Garage Broken into - nothing taken. Now worried
Discussion
Just got back from a weekend away to be told by our next door neighbour that our garage door was open yesterday.
Looks very much like it's been broken into, but nothing was taken. That's absolutely nothing - even though there's loads of nick-able stuff like power tools, bikes, etc. This leads us to conclude someone was probably after the XKR.
So they'll probably come back.
What's the latest advise on protecting your car at home these days? I hear that hiding the keys could lead to violence to get them handed over.
Forget intrusion protection for now, IMO if someone want's in, they'll get in, no matter how well secured your place is.
Looks very much like it's been broken into, but nothing was taken. That's absolutely nothing - even though there's loads of nick-able stuff like power tools, bikes, etc. This leads us to conclude someone was probably after the XKR.
So they'll probably come back.
What's the latest advise on protecting your car at home these days? I hear that hiding the keys could lead to violence to get them handed over.
Forget intrusion protection for now, IMO if someone want's in, they'll get in, no matter how well secured your place is.
If you are very worried you might want to think about an alarm with communication to BiB. BT Red Care is good, it aint cheap but you can have a wireless personal attack button, you can set off a silent alarm that will send the personal attack signal to BT and they contact BiB, they usualy get very fast response (<3 mins for urban areas) as we are automaticaly put on high response for PA jobs (drop everything that not critical and blue lights etc). It also protects agains them cutting the line as is becoming more common these days, the line is checked every 10 seconds, and if it is cut BT send BiB.
The other thing to think about is maybe some good flood lights, however rather than using PIR activation (set off by everything) you can use infra red light beam at about knee level over the drive, cats etc wont set if off but a person will. You could also rig up a chime in the house so you hear when the lights come on.
Another option is CCTV, however this is not going to prevent anything.
I would suggest an all round solution is best, a good alarm (inc garage), good lighting and better locks on your doors/windows.
There is lots you can do, from a few quid to several thousand, from the sounds of it you have a 60k car sitting in your garage - you should think about spending a few hundred quid to protect it.
I recently knew a chap who had a very expensive sports car stolen by burgalry, they broke in very easily via a window and took the keys.
Said scum crashed the car a mile or so away and the car was a mess. Insurance refused to pay out as his security on the house and garage did not meet what was required in his policy. He had to sell the car for parts........ check your policy!
The other thing to think about is maybe some good flood lights, however rather than using PIR activation (set off by everything) you can use infra red light beam at about knee level over the drive, cats etc wont set if off but a person will. You could also rig up a chime in the house so you hear when the lights come on.
Another option is CCTV, however this is not going to prevent anything.
I would suggest an all round solution is best, a good alarm (inc garage), good lighting and better locks on your doors/windows.
There is lots you can do, from a few quid to several thousand, from the sounds of it you have a 60k car sitting in your garage - you should think about spending a few hundred quid to protect it.
I recently knew a chap who had a very expensive sports car stolen by burgalry, they broke in very easily via a window and took the keys.
Said scum crashed the car a mile or so away and the car was a mess. Insurance refused to pay out as his security on the house and garage did not meet what was required in his policy. He had to sell the car for parts........ check your policy!
Bluesandtwos has answered most things for you.
In addition, I would buy a 'garage post', usually sold in motorcycle shops. They strengthen your garage security by 700%
or at the very least, some addition security...especially for upandover garage doors:
Don't worry too much...just make it very difficult, so scum will look elsewhere.
Street
In addition, I would buy a 'garage post', usually sold in motorcycle shops. They strengthen your garage security by 700%
or at the very least, some addition security...especially for upandover garage doors:
Don't worry too much...just make it very difficult, so scum will look elsewhere.
Street
This exact same thing happened to me last year. Lock had been broken off the garage but nothing taken. My garage contains loads of tools and my Tiger which is not exactly the kind of car that people steal but you never know. I changed the lock for a much beefier one and haven't had any attempts since 
Had the same some time ago, someone had been in to the garage and taken stuff.
Couldn't work out how until realised how draughty it was - they'd taken the window out.
The problem is listing what's missing because it is only looking for an item that you realise that it ain't there. That can be months later.
Sympathies!
Couldn't work out how until realised how draughty it was - they'd taken the window out.
The problem is listing what's missing because it is only looking for an item that you realise that it ain't there. That can be months later.
Sympathies!
Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
Just had the local force check it out, they are sending SOCO(?) to check for prints, etc. and the local CPO.
Regarding security devices. There's always some compromise between convienience and security. For example having the garage completely bricked up would be secure, but a bit of a faff to dismantle and rebuild a wall to get the car in and out
We currently have an electric door which is ultimately convenient, but as has just been proved, can be opened by jemming the garage door off the electric motor mechanism.
I like the idea of those posts in front, but when it's pissing with rain, you are wearing your suit and just got home from work, the idea of spending 60 seconds getting soaked while removing them doesn't pass the convenience test.
Ideally, does anyone know if you can get those posts to raise/lower into the floor electronically/remotely? Also, what about additional bolts inside the garage that can be remotely operated?
Just had the local force check it out, they are sending SOCO(?) to check for prints, etc. and the local CPO.
Regarding security devices. There's always some compromise between convienience and security. For example having the garage completely bricked up would be secure, but a bit of a faff to dismantle and rebuild a wall to get the car in and out
We currently have an electric door which is ultimately convenient, but as has just been proved, can be opened by jemming the garage door off the electric motor mechanism.
