Monday, August 16, 2010

Thieves, Burglars, Stealers...how should we call these people?!


I googled this photo! Isn't it beautifulll? My kittens are here!


No, no, don't worry, no one has stolen our cats or kittens, yet, directly! 2 beautiful kittens went missing and we never saw them again...somebody must have 'taken' them home.

This is the story of our family's experience with different types of thieves through the years!


Is he looking scary enough? (googled photo!)


1. The thief who ran away with my treasures in our ration bag!


This happened around 1975! After my marriage, we were staying in a very old house, just two houses next to the Nungambakkam Police station in Chennai. I was working and on one Saturday morning I had left the house at about 7.30 am and my husband locked the house and left for work at around 9.30 am. When I came back home at 1.30 pm (half-a-day working day on Saturdays), the grill in the window (just plain straight rods and not very thick) next to our main door was bent nicely into a huge hole. We could have locked the inside room doors but we never did that (we were young, you know! I must remember this when youngsters make mistakes!). I went inside and noticed that my 5 Kg. rice bag which was kept in the kitchen was not there. The rice was lying scattered on the floor! Then I noticed that my 2 wedding sarees, some nice silver things which were given to me in my wedding (we had kept only that much in a suitcase at home!) etc. were missing. The thief must have put the things in the rice bag and absconded.

We complained to the police...


2. The thief who went off with my precious transistor in a bicycle looking back at me (with a smile?!):

When this happened, we lived in a three room ground floor house. The time must have been mid-morning. I was chatting with my neighbour in the second room (the rooms were in a straight line!). We noticed some movement in the front room, came out and saw no one there. We went out near the gate and looked out...we saw a man with something in his hand going on a bicycle...he looked back at me too! I and my neighbour came back and noticed that my transistor radio which I used to keep in an open shelf near the front door was missing and slowly it dawned in my mind that the thief was holding it in his hand when I saw him!

If I had shouted somebody would have stopped his bicycle!


3. Motorbike thief:

One night we heard some sound outside our house! We noticed in the morning that my husband's first Motorbike, a Rajdoot, was gone! My husband 'paid' Rs.500 to the police and he found it in some workshop, completely dismantled! My husband lost interest to claim it, but the policeman was after him...he wanted to make some more money out of this case!

4. Chain Snatcher:

My husband was sleeping near an open window and his chain was snatched at night through the window. He is very sensitive even while sleeping and could feel the hand on his neck. As soon as the chain was 'gone', we woke up immediately and went out and saw no one.

The next day a policeman came to enquire after we complained. He came straight into our hall crossing our dog, Andy, who was sitting on the first doorstep, watching some crows which were sitting on our gate. The policeman heard our story and asked, "thirudan varachche inda periyavar yenna pannindu irundaar? Ippa naa ulle varachche vedikke paaththa maadiri pannaaraa?" (What did this old man do when the thief came inside? Was he watching like he is doing now, when he came too?)! Our Andy barks if he sees someone with a dirty lungi and that person should come in front of his eyesight...this old man will never get up and chase people, that too, if he came in a full pant!

This policeman 'selavukku' (for expenditure!) took Rs.500 and the story was over! My husband named the thief 'Somasundaram', just for fun and we were asked to close the doors and windows to be careful, otherwise Somasundaram would come to steal!


5. Car thief...this one is the top story and so, I have kept it as the last story (we didn't loose anything after that!):

This happened nearly 15-17 years back! My husband had bought a second hand Ambassador car as soon as he started his business. He had a feeling that it was a lucky car and though we had bought a new car afterwards, he kept this car with him. Suddenly one day he decided to repair it and it came home like a brand new car, with nice upholstery, stereo, beautiful interior, A/C etc. We must have used it for 6 months or so.

One day when he came home from his office, he noticed his nephew's car parked just in front of our gate. He left his car behind that car and came in and asked his nephew to park the car a bit further the road. The nephew said that he was just leaving and as it happens always, stood near the door and chatted for 5-10 mts. Then he opened the gate, started to get inside his car and looked behind and asked, "Yenge maama unga car?"(maama, where is your car?). My husband who was standing near the gate peeped out and saw the empty space! The car was gone! My husband had left the key in the ignition and came in, thinking that he would come back immediately to park the car inside the gate!

