Car stolen and my experience

[Gavia]

ToothbrushMan said:

having seen footage of personal attacks on some pretty big strapping guys by gangs for keys id suggest that barracading yourself into your own bedroom with keys whilst it might stop them getting to you that way could lead to the scummers going the other way........kicking the crap out of an owner on his own driveway or i can think of worse.......

If they want it and know its there....theyll take it. to them its business.

Based on my discussions with the police and prison guards that is a massive rarity. Thieves know that burglary carries a certain sentence, as does car theft. Once they go upstairs the sentence increases significantly, as does the police involvement, as does the chances of being caught.

However, if they do go for the upstairs route, then it’s serious st.

[PositronicRay]

Gavia said:

ToothbrushMan said:

having seen footage of personal attacks on some pretty big strapping guys by gangs for keys id suggest that barracading yourself into your own bedroom with keys whilst it might stop them getting to you that way could lead to the scummers going the other way........kicking the crap out of an owner on his own driveway or i can think of worse.......

If they want it and know its there....theyll take it. to them its business.

Based on my discussions with the police and prison guards that is a massive rarity. Thieves know that burglary carries a certain sentence, as does car theft. Once they go upstairs the sentence increases significantly, as does the police involvement, as does the chances of being caught.

However, if they do go for the upstairs route, then it’s serious st.

An upstairs burglary is taken more seriously? Really?

[Gavia]

PositronicRay said:

An upstairs burglary is taken more seriously? Really?

Apparently so. One is viewed as a simple burglary, if they go upstairs there’s a menacing aspect to it and the sentences are harsher.

Just what I’ve been told.

[Red 4]

OddCat said:

It is mainly German high end / high powered stuff the scrotes want isn't it ?

Anything there's a market for - prestige/ performance car for parts/ export.

Anything quick with 4 doors and 4wd if it's to be used in crime - Golf R, Audis of the RS variety, etc.

[Gavia]

Red 4 said:

OddCat said:

It is mainly German high end / high powered stuff the scrotes want isn't it ?

Anything there's a market for - prestige/ performance car for parts/ export.

Anything quick with 4 doors and 4wd if it's to be used in crime - Golf R, Audis of the RS variety, etc.

F-Pace seem to be one of their favourites too. Wonder if we’re heading back to the 70s with the gangsters driving Jaaaaaaaaaggggggssssss

[KingNothing]

I upgraded my locks to anti-snap/pick/bump locks when I moved in, but I also upgraded the handles, the difference in construction between them was pretty noticeable, would have been quite easy to snap off the bottom of the standard handles to get to the locks itself with a pair of vice grips. I'll try find the photo I took of them side by side.

[Phil Dicky]

Gavia said:

PositronicRay said:

An upstairs burglary is taken more seriously? Really?

Apparently so. One is viewed as a simple burglary, if they go upstairs there’s a menacing aspect to it and the sentences are harsher.

Just what I’ve been told.

I suspect it's the fact that any burglar going upstairs may have a weapon for his own protection if confronting the home owner. Hence the offence becomes aggravated and thus more serious.

[PositronicRay]

Phil Dicky said:

Gavia said:

PositronicRay said:

An upstairs burglary is taken more seriously? Really?

Apparently so. One is viewed as a simple burglary, if they go upstairs there’s a menacing aspect to it and the sentences are harsher.

Just what I’ve been told.

I suspect it's the fact that any burglar going upstairs may have a weapon for his own protection if confronting the home owner. Hence the offence becomes aggravated and thus more serious.

So is an upstairs burglary more or less serious than say a bungalow, first floor flat vs ground floor flat? Is the upstairs still as serious if the householder is out? Genuinely interested in the guidelines. I can see why armed robbery would attract tougher sentences.

On another point
Speaking to friends who deal with serious crime. They tell me that clear up rates depend on perpetrators being a bit thick, cocky and making mistakes rather than clever detection.

[julian64]

Gavia said:

If they defeat all the additional security I’ve now got in place, then they almost deserve the car.

I missed this, what's your additional security now that

[GC8]

Kingofthelea said:

And this I wish was a product on sale. Let the start it, let them drive off. Then a mile away from home, shut down....

It is, and has been for two decades. Clifford Blackjax.

[Gavia]

PositronicRay said:

So is an upstairs burglary more or less serious than say a bungalow, first floor flat vs ground floor flat? Is the upstairs still as serious if the householder is out? Genuinely interested in the guidelines. I can see why armed robbery would attract tougher sentences.

On another point
Speaking to friends who deal with serious crime. They tell me that clear up rates depend on perpetrators being a bit thick, cocky and making mistakes rather than clever detection.

I think you’re missing the point. It’s not about guidelines it’s about what the scrotes do. In a normal house, if they’re just downstairs and make no attempt to go near the homeowner, then their actions are viewed as against property, rather than the person, which ting upstirs would suggest they’re willing to do.

Totally agree that detection is more luck than skill, as much as we all whinge about the police, they are massively underfunded so resources are stretched and they will prioritise crimes against the person over property.

[Gavia]

julian64 said:

I missed this, what's your additional security now that

I’d rather not go through everything on here, just in case, even though that sounds very paranoid. Suffice to say there’s internal car security, external physical security, significantly upgraded home security.

[BobSaunders]

Sorry to hear this Gavia. You have some decent bikes in the garage as well!

I made the mistake of going out to investigate hearing my neighbours being broken into for their M4 in central manchester.

