Recovering After a Break-In: Saskia’s Story
The content of this article reflects the views of the writer, and not necessarily those of Ethical Metalsmiths. This article was written for The Source
Image by Saskia Shutt Designs in Canva
Recovering After a Break-In, Burglary or Hold-up: Saskia’s Story
Something we rarely talk about – to the extent that it is almost taboo – is what happens with a break-in, burglary or even a hold-up.
How do we deal with the aftermath? How do we overcome the tragedy of the unwanted invasion into our space? Do we continue our business, or do we close? Do we relive what has happened over and over until the insurance and police paperwork is done and all the customer’s work has been remade or replaced, even though we know the sentimental value is lost forever?
Even more questions that I asked myself were: How long will I pay for the break-in financially, emotionally, or physically? How do we deal with feelings of responsibility and guilt towards my customers and their missing repair and heirloom pieces?
Talking about what happened with your peers is a good place to start, but it can be challenging if the people in your circle of friends or connections haven’t experienced what you are going through. What if all you receive is a shoulder to cry on or the support and empathy of loved ones and friends? Don’t get me wrong, it is a great comfort to know that the people around us care, and during these times you might be surprised at the people who turn up at your door to offer help.
In my case, it was newlyweds whose wedding rings I made just coming back from their honeymoon, offering to help clean up the mess the thieves left in what formerly was my beautiful safe-haven of a workshop. And the new customer for whom I was remodelling her deceased mother’s wedding and engagement rings who made me homemade vegan raspberry jellies, because she figured I needed the sugar and sweetness more than her. Also, my close friend turned up after the police tape was lifted with a bottle of champagne, an iPod with pop music from the ’90s, and cleaning supplies. My workshop looked like a snowy landscape, completely covered in white powder dust from my fire extinguisher that the thieves had sprayed everywhere to cover their fingerprints.
This was not even my first experience; that was a hold-up that happened in 2001. It was a Friday afternoon, six weeks before Christmas. I was alone, working for another jeweler in her boutique workshop. Luckily, only a few physical scars were left and I lived to tell the tale. I don’t remember much about the week after, only what I was told by friends about what happened. I slept so much; everywhere I felt safe, I just would fall asleep. My therapist said it was very natural for my brain to go through a “shutdown and rebooting” process, which apparently, could take anywhere from a few days to a few years. It all depended on how my subconscious dealt with the trauma.
I moved cities after, which helped me a great deal, yet I never lost the love for making jewelry– for creating a piece of significance for other people and seeing the delight on a customer’s face when they saw the finished piece.
My last break-in was very different. It was during the night in my own workshop in 2019, during which I was safely tucked up in bed. After I got over the initial shock, I remember thinking, “Well, I got over the one in 2001, and lived through it, I was there…so I can get over this one too. I won’t let them take away my passion and drive for what I do. As long as they don’t take the tools of my trade, I will continue, get through the financial burden, deal with shocked and potentially even angry customers. It will be tough, but I’ll get there.”
Here are some things to remember if you’ve experienced something similar:
#1 Believe in yourself and hold onto hope.
We must remember, for them, it’s just another job, just another faceless profit. As for us, we are not merely victims. We can learn from the experience and become even more meticulous in documenting everything we take in or create.
#2 You are not guilty.
This happened to you and it was out of your control. Sadly, one or maybe even two customers might blame you for the whole situation. You might lose customers because they perceive it also happened to them, if their jewelry was lost during the break-in. It has nothing to do with mistrust, it just has to do with their loss and the understandable negative feelings that come with it.
#3 There will be new customers in the future who love your work and want to support you.
I had a young couple who had an appointment two days after the event that I had completely forgotten about. They walked in and saw the mess and my safe (which looked like an empty can of sardines as it was forced open with small explosives). I explained what happened and had to tell them that half the items that were stolen was customers’ jewelry that I had taken in for remodelling.
The first thing they said was, “I would like you to redesign my engagement ring that was my grandmother’s and is not to my taste. She has passed now, and I would like to make it into something new to preserve the sentimental value.” That is when I realized that this experience may be tough but that I was going to be okay, and that there were still people who believed in me.
#4 No one can ever predict if (or how many times) a jeweler will experience a break-in or a hold-up.
Some may never know what it is like, others may only know what it is like once, and a few of us may even go through the experience more than once. Unfortunately, the perpetrators are usually not caught.
#5 It’s completely normal to go through phases of changing the way we walk, cycle or drive to work.
Due to the feeling of being followed or watched, we may alter our familiar patterns. I stopped going to my favorite coffee shop and changed the length of my hair. I sifted through reels upon reels of security camera footage afterwards and saw the thieves watching me for weeks, observing all my routines and habits.
Things to be aware of & implement to help mitigate the risk of a break-in:
Image by Saskia Shutt Designs in Canva
#1 Burglars may come into your store and pretend to be potential customers; with me, it was a gut feeling, my instinct told me there was something off.
I wish I had listened to that instinct, because I ignored it (thinking I was being judgmental, as they didn’t come across as my usual customers) and let them into my workshop.
#2 Make sure your entire security system is scrutinized and should be approved by your insurance company, including even the location of the safe, plus vibration sensors, motion detectors, cameras, sensors for all doors and windows, etc., to make sure it is covered by your policy.
Insurance companies love taking your money, but don’t like paying it out. They will go over everything with a fine-toothed comb. This step is very important, since a company can easily turn around and say that your safe does not fall within their policy and is therefore not covered. (Yes, even if explosives are used to open it!)
#3 Make sure you have as much about your policy and your jewelry pieces in written and photographic documentation as you possibly can.
In Belgium, we are required by law to photocopy the customer’s jewelry together with their national ID card (passport), date and sign it, and take a photograph of the jewelry on a scale and make note of what carat the gold is. All of this isn’t even for the insurance company, but for the tax man, to make sure that the jeweler is above board. After my break-in, my insurance company told me, “If there is no invoice for that piece you took in from your customer, then you can’t prove that it is what you say it is and so we won’t reimburse you.”
In my situation, we were dealing with heirlooms that had already been passed down through generations, for which there was no invoice showing the original sale. If you are lucky, your customer had it appraised previously for their insurance purposes.
Speaking from a few experiences, the most important thing is that you take it one step at a time, and you’ll get through it!
- Saskia Shutt
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