Immediately some of our neighbours came out and started discussing about what would have happened. One neighbour said that some people with white dhoti and white shirt, who looked like politicians were leaning on our car and chatting. We saw such people standing together, a few feet away and chatting. We went and asked them if they had seen anyone driving our car. They said no.

As usual we complained to the police, gave some money for 'expenditure', but nothing happened.

I was upset about this episode more because a new cello (water bottle) and my favourite 'Guna' film song cassette was inside the car! I quoted this often and later on, it became a big joke in our family circle...Sandhya did not get worried because she lost the beautiful car, but got worried because she lost her 'Guna cassette'!

Now, tell me, have you ever faced these types of thieves in your life?!


Edited to add on 19.08.10: Guna film song which is my favourite!

26 comments :

RGB said...

OMG...You've had quite a few brushes with the burglars! I've not had direct experiences of burglary till date (touch-wood). My mom, once travelling by bus, was pick-pocketed - her handbag was nicely slit and about 1000 & odd bucks whisked away. And the thief managed to get away!

Swaram said...

Baah! The worst thing is the expenditure to be given to these police ppl no!
Sigh! We feel really bad when we lose things given to us on special occasions alva :( Anyway, time heals annadu eshtu nija. Life goes on :)

vimmuuu said...

Nope. never had a theft incident in my life so far and I hope it never occurs too ! :D

LOL @ somasundaram. thats a nice idea to name a thief; benchmarking is simple you see ! :D :D :D

radha said...

Nothing major. Hope it never does. Have been cheated enough number of times.

R. Ramesh said...

baapreee..what experiences!!and the worst thing is feeding the policeman to find the culprit..first v lose our items, then add to the problem by losing more to the cop!!!whaat a situation..

Anonymous said...

Wow! What horrible experiences, Sandhya!

The only comfort is that these are just 'things'. Thankfully,you and your family were not harmed!

Kavita Saharia said...

I hope your kittens are safe and happy in their new home/homes.You have a long list of theft experiences-- the transistor thief rides away with your radio ,that too smiling (lol...please don't mind).You even named one of them 'Somusundaram'...wah
!Poor Andy ,i hope his sentiments were not hurt by policeman's questioning.We had a similar dog who hardly barked. Guna's cassette and the new cello bottle-- very daring haan ! My husband was sad for the opposite reason-the thief who stole our car battery,car tape and two tiers left Yesudas's hits cassette and took the rest.My husband felt that the thief lacked taste.
Interesting post Sandhya.

Sandhya said...

RGB: Recently I read an article about a thief who stole some mobiles, laptops etc. from a house left a note saying that the Pongal (rice and Jaggery dish) which he ate (he took from the fridge!) was superb! Then we started discussing about the thefts we had faced and came this post!

Thank god, he didn't hurt your mother.


Swaram: Yes, Swaram...they don't hesitate to ask for money at all!

I lost the apple shaped silver kumkuma bharani which had beautiful designs on them and was quite heavy. It was given to my mother during her wedding.


Vimmuuu: Yes, vimmuuu!


Radha: Cheating has become part of life, nowadays, Radha!


Ramesh: And no result!


Manju: The chain we lost was given by my mother and the car was sort of a sentimental item and we had spent a lot on it! Yes, even the chain snatcher did not leave even a scratch, just a red mark in the neck!


Kavita: They have settled down happily in their new homes and the children who play with them are also very happy!

We discuss about the thefts often with laughter because everything happened long back!

Andy was just a pampered dog! He used to wag his tail at each and every person who came home...only thing is, they should not wear dirty lungis!

Your husband is right for his opinion about the thief! His taste is bad!

BK Chowla, said...

How is that you have had so many experiences here?

Saritha said...

Ha ha u were more worried for guna cassette....

Once my father brought a kodak camera and reluctantly he gave us when we went to zoo and in the evening when we were returning back and while getting into the bus there was much crowd and as got into the bus i realised my camera is missing from my bag,the conductor was behind me as i was sure he took it.
I asked the driver to take us to the police station that driver said he can't and he made us get down and left.I was very scared to face my father but he didn't say single word and within a month he brought another camera,which i still have.

Anonymous said...

OMG.. thats a lot of thefts..

I have never experienced such thefts... but my last mobile is looted when I was in a crowded shop..

ur dog is so cute... no wonder he is pet to everybody in the locality... did the thief also knows this and came inside without any fear??

'Guna casette'.. lol!!! we care about the things that concerns us even of its value is not that great :)

Anonymous said...