Guy came at me with a screwdriver threatening to burn my family. I had a six week old son at that point upstairs. Makes you seriously think.

Missus was in bits for weeks at any type of noise.

CCTV went in staright after, as well as roman blinds on the back of the house, improved locks, security lights, improved alarm with more coverage, and various other things for protection. Including a fire extinguisher in the bedside table.

Myself and missus have even discussed what would happen in a situation - she would grab my son and lock herself and him in the ensuite, open the window and scream whilst calling the police, and i would lock the bedroom door and stand between them and my son in the locked ensuite. And hope the police turn up before either party loses. It was agreed she only unlocks/opens the door until the police turn up - no matter if i ask her to.

You can have nice things, just be prepared to lock them away, or lose them.

Nice car now sits on the road around the corner, and shed lives on the driveway. Bikes are all in the garage under lock and key. All keys are kept in a pot downstairs in the hall and are nice and easy to grab, so no need to come upstairs.

[PositronicRay]

Gavia said:

PositronicRay said:

So is an upstairs burglary more or less serious than say a bungalow, first floor flat vs ground floor flat? Is the upstairs still as serious if the householder is out? Genuinely interested in the guidelines. I can see why armed robbery would attract tougher sentences.

On another point
Speaking to friends who deal with serious crime. They tell me that clear up rates depend on perpetrators being a bit thick, cocky and making mistakes rather than clever detection.

I think you’re missing the point. It’s not about guidelines it’s about what the scrotes do. In a normal house, if they’re just downstairs and make no attempt to go near the homeowner, then their actions are viewed as against property, rather than the person, which ting upstirs would suggest they’re willing to do.

Totally agree that detection is more luck than skill, as much as we all whinge about the police, they are massively underfunded so resources are stretched and they will prioritise crimes against the person over property.

Goddit.

Friends were burgled (upstairs) whilst out, so that would be regarded as crime against property I'd imagine. AFAIK it's unsolved but the investigation, forensics, door to door, did appear very thorough.

[Dog Star]

Phil Dicky said:

I suspect it's the fact that any burglar going upstairs may have a weapon for his own protection if confronting the home owner. Hence the offence becomes aggravated and thus more serious.

That's the exact word: "aggravated".

[BobSaunders]

As i was told the other week by a policeman sat on my sofa re. something on CCTV we captured.

Unless the burglar is on the property still, they will not bother coming out or investigating. They are under resourced and must deal with serious crime or crime occuring where they have a 100% opportunity to grab them.

They are stuck dealing with paperwork, mental health, arguments (which they must treat seriously), and criminals from the night before.

[Gavia]

BobSaunders said:

As i was told the other week by a policeman sat on my sofa the other week. re. something on CCTV we captured.

Unless the burglar is on the property still, they will not bother coming out or investigating. They are under resourced and must deal with serious crime or crime occuring where they have a 100% opportunity to grab them.

They are stuck dealing with paperwork, mental health, arguments (which they must treat seriously), and criminals from the night before.

Thanks for your earlier comments.

The police were actually really good with me. Someone here within 30 mins and a big attempt to track it down, but there was a spate of car thefts following this MO amd it was getting out of hand. The area has been flooded with police including proper traffic cars since and a lot of cooperation between forces, as we sit right on the border of Lancs / GMP and the scrotes on their way back to Liverpool (as these gangs were) cross Cheshire and Merseyside too.

I’ve had a fair few follow up calls too, early on every time the phone rang I thought it was recovered, but gradually that excitement, then disappointment wore off.

[PositronicRay]

BobSaunders said:

As i was told the other week by a policeman sat on my sofa re. something on CCTV we captured.

Unless the burglar is on the property still, they will not bother coming out or investigating. They are under resourced and must deal with serious crime or crime occuring where they have a 100% opportunity to grab them.

They are stuck dealing with paperwork, mental health, arguments (which they must treat seriously), and criminals from the night before.

That's sad but not my experience.

2 x police cars, + dog and handler. Door to door on the night, following morning forensics and another door to door.

[Gameface]

Yipper said:

As said many times before, the key to stopping home-invasion car-thefts is to have at least 3 strongly-locked doors between the car and the keys (Faraday cage if keyless).

Lock the driveway gates, lock the backdoor, lock the frontdoor, lock the living room, lock the kitchen, lock the hallway, lock the stairs, lock the bedrooms, lock the windows. Have smoke-alarms and an escape plan for fire.

Think like a castle, not a house.

Locking internal doors stops these crimes by 80-100%.

Lock your keyboard.

[Dog Star]

Gavia said:

.... a lot of cooperation between forces, as we sit right on the border of Lancs / GMP

You reckon they cooperate? I'm right on the Lancs/GMP border - as in my back garden fence is the border, can't get closer than that - when I had my bikes stolen back in 2014 I got the very distinct impression that there was bugger all cooperation and because I was in GMP it wasn't on the radar of Lancashire at all, which is annoying as I have a lot more visibility of Lancs police. I think it put me at a big disadvantage. Obviously experiences can differ.

(GMP were good though, had someone out withing half an hour, had a couple of PCSOs walking around the garden looking for anything, fingerprints lady same morning. They reckoned the bikes were being had away by east europeans - they were going through the area like a dose of salts stealing motocrossers. I was talking to one of the chaps who had had several stolen at the same time and he is a really good enduro rider, and rides all over the world; he was saying that when you're doing rounds in Poland that there are loads and loads of bikes there with all UK dealer graphics and so on - stolen.