Friday 10 April 2009

What a 36 hours : An earthquake and robbery with violence

Will post later but we've had the most traumatic 36 hours . On Thursday morning there was an earthquake at 2.35 am that was severe enough to wake us all . There was a noise like an express train, the building swayed and plaster came tumbling off the roof.  Then at 4.30 am after everyone had settled back into a deep post-earthquake sleep the house was stealthily broken into by five armed and masked men . Wilf and Digby were too tired after the tremors to notice their arrival. The intruders fired off their machine guns, knocked me unconscious in the bed when I tried to grapple with them, tied up and beat everyone else with fire irons and monkey wrenches, dragged each of us off for mock executions and finally left half an hour later with their loot , leaving us and house guests locked into an upstairs room. What a wonderful start to the holiday for our guests! Believe me it's not pleasant to have to watch your partner and closest friends being bludgeoned in front of you while a masked robber holds a pistol at the back of their necks screaming that he's going to pull the trigger. The last thing I remember before losing conciousness was Wilf and Digby gamly defending 'the font' despite being kicked, punched and shot at.
 The Italian health service was fantastic - I was in the hospital and having an MRI for the fractured skull within an hour of the incident. Wilf was traumatised and was found twelve hours later by a Carabinieri patrol a mile away - they think he had been chasing the robbers get away car up the hill. A bloodied and bruised Digby went straight to ground under our bed and did his bit for the general pandemonium by barking loudly and continually - I thought the gang might shoot him to keep him quiet but there was so much commotion elsewhere they probably didn't notice. We spent most of yesterday giving statements to the police and helping out the forensic staff. Everyone here rallied round and we have been simply overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers and the staunchness and selflessness of neighbours and friends . American neighbours looked after 'the font' with heartwarming kindness and tenderness. One learns not only the downside of human nature but also the counterbalancing upside. Some friends took the boyz to the vets to have their wounds stitched up  and their bloodied noses cleaned. We'll get them back later today .

3 comments:

Raising Addie said...

OMG you poor souls!

What a horrible time you have all had.

We will be praying for you and your family.

Lots of Luv & Kisses
Addie, Lucie and Staci

Fi from Four Paws and Whiskers said...

just adding this so you know we do look back and read things you wrote!
I did look last year too...
All I can say is what a terrible ordeal it must have been and i am so glad you all came through it eventually - battered, bruised but alive.
Really wasn't that long ago, but so much has happened since. You have had some tough times too Angus.
fi

Colleen - the AmAzINg Mrs. B said...

I know this is crazy to respond after all this time, but I did look back at your posts and found this one. I cannot imagine the horror of that night. My heart hurts to think of what was done, and what could have been done. How you came out to the other side of this and can still have such a beautiful view of the world and of your beloved BRAVE dogs amazes me! Thank you for your continued posts and for allowing us to re-read the older ones as well.
Love from Utah..