I like the idea of those posts in front, but when it's pissing with rain, you are wearing your suit and just got home from work, the idea of spending 60 seconds getting soaked while removing them doesn't pass the convenience test.
Ideally, does anyone know if you can get those posts to raise/lower into the floor electronically/remotely? Also, what about additional bolts inside the garage that can be remotely operated?
Hope you lot with garage break-ins don't live in West Yorkshire.
Their policy is not to deal to garage or shed break-ins.
This despite my car being broken into and attempted theft of it.
When I said this was tantamount to condoning theft, I was told no way.
Still can't get my head round the logic that letting Criminals know they ( Police) won't bother with external building thefts means that they ( Police ) are not giving said criminals Carte Blanche to break into a person's property.
David
Their policy is not to deal to garage or shed break-ins.
This despite my car being broken into and attempted theft of it.
When I said this was tantamount to condoning theft, I was told no way.
Still can't get my head round the logic that letting Criminals know they ( Police) won't bother with external building thefts means that they ( Police ) are not giving said criminals Carte Blanche to break into a person's property.
David
Does the garage have a back door?
You could put the post inside the garage and sink it in the floor there thus removing the suit/rain interface problem...
Do the Jag tuning specialists have a dongle type affair that will allow you to disable the CPU through the service port whilst you are not using the car?
You could put the post inside the garage and sink it in the floor there thus removing the suit/rain interface problem...
Do the Jag tuning specialists have a dongle type affair that will allow you to disable the CPU through the service port whilst you are not using the car?
goodlife said:
SOCO(?) CPO.
Scenes Of Crime Officer and Crime Prevention Officer.
goodlife said:
I like the idea of those posts in front, but when it's pissing with rain, you are wearing your suit and just got home from work, the idea of spending 60 seconds getting soaked while removing them doesn't pass the convenience test.
You'd be wetter waiting for a bus after your car has been nicked
Only put the posts in when you really need them...at night or when away from home in different vehicle. goodlife said:There are some places that do them...big £££ though..I'll see if I can find any details for you.
Ideally, does anyone know if you can get those posts to raise/lower into the floor electronically/remotely?
goodlife said:
Also, what about additional bolts inside the garage that can be remotely operated?
Additional bolts are great, but have to be done manually from the inside.
Street
goodlife said:My goodness Master Daniel! It would appear the scrotes have attempted entry! Unfortunately "Chav" is not one of the languages in my memory banks.
Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
Just had the local force check it out, they are sending SOCO(?) to check for prints, etc. and the local C3PO.
Dan, sorry to hear of this mate. A decent bolt as mentioned (and pictured) will do the job. I assume the car has a tracking device on it of some sort? (no need to answer that one)
goodlife said:A quick google turns up this:
Ideally, does anyone know if you can get those posts to raise/lower into the floor electronically/remotely? Also, what about additional bolts inside the garage that can be remotely operated?
www.protectapost.com
Seems to be what you're after
goodlife said:
David - our garage is attached to the main property and has an integral door into the house. AFAIK this means the garage is treated as part of the house and treated as a break-in to the main house.
If this is the case why not put the chubb lock style door locks on the outside and big mutha slidebolts on the inside...?
When you take the car out you can use the chubbs/main lock from the outside. From the inside when you have put car away you can use the main lock/indoor bolts (i guess you could chubb lock from outside too if you really wanted in extreme cases).
e.g. Four slide bolts (with or without extra padlocks) set a long way back from door (i.e. on blocks of wood to prevent attempts with crow bars from outside through crack around door) would hopefully prevent most attempts as it would take ages to find each lock and get at it through door gap as by not having bolt close to back of door you have decreased their angle to break lock.
Thought of bars on windows too..? Personally i prefer the idea of wooden shutters on inside. Metal bars suggests you have something in there - wooden shutters don't really show anything, but allow you to open them if need to work in garage. Opaque roof allows you to not have windows anyway.
I am in to cars and home automation. Without wishing to compromise all of my security its possible to use some pretty nifty home automation and cctv tools to help protect your home. For example you could disbable the door motors by using a clever remote controls. Happy to talk offline about this.
goodlife said:
Regarding security devices. There's always some compromise between convienience and security. For example having the garage completely bricked up would be secure
May not be enough. Gang of pondlife couldn't get into a garage door when the owners were on holiday - no windows - as it had a number of devices and I presume an alarm (door). So they came back at night and removed the bricks from a side wall to about half a metre over roof height and forklifted the car out sideways onto a flatbed. If they want it, they'll get it, but most don't want it that bad and can be deterred. Disinterred even better
Streetcop said:Had PC and SOCO over today. No real progress as nothing was moved/disturbed etc and no prints anywhere.
Don't worry too much...just make it very difficult, so scum will look elsewhere.
Street
Took your advise and installed some whacking great bolts on the inside of the garage door to prevent it opening. Also installed one with a padlock on the outside, acting both as a visible deterrent and security.
Interestingly, another neighbour found his Porsche unlocked and out of gear (always left in gear), but again no signs of forced entry so the immobiliser seems to have won that battle.
From these two incidents, what would the BiB on here deduce might be going on? What are the chances we will be revisited?
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