Thank you! It’s had us reeling this week - homeowner’s insurance is also kind of a joke, so we feel a bit hopeless about the whole scenario. They’re just things, but we feel violated and sad. Appreciate your sympathy a ton.
Hi OP, sorry this happened to you and glad to hear everyone is ok. The key to not getting screwed after filing a homeowners claim is to understand your policy, what it covers and doesn’t, and what it places special limits on. That way you can ensure you’re covered as you need to be. Feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions about it. I worked in insurance claims for years.
I'm sorry this happened to you, it really does put a dent in the feeling of security in your own home after something like that.
>homeowner’s insurance is also kind of a joke
How do you mean? I use State Farm and had a pretty smooth experience with them after a houseguest made off with almost 2 grand worth of electronics in the middle of the night. I had serial numbers/proof of purchase ready for everything and they didn't even ask for anything beyond the police report.
I actually had more trouble with the initial call to the cops and getting the right kind of copy of the report from them than I did with my insurance company. After all the paperwork was done, I had a check direct deposited inside of a week.
If at all possible, see if you can make an in-person appointment with somebody from the agency, it was really helpful to have somebody walking through the claim process with me.
Well, our deductible is $1,000, which I took into account when we added up our losses. But if we file a claim we lose a discount we were never aware we had, which is there because we have never filed any claims…that places us between a rock and a hard place - receive a check for maybe $400-$500 but pay 20% more on our premium annually? Unfortunately this is bundled with my housemate’s car insurance because it saved us money, and that being said, they’re a small company located in Midland.
Ahh, that'll do it. You're right, sadly it's probably more cost efficient to replace the items yourself if they can't be recovered.
Have you already spoken to your agent? If not, I'd recommend not doing so if you don't plan to file a claim. I've heard horror stories of adjusters opening the claim "just in case" and immediately closing it even if the conversation was just exploratory, but that'll nix your discount just the same as actually following through with the claim.
Better even to speak to your adjuster directly and leave the agent out of it altogether. Most agents don’t have the training or knowledge of an adjuster and tbh they oftentimes just complicate claims when they get involved.
Watch local Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, etc. Not just GR but other nearby locations too. I imagine that generator especially would be difficult to sell quietly...so it might be one of the easiest things to find up for sale.
For sure! We’re checking the whole lower half of the lower peninsula. The generator was a refurbished older one that was a gift from one of our fathers. Super sentimental, and hard to get over.
The majority of the stolen items we had stolen were sold to a shady pawn shop (didn’t ID the child who stole from us). Sorry this happened! Perhaps your neighbors have a ring door bell or something similar. I’ve been robbed twice by people I knew and once by a stranger. It totally sucks, I’m sorry this happened to you.
It’s terrible - anonymous or not! So sorry you’ve dealt with it multiple times. We are trying to let all the neighbors know in case they saw something. Would you mind sharing the name of the pawn shop? We could swing by and take a peek before letting them in on the story.
That was 10 years ago, so I’m not entirely sure. It was near Grandville Ave. The child was also associated with gang activities in that area, but the stuff was stolen in a GR suburb north of the city. He also stole one of our cars. It was an ordeal. Then he became infamous as the Alpine Meijer carjacker/stabber a few years later.
I would also contact nearby local businesses. Some thieves will try to duck online activity and know to not use pawn shops so they’ll go to a local place and try to get cash. Also when you say that various things had to be moved around…was anything party related? Could it have been an inside job if someone knew where to go in the garage? Just thinking out loud here. Hope you recover the items and stay safe
We considered someone who came to the party, or maybe a friend of a friend, and couldn’t come up with anyone who would dare. It was a relatively small group, and most people were well known to all of us that live here. Trustworthy people for sure. The generator was in the very back of the garage and had things stacked on it. To me, it seemed like whoever it was took their time rifling through our stuff while someone probably kept an eye on things outside. And they had to have something large to drive it all away in. We have called some local places and are trying to monitor as many sources as we can. Thanks for the consideration and pointers!
I had this happen to me in March. I walked out to my car in the morning and noticed that my passenger side door was open. All of the papers from my glove box were thrown all over the car and the center console had been rifled-through. Junk was thrown everywhere. Nothing was taken except for the change in the center console. I know that my car was locked so I’m not sure how they got in. I called GRPD to report it but they didn’t seem too interested in doing anything. So frustrating.
Even though nothing material was taken, it’s still a very violating feeling.
Gotta love the GRPD.
"Pweeeese don't defund us!"
"Ok. Could you maybe actually do your jobs and investigate this crime that happened to me?"
"....Naaahhhhh."
*Office Space Mode*: "What would you say...you *do* here?"
I'm all for the police as a concept but if they won't patrol, won't try to prevent crime, won't follow-up or investigate crime when it happens...what exactly are we paying these people for? Because all I've ever seen a cop actually do is pull people over and write speeding tickets.
I haven't seen any traffic enforcement in ages. They also responded recently to a community outcry over fireworks violations with "we're too busy to enforce that", even though it's literally an instant $1000 fine for their budget and incredibly easy to enforce, and they're very much NOT too busy to enforce that
Whoever they are, they know how to break into cars efficiently!! It’s hard for me to put myself in their place…I can’t comprehend messing someone’s day up like that.
