Thieves visited me in my shop

Peter, Keith, Sam, Leonardo and Jim, thank you for your sympathy.
Much appreciated from all of you and sure it helps to turn bad feelings into something positive.

So also special thank you to Sam for making it possible to share good and bad vibrations with equal passionately artist craftsmen. As probably you understand best what it means, lost of this sort of creations.

arnaud

I just want to join the sentiment Arnaud. Sorry to hear of your loss. Having a crime like this done to you is difficult at best. The important thing is that you still have your creativity and passion for the arts and that will carry you through.

Rod

Arnaud, I'm so sorry to hear of your shop being broken into. I had a similar theft happen to me about 3 years ago. After that I followed Rex's advice. It’s one thing to have an item taken from you that was purchased wholesale to sell retail. But it hurts a lot more when the item has your own work or creative talents into it. It's like stealing a piece of your own soul. I do hope the police are able to stop this from happening to any one else.

Mike

thieves

Arnaud,I sorry to hear of shop being robbed & damaged,just glad your safe. J.J.

Arnaud Van Tilburgh said:

If that is available in de US, perhaps one can send me one, as even Peppersprays are not allowed in Belgium.

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I have a Belgian made device here that says FN HERSTAL on the side of it that would come in handy.

Arnaud, you will come back stronger,with more passion and beautifull work, Zippy.

I hope the law will make every effort to find the thieves and recover your stolen items.

Regardless of what the law says in your country regarding keeping a loaded firearm in your shop for protection, in my country we have a phrase and it goes something like this...."Better to be tried by 12 than carried to your grave by 6."

Crazy Horse said:

I hope the law will make every effort to find the thieves and recover your stolen items.

Regardless of what the law says in your country regarding keeping a loaded firearm in your shop for protection, in my country we have a phrase and it goes something like this...."Better to be tried by 12 than carried to your grave by 6."

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Was just going to quote the same thing!!
Burglar Bars, infrared security camera with DVD recorder in a bolted down steel lockbox, a door buzzer to be allowed entrance and Mssr's Colt , Smith and Wesson to back up my Louisville Slugger.
It won't stop a nightime smash and grab, but at night everything goes in the safe, and if anyone breaks in, they will have their picture taken. I'm sure that Interpol will circulate a good picture, and at some point, when they are caught (and they will get caught eventually) the more hard evidence against them, the harder the slap on the wrist.
Sorry for your loss and the experience, but you will come back stronger than before.

Will
(Good Trappist Abbey Ale)

This works

Arnaud

Being a former police officer and federal agent I have seen a lot of B&E's like yours. I always suggested a little device to store owners as well as home owners. The item works so fast they can't stay more then a min at the location and has been successful.

http://www.defensedevices.com/terminator.html

Brian said:

Arnaud

Being a former police officer and federal agent I have seen a lot of B&E's like yours. I always suggested a little device to store owners as well as home owners. The item works so fast they can't stay more then a min at the location and has been successful.

http://www.defensedevices.com/terminator.html

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The trouble is that apparently in Belgium (and in other countries such as Canada), pepper spray is considered an offensive weapon. Arnaud would probably end up in jail because he wasn't kind enough to the burglars.

Brian said:

Arnaud

Being a former police officer and federal agent I have seen a lot of B&E's like yours. I always suggested a little device to store owners as well as home owners. The item works so fast they can't stay more then a min at the location and has been successful.

http://www.defensedevices.com/terminator.html

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Brian, you're awesome!!

This is my Xmas gift to myself and to anyone who wants to visit when I'm not home ... LOL!!

Arnaud,

You have my sympathy for what has happened to you. Though we have never met in person, I feel like we are friends through your participation on this forum. It is always sad when something bad happens to a friend.

It is hard for me to imagine what it is like to live in a place where the government denies their subjects all possible right to any form of self defense, insisting they be helpless victims in the face of evil.

I hope your losses are soon overcome and are replaced with many blessings.

Best wishes,

Roger

Arnaud,
I’m most sorry to hear of the assault to your feeling of security while in your shop.
That is a huge loss and very hard for you to restore.
But you are a strong minded person and will work your way through it.
It’s always a shame when bad things happen to good people.
Luck that you were not physically hurt.
Best regards.

Hi Arnaud (and Mario)

That's a real bummer that theives broke into your shops. It's amazing what damage people can do in such a short period of time. Unfortunatley it also causes mental and emotional damage to you personally as well and that is the worst part.

