The Holidays and the Economy

I read an article a few months back about how the rate of vandalism, shoplifting, and breaking and entering have gone up drastically because of the economy.  I don't know the exact statistics, but I can say that it was an enormous jump in percentage from early 2008.  I was in shock, and glad to be able to say I hadn't had anything stolen, nor has my apartment been broken into.  I could only imagine being in the situation where my most expensive possessions were stolen. 

This past week I've been talking to my dad a lot (as I told my readers in previous blogs, he and my stepmom filed for bankruptcy and are now broke).  He was in the hospital for a week again for heart complications.  He had open heart surgery in spring and has been recovering from it, and was out of work for a while.  He just started his new job, and both of them have been struggling to keep bills at bay, just as a lot of us have.  I have had one thing after another happen to me lately (my laptop needs a new stick of RAM and hard drive now), and I'm still in a financial funk.  I care about and love my dad dearly, but he hasn't been the most supportive parent in my life.  We aren't all the close, although I do get along with him better than my mom.  I think it comes from the fact that I don't tell him anything about my life.

But yesterday he messaged me on Facebook, to tell me that their house was broken into and most of their valuable things were stolen, including the 64" flatscreen they just bought in October for my step mom's birthday and early Christmas present for themselves.  The stole my step mom's antique china set that was passed down to her from her grandmother, both of their hand guns, all of her jewelry (over $2000 worth) and some of my dad's music equipment.  From what my dad said, his digital video recorder bag was left open on the kitchen table, with his guitars and a laptop.  What saved these items?  Their umbrella cockatoo Kirby, who has a bad habit of being very, very loud.  They think he started screaming, and they bolted out of there when he wouldn't shut up.  The reason they think this is because a bunch of shredded napkins were found in the bottom of his cage.  They suspect the intruders attempted to shut the bird up by giving him something to chew on.  Unfortunately for them, Kirby probably tried to attack them through the cage and continued to squawk very loudly (they've had complaints from past neighbors- worse than yipping dogs).

I just cannot believe this happened.  When I was in high school my mother's van was stolen out of her driveway.  My grandma had her safe stolen a few years ago.  And now this.  Why around Christmas?  Why do people do this?  I understand being desperate, believe me.  But seriously, taking innocent people's possessions because you are selfish and don't know how to work for it?  Ugh.  I'm disgusted. 

This is one more reason the economy needs to be fixed before anything.  I feel for all of those that have had things stolen from them.