Being and feeling safe is probably one of the most important things that all of us want in our home. Knowing that somebody who you don’t know has been in your house and knows where you live may bring significant fear to many of us. However, would you start to feel unsafe because of your teenage niece?
One Reddit user recently shared a story of how she called the police on her niece after she broke into her home, stole valuables and refused to return them as promised. The woman got scolded by her family for not warning her sister right before making a police report.
More info: Reddit
Everybody knows that when you steal something valuable, there will most likely be police involved and consequences
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
Woman shares that one day she noticed her patio door was unlocked, so she and her fiance decided to put cameras in the house
Image credits: David Gomes (not the actual photo)
One day they were out of the house, and upon returning and noticing one lock was unlocked, they decided to check the cameras, where they saw her niece with two friends breaking in
Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual photo)
They stole quite a few expensive things, so the woman called her sister explaining what happened and told her that she had 2 days to give everything back or she would call the police
Image credits: u/Odd_Masterpiece_7543
Well, days passed and nothing happened, so she called the police, filed the report and ended up being scolded by her mom and sister
Recently a Reddit user shared her story seeking to hear community members’ opinions on whether she was in fact being a jerk for calling the police on her teenage niece who broke into her house with 2 friends to steal valuable things, and not telling her sister beforehand. The post received a lot of attention and collected over 11K upvotes and 2.3K comments.
The original poster (OP) starts her story by sharing that she has a 16-year-old niece, who recently started stealing. Now, a couple weeks ago, she noticed that the patio door was unlocked, whereas she always makes sure to lock all of her doors, so her fiancé suggested installing cameras in the house. And it's a good thing they did, as 2 weeks later they were out of the house all day and noticed that one lock was unlocked.
After checking the cameras, it was clear that it was her niece with 2 guys who took money from OP’s purse, two of her fiance's Rolex watches and her grandmother’s wedding ring. OP immediately called her sister, explained the situation and instructed her that if in 2 days her niece hadn’t returned everything, she would call the police.
Well, as you may guess, days passed and nothing happened, so OP went to the police, showed the video and filed a report. Later on, she received a call from her sister screaming and crying that she should have warned her. The whole situation caused great family drama, with OP getting threats from her sister’s husband, being scolded by her mom and not feeling safe in her own home anymore.
Community members supported the woman in this situation and suggested a few solutions to ensure her safety. “I’d hire a security/alarm service that triggers when people move in the house (you turn it off when you are in),” one user wrote. “Get a restraining order on them. In fact, send the video to the whole family + extended family and let everyone know what happened before they mar your reputation as well as warning them to bar your niece from their homes,” another added.
Image credits: Peter Boccia (not the actual photo)
As it was mentioned before, feeling safe at home is one of the most important aspects that may help us to really relax and not be worried when we are chilling in our own house. The OP mentioned that after having her house broken into, she was feeling unsafe due to worrying that the intruders would come back, or worrying that something else was gone, and people in the comments were discussing various solutions.
Additionally, Safewise shared a few ways you can increase your safety at home. Firstly, brighten your surroundings so you feel less vulnerable - install all energy-efficient bulbs in your outside lights or/and get outdoor lights with sensors. Secondly, close your blinds and curtains as it gets dark - even if you can’t see people outside, they can.
The following one is probably well known for many and associated with horror movies - creaks and groans. On that note, find the sources of these noises and take care of them. And, of course, use a security system. You can feel safer by increasing your actual safety with the aid of a well-installed and configured security system.
Also, when it comes to safety, you can never be too careful - according to Gallup, 40% of Americans noted that they would be afraid to walk alone at night within a mile of their home, the highest number in three decades. Additionally, 44% of USA adults actually worry about their home being burglarized when they aren’t there.
So, guys, invest in your safety, because unfortunately, you never know, so it’s better to always be safe! And speaking about the story - what are your thoughts about it? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Redditors backed up the woman and suggested solutions