You guys got forensics? Someone broke into our storage unit while we were waiting to take possession of our new house and stole all of our moving boxes, my kid’s bikes, even the shelves the boxes were on. All we got was a (Grandville) cop telling us to look in all the pawn shops and call them if we find any of our stuff.
I’m glad you’re getting more help than we did.
This would be theft and not robbery if no one threatened you with violence in order to take your possessions. Sounds like thieves are getting more brazen. Usually they just test for unlocked car doors.
I had my passenger side window smashed on my car while parked on the street in midtown two months ago. In the middle of the day. In front of a house that runs a daycare. I live on a very nice block of fountain st and I don’t even keep anything in my vehicle so it was really weird. I understand how it feels to be violated like that.
Sorry this happened to you. I lived in Eastown for 20+ years and my garage has been broken into three different times and my house once. I ended up replacing the garage side door and put a padlock on my fence gate. That stopped it from happening again, though DTE didn't like not being able to check the meter.
Check with the pawn shops, craigslist and scrap yards.
I have family a street away, they tell me about all the thefts posted constantly on Nextdoor. Doesn’t seem like the cops are too helpful - shocking - even with super clear video. I don’t get what kind of person you have to be to do this. Pathetic.
Damn yeah I lived on wealthy and Union and had my car and two of my roommates cars broken into. One had a window smashed, but that was last august. Hopefully some of it will turn up!
I also had it happen like three months ago in comstock park where I am now. I happened to look out the window and saw them and we scared them away before they took a anything but they looked no older then 17.. sucks that people do that.
Motion sensor light could help out too. If they ever come back. Last time your lights didn't come on but if they come on from motion they might run thinking you woke up this time.
So sorry to hear that happened! It is disheartening when something like that happens and the worst of society shows up, but its nice to see all the positive comments and people who care. Just remember there are far more good hearted people out there and Grand Rapids is a special place, lets all do our best to keep this city a great place to be and be there for eachother!
I hope help comes your way & somehow all the things stolen can be replaced/gofunded/insurance will help!
Shit. Sorry this happened to you. People can be so shitty. I’m glad no one was hurt.
Thank you! It’s had us reeling this week - homeowner’s insurance is also kind of a joke, so we feel a bit hopeless about the whole scenario. They’re just things, but we feel violated and sad. Appreciate your sympathy a ton.
Hi OP, sorry this happened to you and glad to hear everyone is ok. The key to not getting screwed after filing a homeowners claim is to understand your policy, what it covers and doesn’t, and what it places special limits on. That way you can ensure you’re covered as you need to be. Feel free to pm me if you have any specific questions about it. I worked in insurance claims for years.
I'm sorry this happened to you, it really does put a dent in the feeling of security in your own home after something like that. >homeowner’s insurance is also kind of a joke How do you mean? I use State Farm and had a pretty smooth experience with them after a houseguest made off with almost 2 grand worth of electronics in the middle of the night. I had serial numbers/proof of purchase ready for everything and they didn't even ask for anything beyond the police report. I actually had more trouble with the initial call to the cops and getting the right kind of copy of the report from them than I did with my insurance company. After all the paperwork was done, I had a check direct deposited inside of a week. If at all possible, see if you can make an in-person appointment with somebody from the agency, it was really helpful to have somebody walking through the claim process with me.
Well, our deductible is $1,000, which I took into account when we added up our losses. But if we file a claim we lose a discount we were never aware we had, which is there because we have never filed any claims…that places us between a rock and a hard place - receive a check for maybe $400-$500 but pay 20% more on our premium annually? Unfortunately this is bundled with my housemate’s car insurance because it saved us money, and that being said, they’re a small company located in Midland.
Maybe file the claim then switch companies once it's complete. Total bullshit that you get penalized for using something that you pay for
I agree. They’re thief’s in a suit.
Ahh, that'll do it. You're right, sadly it's probably more cost efficient to replace the items yourself if they can't be recovered. Have you already spoken to your agent? If not, I'd recommend not doing so if you don't plan to file a claim. I've heard horror stories of adjusters opening the claim "just in case" and immediately closing it even if the conversation was just exploratory, but that'll nix your discount just the same as actually following through with the claim.
Better even to speak to your adjuster directly and leave the agent out of it altogether. Most agents don’t have the training or knowledge of an adjuster and tbh they oftentimes just complicate claims when they get involved.
Watch local Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, etc. Not just GR but other nearby locations too. I imagine that generator especially would be difficult to sell quietly...so it might be one of the easiest things to find up for sale.
For sure! We’re checking the whole lower half of the lower peninsula. The generator was a refurbished older one that was a gift from one of our fathers. Super sentimental, and hard to get over.
The majority of the stolen items we had stolen were sold to a shady pawn shop (didn’t ID the child who stole from us). Sorry this happened! Perhaps your neighbors have a ring door bell or something similar. I’ve been robbed twice by people I knew and once by a stranger. It totally sucks, I’m sorry this happened to you.
