Technology has become an integral part of our lives. Majority of the things we are able to accomplish in our life are because of technology.
Getting up in the morning and brewing a cup of coffee;
Getting ready for work and reaching there on time;
Getting all the work reports finished before the clock hits 5;
Getting home after work and preparing the dinner to getting ready for bed after a steaming shower;
Everything and I literally mean everything in our lives is dominated by technology. It is technology that safeguards us and it is also technology that puts us at risk.
Here is a story, my story wherein technology helped me in avoiding certain failure that would have put me back almost half a decade back financially.
The Initiation
I am 29 and I work as a research analyst in a leading company in London. I have been working as soon as I completed my graduate course.
After saving up for months and months and I was able to finally able to lease a really good flat in London. I knew the flat was not my own, however I tried everything to make it my own.
From antique vases to modern lamps;
From the gigantic 60 inch flat screen to the expensive espresso machine;
From the comfy sofa to the majestic chandelier;
I had gone all out. This was first place that I had bought for myself and I wanted it to be special. I also had a habit of showcasing my jewellery. So, I never kept it in my vault, but on my dresser. I had everything from golf to silver to diamonds. I also kept a few grand in my home, just for emergencies, you never know when your card could decline.
All of my friends and family knew that my home could be a thief’s paradise. He would be more than happy looting it, I just hoped that day would never come, and yet it did.
The Act
Let me also tell you a little about my home security. I have a password protected lock, a CCTV camera at the entrance and a pretty steady hockey stick to knock out any trespassers. The buildings security was also quite good, that is why paying the expensive rent didn’t hurt too much.
So, imagine my surprise when one night at about 1 am, I heard my doorbell. Half-asleep and disoriented, I walked to the door. I tried looking through the peephole, but saw nothing. When the doorbell rang again, I instinctively opened the door and that was the biggest mistake of my life.
Two masked men entered my home and put a loaded gun on my hand. I was beyond speechless. At that time, I really thought that it was my last day on earth and they were going to kill me. With the anger and manic visible in their eyes, I knew that the possibility of them killing me was quite high.
The two robbers were in my home for about 40 minutes and in those 40 minutes, they looted my entire home, the money, the jewellery, the antiques, the gadgets and the money in my wallet. They even took my TV and espresso machine, how was I supposed to brew my coffee then?
I still find it bizarre for that thought to strike me then.
The Aftermath
The robbers left my home at 1:56:43; my eyes were fixated on the digital wall clock, so I know for certain. And at 2:01:36, I went to my next door neighbour and made the 999 call, since they had taken my phone along, my brand new one thousand pound iPhone.
Even though the robbers did not physically hurt me, everything in my body ached.
The next couple of days went by with the police questioning me and asking for any suspects I may have had, since the robbers came specifically for me. I did not have any. I gave them my phone number, my laptop’s details for tracing and all the CCTV footage I had.
I did not have theft insurance, so getting everything sorted in my home was a financial burden for me. I had spent majority of my savings on the refurbishment, so I did not have much left.
I took out one of the bad credit loans with guaranteed approval and no guarantor from direct lender to break my lease and pay the security at the new place because staying there was nothing short of a horror movie.
The Culmination
It was almost a month after the incident that the police were able to identify the robber through a tattoo visible on his forearm in the CCTV imagery. The uniqueness of the tattoo made it easy for the police to identify the artist and get to the thief.
Soon after that, the thief was caught and I could breathe a sigh of relief. I almost got everything back except for the three grand in cash, regardless I was immensely grateful.
Had it not been for the cameras and the technology that records the footage, the thieves would have never been caught. For me technology was the saviour of my life and I would always be in awe of it.
