Update on robbery

I (Melissa) have been able to communicate with my parents via texting (they call it finger chat) on our computers.  Not as nice as hearing their voice, but I'm finally satisfied that they are OK.

It was driving me nuts and making me sick not being able to get a hold of them during the first 30 hours of finding out that they had been robbed! 

The following is a collective of emails that Mom sent on the day after the robbery,

"The sun came up today and we are feeling fine.  It is amazing what a nights rest will do.  

I know others have had more trials and difficulties than what we are going through, and I did think yesterday of the pioneers and all they suffered, and those that have had tragic loss of loved ones etc, so we are thankful that we are okay and that you at home are okay.  And time will heal our hearts, but it is an emotional thing to think that someone was ravaging through our apartment and taking things that meant a lot to us.  

Last night after emailing you, we took the office car and went to Jumbo's (food market) to find things we needed for today.  Upon returning to the office to drop off the car, Elders Clegg and Valente had finished their teaching for night and had come back to the office for something and were just leaving.  So they walked us home and came upstairs with us to assess the damage.  Then we knelt in prayer on our little rug (at least they didn't take that) and Elder Valente offered the prayer.  It was in Spanish so I don't know what he said, but I could feel the spirit, and after they left I did have a feeling of peace.  I know Heavenly Father is sad for us too.   So we started to list what was taken and assess the value of most of it.

(Today) we had to take the bins of mail for the missonaries over to the President's house so he can transport them to the Zone Conference today.  We had been at the office all night and had not even gone home to eat.  

Workers were here (mission office) fixing telephone lines and fixing our attic type storage room that is here at the office.  I can't believe they work so late.  But someone had to be here, so we stayed until they left.  It was okay though, because I wanted to do my email to the family and some friends about our experience."

Later in the email she writes:

"Well, we know we cannot let this dampen our spirits for very long.

We are glad we didn't walk in on the robbery, we are glad we are safe and healthy, we know we are here for a purpose, and we will recover.  

The ironic thing is that Rich taught the priesthood lesson on Sunday and the topic was "Adversity".  Our trials will make us stronger, right?"

In today's report:

"We spoke with a person who is in charge of the apartment bldg today. He told us that he thinks without a doubt that entry to our place was through our balcony.

He said that people were probably watching from the street and saw us on the balcony (and Dad sits out there drinking his hot chocolate and watching the cars)

He said people scale up the bldgs from balcony to balcony and can enter through the sliding glass doors.  Seems impossible to me, but he said it happened to him and he lives 4 stores up.

He said that if they would have come through the door, they would have cleaned us out and had a truck down stairs for it all.

They probably left the way they came with all in the backpack since things were small.

We are having some type of a lock that prevents robbers from lifting the doors up and out."

I asked if they could check to see if their stuff ended up at a pawn shop and Mom said there are no pawn shops there.

I asked if they had notified the authorities and she said that the authorities aren't trustworthy and that it would do no good to investigate because it happens all the time.  

I am pretty frustrated that they weren't told that this was a high crime area before they went.  They could have left their valuables in Tooele, or had a bolted down safe in their apartment or had better security.  

I think that since they are well manicured older Americans with a predictable schedule, they are easy targets!

I asked if the young missionaries get robbed and she said: 

"Yes, they are robbed all the time on the street. They just carry a few pesos and nothing else with them.  We had two last week (that were) robbed.  They are to just give them what they want and a few pesos and then they leave them alone.

The mission president is pretty upset about this too, it caught him off guard.

The security guy yesterday said they are having a meeting with the seniors to alert them with safety issues.  I said,  It's too late for us.

But the security guy told me that I HAD to take off my watch and rings and put them in the office safe.  It is just took risky to walk around or ride the train or be seen with any kind of jewelry on.  So for 17 more months, I cannot wear my rings or watch.  But that is okay.  I'll put them on for the flight home.  It will be a nice reunion with them.

We just wish Rich would have had his watch on yesterday, and I wish I would have had Grandma Kroff's necklace on.  My heart is broken.

Everything else can be replaced, but that can't! Luckily, I had the ring on that was from my mother. For that I am grateful.  

Rich has to get his wedding ring off and put it away too.  It won't come off easily, so he will have to soap it or something.

The lessons in life we learn. . . and sometimes the hard way.  Sister Argyle came by this afternoon because she felt I needed a hug.  Did I ever!!  She said the mission home is such an easy target because they have workers in there all the time fixing something or another.  They have four computers and a flat screen TV and more.

We are just too trusting.  We were more worried  about being robbed on the street, so took precautions there, but not in our apartment."

The security system they are putting in now should have been in place when we got here.  But now the apartment will be in tip top shape for the next senior couple.

We are going to buy a computer.  There is an Apple store here.  But we can only get one.  We just want to wait until we think the apartment is tight and secure."

I asked her if they've contacted their insurance agent to see if any of their items could be covered and they are waiting on the reply.

Dad has written:

We really are doing well. We know that we are doing the will of our Father, and we are in the right place at the right time.  Someday we will see the wisdom in all that happens here.  Both good and bad.

We love you both so much and don´t want you to worry.  We are finding out that we are really in an unsafe mission as far as robberies go.  But we are not fearing and going on with our life.  We just need to take extra steps to keep safe.  We know that because of your prayers, the angels help, and our precautions all will be well.

Hopefully we will get a computer again in our house in the near future."