/*nice idea to name a thief; benchmarking is simple you see !*/

the manager inside Vimmuuu... lol!!!

vimmuuu said...

and lol, yes, about the Guna cassette ! thats a major loss !!! :D :D :D :D

Sandhya said...

BK Chowla: Even I wonder about it often! The thieves know that we are dumb people!


Varunavi: Your father knows about his daughter, Sarita that you wouldn't have lost it knowingly!


Kanagu: We have never lost anything else afterwards!

May be...our dog was famous for letting in people if they were wearing pants!

I didn't buy cd or Cassette of that movie after I lost it! I love this song and promptly quote the theft when I watch it in the TV....even before I start the line, my son and husband start 'anda carle poachchu inda cassette, hmmm...'!

This is for you and vimmuuu:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hHq2lYof4U

Don't you think that this is a major loss, vimmuuu, the manager?!

sharada.econtent said...

good post mami, i liked the way u have written about the thief who had stolen your transistor.[The thief who went off with my precious transistor in a bicycle looking back at me (with a smile?!):]

I very well remember the car episode and also you worrying about cello and the cassette!!! ha, ha

Deepa said...

Thats way too many burglaries for one lifetime!!

The mysterious case of the missing brass items:

My parents went through some very peculiar burglaries. About 6 months back, my mother complained that the stem of her 'kutti velakku' (lamp) was missing. They hunted high and low and then gave up hoping it would turn up miraculously. Then a few months later, the rest of the lamp also went missing. Then a brass bell I had got them from Nepal went missing and finally another small brass lamp - which had replaced the kutti velakku - went missing. Who could have taken it? No idea. The usual suspects are the domestic help - it maybe unfair since they have been working in our home for years. But who could it be?

Sandhya said...

Sharu: Maama still talks about that car with some nostalgia and I laugh it off, talking about the missing cello and cassette...it is a big joke now...you know about it!


Deepa: The domestic help might be sincere, but their friends or relatives who visit them once in a while, when they are working at home, might not be innocent...my experience!

R. Ramesh said...

hahah-n no result! true...btw nanri ya.:)

wise donkey said...

i am laughing so hard. amazing encounters but the last definitely was the best:D
i am sorry for laughing because its not easy when you lose something.
really sorry but still the last one was just too much for me:)

you have an additive blog here:)

Anonymous said...

Goodness,Sandhya, those were terrible experiences. And that thief who went off with your transistor looking at you with a smile...what nerve he's got!!

Its truly commendable how you and your husband took all thse unpleasant experiences in your stride and chose to take the fun element out of them.

LOL at the name 'somasundaram' :))

Feels nice to be reading you again :)

Bikramjit Singh Mann said...

you seemed to have quiet a few expereinces with the thiefs he hehee made me laugh tooo

THe police they dont leave any oppurtunity to make some money...

the thief and ration bag he hehe and transistor.. you shud have shouted police would do nothing at least public might have :)

nice pictures he hehehe
on serious note .. Not to worry about theft as long as no one is harmed.. things can be replaced so THANK GOD for that ...

Anonymous said...

That was one of the most delightful reads I've come across in a long long time :-) Expenditure for policemen... that's so disgusting. but thats the way of life, isnt it? And ROFL @ the policeman's comment on the Doggy :-) I was laughing all the way through :-)

Sandhya said...

W.D.: Welcome here, W.D. (Where did you get this name, Wise donkey, feel awkward to address you in that name!) Thank you!

I am happy to know that you enjoyed! We are still laughing while discussing about these incidents! Yes, the last one is the best, for us too!


Bikram: Yes, we have to learn from the policemen, how to make money!

I should have done that, but I noticed about the missing transistor, after I came back inside the house and checked!

That is the reason, I wrote about it so happily!

Sandhya said...

Deepu: I missed you here!

Yes, he had the nerve to look back at me and smile! Did I smile back, I don't remember now!!

Yes, we discuss about this even now and laugh and want others to laugh too...so these experiences turned into a post!

Renu said...

Liked the update on Police..

I saw a unique way of lifting things in Biahr and bengal, they get road with a hook and whenevr the window is open, they take out things quietly in the night..I lost a wrist watch and some clothes that way>

Anonymous said...

The attitude of taking such things in your stride is very impressive, as other commenters have also pointed out. I think it is not the loss that matters - what matters is how fast we recovers from it.

Destination Infinity

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