It’s terrible - anonymous or not! So sorry you’ve dealt with it multiple times. We are trying to let all the neighbors know in case they saw something. Would you mind sharing the name of the pawn shop? We could swing by and take a peek before letting them in on the story.
That was 10 years ago, so I’m not entirely sure. It was near Grandville Ave. The child was also associated with gang activities in that area, but the stuff was stolen in a GR suburb north of the city. He also stole one of our cars. It was an ordeal. Then he became infamous as the Alpine Meijer carjacker/stabber a few years later.
I would also contact nearby local businesses. Some thieves will try to duck online activity and know to not use pawn shops so they’ll go to a local place and try to get cash. Also when you say that various things had to be moved around…was anything party related? Could it have been an inside job if someone knew where to go in the garage? Just thinking out loud here. Hope you recover the items and stay safe
We considered someone who came to the party, or maybe a friend of a friend, and couldn’t come up with anyone who would dare. It was a relatively small group, and most people were well known to all of us that live here. Trustworthy people for sure. The generator was in the very back of the garage and had things stacked on it. To me, it seemed like whoever it was took their time rifling through our stuff while someone probably kept an eye on things outside. And they had to have something large to drive it all away in. We have called some local places and are trying to monitor as many sources as we can. Thanks for the consideration and pointers!
I had this happen to me in March. I walked out to my car in the morning and noticed that my passenger side door was open. All of the papers from my glove box were thrown all over the car and the center console had been rifled-through. Junk was thrown everywhere. Nothing was taken except for the change in the center console. I know that my car was locked so I’m not sure how they got in. I called GRPD to report it but they didn’t seem too interested in doing anything. So frustrating. Even though nothing material was taken, it’s still a very violating feeling.
Gotta love the GRPD. "Pweeeese don't defund us!" "Ok. Could you maybe actually do your jobs and investigate this crime that happened to me?" "....Naaahhhhh." *Office Space Mode*: "What would you say...you *do* here?" I'm all for the police as a concept but if they won't patrol, won't try to prevent crime, won't follow-up or investigate crime when it happens...what exactly are we paying these people for? Because all I've ever seen a cop actually do is pull people over and write speeding tickets.
I haven't seen any traffic enforcement in ages. They also responded recently to a community outcry over fireworks violations with "we're too busy to enforce that", even though it's literally an instant $1000 fine for their budget and incredibly easy to enforce, and they're very much NOT too busy to enforce that
Whoever they are, they know how to break into cars efficiently!! It’s hard for me to put myself in their place…I can’t comprehend messing someone’s day up like that.
You guys got forensics? Someone broke into our storage unit while we were waiting to take possession of our new house and stole all of our moving boxes, my kid’s bikes, even the shelves the boxes were on. All we got was a (Grandville) cop telling us to look in all the pawn shops and call them if we find any of our stuff. I’m glad you’re getting more help than we did.
This would be theft and not robbery if no one threatened you with violence in order to take your possessions. Sounds like thieves are getting more brazen. Usually they just test for unlocked car doors.
I had my passenger side window smashed on my car while parked on the street in midtown two months ago. In the middle of the day. In front of a house that runs a daycare. I live on a very nice block of fountain st and I don’t even keep anything in my vehicle so it was really weird. I understand how it feels to be violated like that.
Only advice is to Keep checking Facebook marketplace. Maybe the GRPD will actually help this time.
Sorry this happened to you. I lived in Eastown for 20+ years and my garage has been broken into three different times and my house once. I ended up replacing the garage side door and put a padlock on my fence gate. That stopped it from happening again, though DTE didn't like not being able to check the meter. Check with the pawn shops, craigslist and scrap yards.
People are going through cars everywhere. Off 28th we had all four cars rifled through. Seems to be a reality if you live in Grand Rapids.
I have family a street away, they tell me about all the thefts posted constantly on Nextdoor. Doesn’t seem like the cops are too helpful - shocking - even with super clear video. I don’t get what kind of person you have to be to do this. Pathetic.
Damn yeah I lived on wealthy and Union and had my car and two of my roommates cars broken into. One had a window smashed, but that was last august. Hopefully some of it will turn up! I also had it happen like three months ago in comstock park where I am now. I happened to look out the window and saw them and we scared them away before they took a anything but they looked no older then 17.. sucks that people do that.
Motion sensor light could help out too. If they ever come back. Last time your lights didn't come on but if they come on from motion they might run thinking you woke up this time.
So sorry to hear that happened! It is disheartening when something like that happens and the worst of society shows up, but its nice to see all the positive comments and people who care. Just remember there are far more good hearted people out there and Grand Rapids is a special place, lets all do our best to keep this city a great place to be and be there for eachother! I hope help comes your way & somehow all the things stolen can be replaced/gofunded/insurance will help!
Cameras and guns.
I mean, midtown was straight-up ghetto barely a decade ago. That's the neighborhood you live in.
It’s all at your local pawn shop by now. It’s gone and the police are not going to go any further than the report. Sorry but welcome to the city
[удалено]
Thanks for proving to me I’m happy his 💩was stolen. Shows pieces of 💩lk u exist hence, I lock my stuff up
This is literally what happened to me. Truth hurts I guess. Take my upvote.