Victims of break-in; lives altered forever

My wife and I settled in Hoffman Estates 54 years ago. We were one of perhaps a dozen WWII veteran families that purchased homes that were to be built along Golf Road.

All of those other families are gone now and we along with Ray Boughen next door are the remaining original settlers of Hoffman Estates.

On Nov. 8 this year our home was broken into and my wife's lifetime collection of gold mementos was stolen. These were memories she had accumulated through the years. It was a lifetime of memories.

And the worst part is we are pretty sure we know who did it. At first we thought the thieves had taken only the collection, so we assumed that it must have been a quick in and out theft.

Later, we discovered that the thieves had very carefully tip toed about opening every drawer and cabinet. It would have taken a lot of time, perhaps two or three hours. Things had been carefully moved, apparently inspected and then replaced often askew and with the contents jumbled.

So now, we knew it had to be someone who not only knew our habits and where we would be at that time and how long, but also knew about my wife's collection of gold objects.

It would actually take one person with a cell phone where we were at for those hours, and another person doing the actual pilfering. How easy it was for them, and if we are correct, they were close "friends" too.

A smug deduction has been, "Oh its only stuff." But now we will be paying for security for the rest of our lives. And we will never again be sure about our safety. The thieves left the door and gate open. Our dear little puppies would have no chance on Golf Road.

Yes, it was only stuff, but while the thieves go free on their merry way, we will be paying tribute the rest of our lives.

Merry Christmas!

Russ Vannier

Hoffman Estates