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Another Day Another Break In

Cupcake and Jupiter our old Rescue horse that was adopted out
I like to think I live in a tiny little town with no big issues. That little town is Montville NJ. Well in this little town I use a barn to house my horse and cats. In the last 4 months that barn has now been broken into 3 times. One of which they drugged her and that in its self is enough to set me off. Well we had the cops out and they said it was probably kids.. Yeah right well you dont have to be a rocket scientist to see the puncture wound and the blood but good old Montville PD believed other then that until the second time. This has gone beyond the typical juvenial looking to see what is inside. This last trip crossed over the Treaspassing, harm on and animal, right into criminal. This last time on Saturday night the 19th they broke in between 1030pm and 4 am, as I was at the barn at 1030 and then it started snowing at 4. There were no foot prints in the snow. They caused 200.00 in damage, broke the window and could have burned down the barn. With the other instances and the lack of the police doing a better job on it. We installed 2 flood lights that can be seen roughly about a mile away. These flood lights were attatched with motion sensors and one by the door with a camera. The person managed to rip the 100 plus dollar camera and light off the wall of the barn and smashed it into pieces. The light was on so well my 200lb body was able to hang from it without budging it so you can imagine he force this person had. Then he broke threw the window, and trashed the inside including a flood light tripod, and was inside my horses stall as I found a glove in it. Like all the other times we called the police and they could not use the dogs to search as it had snowed. They could not get anything from the glove since it was in her stall and could not pull finger prints off the cloth. It took everything to explain how with about 7 other horses in the area they have never had a problem of breakins, that they finally understand it is someone that has a issue with me and my family. I really dont care that i am not loved on my street, and that my neighbors did not understand what the word property line meant, they just thought it was where the fence was. That whole ordeal lead to us spending almost 10,000 on lawyers fees and moving the fence all the way over to stop their dog from being on our property let alone the fact that he bulldozed part of my land and our wonderful town said we should settle it without the town. That right there again is enough to make me think they are a good suspect. Bottom line is I literally have dealt with a dozen people in this town in the 5 years i personally lived there let alone the 50 plus years my family has been there. Out of that dozen people there are like 4 that have bad relationships with and 2 live out of state. I still cant wrap my head around why one would take not liking someone to this degree. It is insane, and my exact words to the cop was how long is this going to go on before one of my animals gets hurt. He said well we have extra patrols on it I said that is what you said each time. Then he said Well since it happens on the same nites why dont you stake it out. Yes that is logical I work 2 jobs my barn does not have heat and in the last week the temps have been single digits and below, not to mention a car in the driveway kinda gives it away. Well, I dont know that anyone in nj will know of anyone that could have done it. But I am open to any suggestions on how to catch this person or how to keep things safer. The barn is 200years old and we run electric from the owners house with a cord, so it has been really hard to get things secure. We are waiting on 2 more camera light systems to come in hopefully Tuesday, and Will be mounting them higher so they cant reach it without a latter or the ability to fly. Thanks in advance for any help any of you animal lovers can offer on how to handle this in a safe intelligent way.

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13 comments found.
ourstaff
Posted by ourstaff
9 months ago
You might catch them in the act if you hide the new cameras and put dummy ones out in the open for them to smash

Cheryle D.
Posted by Cheryle D. (1Westie)
9 months ago
It's horrible that people would break into your barn, let alone drug your horse! I don't have any ideas other than what you have thought of and others have mentioned. Something similar happened about 30 miles from my house. Someone broke into the barn, messed things up and hit a horse in the head with a hammer. People are sick and crazy!

Cupcake
Posted by Cupcake
9 months ago
I agree it is crazy and I know I am in jersey so usually it is not as easy to get away with things as if i were in the west, but I cannot believe 3 times and the guy is not arrested.

Carol L.
Posted by Carol L. (langsford)
9 months ago
I think it is terrible that people are no longer in their own home and that anyone would break in and destroy property and just think it is a game. I would put the camera up HIGH and put in something with a Alarm warning. even if you have to post something saying it is protected by ??? alarm company, it has to be someone who knows you and just wants to cause trouble.. IT is horrible, they should have to pay for all they have caused you.

Cupcake
Posted by Cupcake
9 months ago
I could not agree more carol. I ordered signs for an alarm system, and put in 3 cameras. I am looking into an alarm system, it has been hard to find the right one, as where he is entering from is not flush so when the wind blows it affects it so the typical window alarm wont be as effective cause it will always be going off, but we are trying to find one that can tell a person from a cat as I lock mine up at night, but the owner of the property has 2 that stay out, so i dont want them setting it off.

kavykeeper
Posted by kavykeeper
9 months ago
What an awful thing to have to go through. We went through a problem with loose, mean dogs a few years back. What finally worked was getting them on film. I hope you are able to stop this person. It's sounds frightening.

Cupcake
Posted by Cupcake
9 months ago
thank you Kavy, It is frightening. Im just really scared and fed up at the same time

JasonStabrys
Posted by JasonStabrys
9 months ago
I agree this may be a better option. It may deter them

Karen
Posted by Karen (Nonnie96)
9 months ago
I agree with the 2 dog comments - either a snarling dog recording or a live dog alarm system. Good luck!

Paige F.
Posted by Paige F. (paiige102)
10 months ago
u have dog right? do u have any that are protective? this is sorta like what the other person, daryl b., said but why dont you put one of your dogs in the barn. we use our dogs for protection, well not only that. but they are like an alarm...what! brake through! get an alarm in the barn! is that possible?

Cupcake
Posted by Cupcake
9 months ago
thanks for the comment paige, Unfortunately my dogs are not great guard dogs, and the person who physically owns the barn I care for worries about the risk of his insurance on something like that. BUt thank you for the help

daryl b.
Posted by daryl b. (darylob)
10 months ago
i really can't think of anything you have not tried but how about a tape of a very big snarling dog only sound of course that can be trriped to come on if someone enters the barn it can be put on a timer. i wish you luck that you can find a way to keep your barn safe. but try my sugestion it may take them so by surprise they may run

Cupcake
Posted by Cupcake
9 months ago
thanks daryl, I have not done this yet, but we now have 3 lights and 3 cameras set up so I just keep hoping they are not as vunerable as the last one but good enough to catch the person

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