out there about protecting yourself. We can all learn from her story, too. 

If you have a nice home, belongings worth protecting, or anything else that makes you an attractive target, a home security system will serve you better than a firearm. 

A long time ago I read a helpful paperback written by someone with police background that covered what he considered essential self-protection info for women especially. I think it was called Street Smart. It was a quick read. Whatever it was called, I recommend it ;)

Stephanie Walker, FNP

----- Original Message -----
From: elda wilson 
Date: Monday, September 17, 2007 4:01 pm
Subject: RE: [NPInfo] off topic-home invasion
To: NP Info 

> Carla,
> > That is terrifying. I wonder if the woman at the
> door was just to see if she was at home alone. I also
> wonder why someone would ask a complete stranger for a
> letter about their demeanor? Do you have any insight? 
> 
> Ella
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: npinfo-bounces at nurse.net
> > [mailto:npinfo-bounces at nurse.net] On Behalf
> > Of Paula Sumner
> > Sent: Sunday, September 16, 2007 8:24 PM
> > To: npinfo at nurse.net
> > Subject: [NPInfo] off topic-home invasion
> > 
> > A nurse anesthetist colleague of mine who lives in
> > Calif just experienced a
> > home invasion, and here is her story to me. We have
> > had some car breakins a
> > few weeks ago, now I am more vigilent to strangers,
> > but it is so easy to let
> > your guard down. paula
> > 
> > I wanted you to know-- how last week started out for
> > me.
> > I came home from work and parked in the driveway. I
> > had electronically
> > opened the garage door to get into the house, but as
> > I was walking I saw
> > someone in my peripheral vision. I looked and didn't
> > know the person, but
> > no big deal.
> > I closed the door, no sooner put my purse down when
> > there was someone
> > knocking on the door.. strange, because I have a
> > doorbell and a knocker,
> > but this was a hand knock. Like a jackass, even
> > though I had just seen a
> > stranger I answered the door. It was a young lady
> > that told me she was not
> > asking for donations, but could I just listen for a
> > few minutes. Before I
> > could answer, she said do you believe people can
> > change and I said of
> > course. She told me she was changing her life and
> > was working door to door
> > to have people write a brief sentence related to her
> > demeanor. THEN she
> > also said she would appreciate if I would buy some
> > magazines.
> > Ok- so at this point, I think-- ok, I can rid of her
> > quick if I just buy a
> > subscription. My husband just asked me if I renewed
> > his GQ, so I told her
> > ok-- I have to do this quick as I just walked in the
> > door and I have an
> > appointment to make. I gave her the check and off
> > she went.
> > The first thing I do when I get home from work is
> > take off my scrubs if I
> > didn't bother to change at the hosptial. I figured,
> > I would go out and take
> > a swim for exercise because it was hot. The whole
> > back of my house is
> > glass. I have a very private yard with a high fence
> > and high hedges that
> > border the street aspect of the fence.
> > As I was putting on my swimsuit.... I noticed
> > movement in the yard, but
> > didn't see anything. The dogs and I went out to the
> > pool. They sit or run
> > around the pool while I swim. They bark at squirrels
> > in the yard, so while
> > I am swimming I didn't pay attention. They were
> > barking so much that I
> > looked up and they were running towards the bedroom
> > french doors which I had
> > left open.... I said oh chit-- maybe a squirrel or
> > bird got in. What was
> > weird was they stopped and were barking their
> > something is wrong bark.
> > I got out of the pool, wrapped the towel around me
> > and the dogs ran to me
> > and followed me in. I went into the bathroom and was
> > stripping off the
> > suit. I was bending over and adjusting a towel
> > around my hair, when I
> > looked up there was a man staring at me as I looked
> > in the mirror.
> > I quickly turned around and he said, we can do this
> > the soft and easy or we
> > can do it hard and rough just like Ike and Tina. He
> > said I ain't gonna hurt
> > you, but you rich folks gotta share the wealth, ya
> > dig?
> > He said, there is a van outside and I want you to
> > open the door and let my
> > boys in. You are gonna then sit down and shut the F
> > up. You will talk only
> > when I give you permission to do so, and you first
> > better shut these g G-d
> > dogs up otherwise I am going to shoot them.... and
> > he took a gun out of his
> > waste band.
> > Three men and the girl came in the house and they
> > said we were all going to
> > take inventory and proceed with a shopping spree.
> > First, two took me to the
> > closets while two stayed and watch the front of the
> > house. They wanted
> > designer clothes, they said they knew my husband had
> > nice suits as they had
> > been watching our coming and goings for weeks. Paul
> > (hubby) is not working
> > as he was laid off, but he goes to job interviews.
> > They took most of his
> > suits, shoes and other clothes. They did the same
> > with my closet. They
> > put them in these rolling bins... so if the
> > neighbors saw it would look like
> > construction or maybe homecleaning service.
> > I have a panic button near the bed. No one knows
> > what it is, for exactly
> > this type of reason. It brings my local police in a
> > few minutes. I was
> > hoping I could either get there or two the office to
> > open the draw to get my
> > desert eagle 757
> > So they were looking in the drawers, throwing stuff
> > around, taking paintings
> > off the wall looking for a safe,. etc. When they
> > were looking for jewelry,
> > they found the four four foot tall box that has all
> > the little drawers in it
> > and he told me to sit on the bed and not move. As
> > his back was turned
> > and he was squatting down throwing stuff into a bag,
> > I slowly reached back
> > and pushed the panic button.
> > The cops came and when he heard the ruckus at the
> > other end of the house and
> > cops were surrounding the house. He grabbed me by
> > the hair, dragged me and
> > pushed me through a plate glass floor to ceiling
> > window and he took off
> > through the back yard, jumoed the fence and
> > sprinted.
> > I am ok, just rattled..... sore, bruised a few cuts
> > and a medial meniscal
> > tear and high blood pressure.
> > What a mess!
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Paula J. Sumner RN, MSN, HTP, CHt
> > Healing Touch, Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom
> > Technique, Reiki-2
> > 3500 Westgate Dr., Suite 504-G
> > Durham, NC 27707 (now Carborro too.)
> > 919-490-4656, 8#
> > 
> > http://paulajsumner.byregion.net Referral
> > ID#10102918
> > 
> >
> http://www.justanswer.com/home.asp?r=HolisticNurse&bn=2
> > 
> > http://www.letstalkcounseling.com/sites/paulasumner
> > 
> === message truncated ===
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Paula J. Sumner RN, MSN, HTP, CHt
Healing Touch, Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique, Reiki-2
3500 Westgate Dr., Suite 504-G
Durham, NC 27707 (now Carborro too.)
919-490-4656, 8#

http://paulajsumner.byregion.net Referral ID#10102918

http://www.justanswer.com/home.asp?r=HolisticNurse&bn=2

http://www.letstalkcounseling.com/sites/paulasumner

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Carla R. Anderson, FNP-C
  Healing Presence Family Practice, PC  
  carla_rayne at yahoo.com
  503 819 9726