Caught in the Act - Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010

I mentioned in yesterday's journal entry that it would be interesting to see what developed at the meeting last night to discuss the security of our apartment building. I couldn't believe my ears when Rich came home and began telling me what he had learned.

Three employees from the management company came to the meeting and announced that they knew who had been breaking in and robbing all of the apartments. And get this!!!! The thief lives kiddy corner across the hall from us. AND, he is still there!! Last month, he was breaking into a car in our parking area and was caught by the owner of the car. A scuffle and fight took place and the police were called. In questioning the robber, he admitted that he had broken into several apartments over the past year or so that he has lived here. Sooooooo, why isn't he in jail, one might ask? Well, that's not how it works in Argentina.

At the meeting, the management people explained that a confession does not hold up in court. There has to be actual evidence that he took something. So we guess that in order to convict someone there has to be pictures to prove he was in the act of stealing. When the man saw him breaking into his car, I guess he should have had the presence of mind to tell him to "hold the pose," he needed a picture. Good Grief!!!

The other tenants were livid. They were yelling and waving their arms and all talking at the same time, and it was almost to the riot stage. They demanded to know why he was still in the building and why can't they evict him. Answer: He is paying his rent. They said they can't tell him to move because they have no actual proof he did it. He just said he has been stealing, but there is no physical evidence. And we can't go in his apartment to find out. They said that if a bunch of us wanted to get together and talk to the police and tell them that we were all robbed and we think it is our neighbor who did it, that maybe they would listen to us and approach the man or search his apartment, but maybe not. It just depends on who you talk to if you receive any help.

Rich said some people stormed out of the meeting in disgust. One very vocal person was our gentleman neighbor right next door to us. The robber lives directly across the hall from him. It is interesting that the robber has a monster lock on his door like we have.

The guy is young and muscular, looking like he works out at a gym. We have met him from time to time coming or going and he smiles and is pleasant. He even attended the very first meeting that was held to discuss the robberies that had been going on. Also, about a month after we moved here (right about the time we were robbed) we didn't know who to pay our rent to, so Rich saw him going into his apartment one night and asked him about it. He was very helpful and went to write down the name, phone number, and address of where we go. When he knocked on our door to give us the information, he probably zeroed in on our computers on the table. I sure hope he is enjoying them!

Some at the meeting brought up the idea of making life miserable for him like plastering his picture in the elevators and all over the building in hopes that it would force him to move. Rich said that if we see him, he isn't afraid to ask him if we can have our computers back. I would prefer Mom's necklace!

We were so excited to be able to park the mission car behind locked gates over the weekend, and now with him around on the inside, that blows that security. The GPS would probably come up missing.

This is just crazy and so mind boggling that the laws here don't protect the innocent. They protect the lawbreakers. We may see a wave of people moving out before long. The management people said that the owners will never do anything to secure the building better because they didn't do it in the first place. They know what goes on here in Buenos Aires and what is required to keep people's property safe. Responsible owners put security people at the entrance of their buildings and they have secure locks already installed etc. If we were looking now for a place to live, we would know what to look for in a building, and wouldn't move into one that wasn't secure.

This is our apartment building from the side that our apartment is visible. Our balcony is the top right one. The front of the building is to the left and around the corner.

Today, the temperature was 83, but felt like 92 because of the 65% humidity in the air. Rich loves checking that on his iPhone. The air was really damp and muggy. We are so grateful for an air-conditioned office. When the assistants or other missionaries come in for one reason or another, they are so grateful to cool down a bit before returning to the sauna outside.

My work is right on schedule to start getting things ready for the upcoming January transfer on the 27th and 28th. I am starting now on my new missionary binders, ten of them, and was pleased with myself for getting the order done for the missionary placas (name tags).

Elder Kroff and the office elders are in a slow time right now. Rich has all the rents paid, and has paid all the missionaries what is needed. The elders are caught up just waiting for transfer week to get closer. That is when their work increases. My work is pretty much steady all the time. I'm never in want of something to do, but I enjoy being busy.

Last night the office elders had an unexpected experience. We got a call at 11:00 from Elder Coria alerting Rich that if the alarm company calls him wondering why the alarm was turned off and then on again, that it would be them going to the office.

They were in bed and got a call from Elder Nelson (our past office elder) stating that he and his companion were locked out of their apartment. They had arrived home on time and after doing their scheduled planning, they decided to order ice cream and have it delivered. When they left their apartment to go down to the main door to get the ice cream, neither of them had their key. Oops!! They took the ice cream to their neighbor to put in the freezer and then had to leave the building to find a phone to call Elder Coria and Paz to bring them a key. Their neighbor didn't have a phone.

While finding a Kiosco that would let them use a phone, their district leader was making his round of calls checking to see if everyone was in and safe. He couldn't reach these two elders and the procedure is to, then, call the zone leader. If the zone leader can't find them, then he calls one of the assistants. The assistant then calls the President. The two found a phone to use and called Elders Coria and Paz who got out of bed, got an extra key from the office, and luckily had a car so they drove down to the Capital (about 30 minutes away with no traffic) to let them in their apartment. While the two elders were waiting outside their building for the key, their district leader took a remise to their apartment to see if they were there or what the problem was. Needless to say, Elder Nelson was most apologetic and embarrassed. He has been involved in doing the same thing while he was serving in the office.

So the elders didn't get back to their apartment until about 1:00 a.m. They were tired today due to lack of sleep.

After lunch, Elder Coria had to have a power nap. Very clever idea for a substitute bed, I'd say! He said we couldn't show this picture to the President.

Elder Paz stretched out on the President's office floor for a few winks, then went to the kitchen to practice the keyboard. He plays a little by ear, but is practicing some hymns out of the simplified hymn book.

We wrapped up our work and came home at 4:30 today. I fixed us some dinner, iron white shirts, and started this entry. Rich has been downloading the Gospel Principles book on his iPhone. As we sit here, we have heard thunder and have seen strikes of lightning out the window. Rain is predicted for tomorrow.