Be strong, the sun always rises in the morning and things will get better.

Cheers
Andrew

Andrew,

Why not add a section to the Photo Gallery exclusively for stolen items?

I know it is like looking for a needle in a haystack but it least it gives some comfort and empowerment to those who have been ripped off by creating an easily accessible record.

Shiloh firearms in Montana maintains a list of stolen rifles and their serial numbers for folks who have had a rifle stolen .... it's right at the top of their forum.

Chris

Arnaud,

So sorry! No guns... No cameras... No pepper spray... I'm surprised you are authorized to have those deadly gravers in your possession!

At least you still have that stubby pencil!!! My best to you!

Andrew Biggs said:

Be strong, ...

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Hi Andrew, of course, we are Thank you! You engraved a theme including these words, didn't you?

The thing is this this unpleasant feeling you have after. They didn't take your work only - they also take the sureness you had before.
But Arnaud, it came back after a while. You will see. And you are not alone out there!
Here in Germany we are allowed to install a video-system - if we put a big picture in front of the door. Customers could decide if they want to enter or not. But pictures only - no audio :big grin:
My system delivers live-video everywhere i want - Andrew could see my shop in NZ, when i give him the address. I can watch it on my cellphone, too.
I don't know, perhaps there is a way you can do it.

Rod, thank you and as I already said; all sympathy on this tread helps

Same to Mike, Roberts, Zippy, Crazy Horse, Will, Christopher, Brian, Roger, John and Andrew.

Doc, yes I have a same handy devise, only left one bullet. I’m not allowed any more to shop bullets legally, but sure the bad guys will sell me some.

Yes Crazy Horse, I got your point. And Belgium already has the reputation not caring to much about the law, that just because if the law isn’t serving the kindly people, then the law is useless.
But anyway, there are a lot of contradictions in my “making sense†so it will take some time to find the best solution.

Zippy, you are right, once I have figured this out I will come out stronger, that is what we call experience by the age.

Will, you make some good point too. I will install me a cheap computer with a HD webcam that uploads to a server when activated by moving. Much cheaper than what is offered by the security companies. And I know this only cost 300$ in the US, on this side of the big water is will be 3000. And you also will have to pay continuously for the Internet service.

Yes Christopher, the article written by Rex I have read it, and I agree it make sense. But of course, Belgium isn’t the US. Over here the bad guys are more protected than the victims. Most of the European citizens will agree on that.


I also considering closing my shop and having a workshop at home, it will work, but then I will move the same problem to my living area and others like my wife daughter and dad with who I’m living together will be less safe.

Brian, I’m interested in your devise, but your URL link doesn’t seems to work here. I will try later.

Doc Quote “The trouble is that apparently in Belgium (and in other countries such as Canada), pepper spray is considered an offensive weapon. Arnaud would probably end up in jail because he wasn't kind enough to the burglars. â€

Yes you understand very well. I have a baseball bat in my shop just in case, the police when they came into my shop after the robbery, they told me even that is not allowed. As also that is a weapon unless I also have a baseball and a glove. As then I can fool them telling it is for playing with my grandchildren.

Christopher, I’m very curious to open de website about htat devise, but I can’t open the URL. Is it perhaps censured on this site of the water?

Thank you Roger, yes, I also have a good feeling that we are friends, although we never met. The only one of my “Café friends†I really met live is Chris DeCamillis when I spend a whole Sunday with him while he was preparing for a class in Antwerp. Just to mention that all Café members that I know from their posting, are always welcome in my place, as I consider them sort of friends. Those here that only read they are not. As in a way they are suspicion because they any take without participating.
But you are right; about 60 cafe members I consider them as friends, even while I never met them. And they are welcome at my place.

Yes John, you are right. I will come out stronger and indeed also my family is happy that I have no physically hurt. So we opened a bottle of Champagne yesterday after the robbery to have a toast on that.

Thank you Andrew, indeed live has its ups and downs, that is what it makes interesting. And some can learn from that.
There will also bee “victim support†and things like that to support me, I will do it all, one of the reasons is that I paid taxes to make that possible. :big grin:

arnaud

Yes Mario, indeed it is a sort of sureness but also the trust in people that changed a bit. And I feel it as a shame that bad guys are able that one changes his believe in the kindness of people. So I won’t let this happen.
I’m convinced the good guys have the majority.

arnaud

Thank you Bunic, you made me laugh, yes I still have my plastic pen, but a graver will hurt more.

arnaud