i have been burgled, again!!!

[speedychrissie]

i bought my house just over a year ago and while it was empty someone broke into it and decided to use it for a couple of days. the police came and were unable to get any useful evidence.
last night we came back to find that someone had entered through the kitchen window (which supposedly was locked!) and that 2 laptops and a video camera had dissapeared. we have had the police around to take the details and i am expecting a forensics around at some point to try and find prints, and i have to say that the police have been very helpful so far. they are even getting a carpenter to come around soon to see if they can improve the strength of the doors and windows free of charge!

now what i would like from the PH collective is some advice on what i can do to further improve the security for my house.i currently have window locks on all the windows and bolts on the patio door (the use of which i am now going to strictly enforce) and a deadlock on the front door which i need to modify to get it to work properly. this morning i have ordered some specially made grills to go over the downstairs windows and doors which should make it incredibly hard to get in. i have thought about an alarm, but i dont feel that it will be that effective as i live in the city centre where no-one pays any attention to alarms.

is there anything else i should be thinking about doing?

cheers
chris

[mutt k]

Big dog with big teeth?

[mondeoman]

Moving?

[axeman30]

One tip would be that they will probably come back within the next few weeks to see if you've had the goods replaced by insurance so that they can nick them again.

[alexkp]

We have an ADT monitored alarm system. The moment it is activated the Police are informed (we did it by accident and they were round in about a minute), and neighbours/friends/family/you are notified to mobile or home phone.

Nothing is infallible, but houses with monitored systems are statistically rarely targetted as they are just much more dangerous to your average scrote.

Cost of full installation (with panic buttons and fire monitring also) was about £400 (yes you read that right) and monthly cost is about £30.

Best money I have ever spent.

>> Edited by alexkp on Thursday 8th December 11:16

[silversun]

mutt k said:

Big dog with big teeth?

This might sound like a daft idea but it isn't. My parents have always owned dogs and theirs is the only house in their road not to have been burgled over the years. The Police have been to all the houses and they told my parents that a dog was the best deterrent.

Sorry to hear you've been done over again though, it's happened to me before and it's not nice.

[axeman30]

silversun said:

mutt k said: Big dog with big teeth? This might sound like a daft idea but it isn't. My parents have always owned dogs and theirs is the only house in their road not to have been burgled over the years. The Police have been to all the houses and they told my parents that a dog was the best deterrent. Sorry to hear you've been done over again though, it's happened to me before and it's not nice.

And word gets around, my parents have got a sheep dog, in his younger days he was quite fierce, he's now 15 years old, incontinent/ blind/ doddery and has no teeth.

the other day they heard a van beeping outside, my mum went out to see, and the van driver explained that he'd been warned about the 'fierce dog' at the property by a mate and so he didn't want to get out of the van

[speedchick]

Can you get one of those alarms fitted that are monitored by some sort of company that can and will respond to them?

Also you can now get alarms that will ring your mobile phone if they are triggered, if you can't get home to see to it, at the very least you could phone the police and tell them there's a break in.

If it was me, I would also see about changing all the locks, as you don't know of they have been able to 'do something' while they have been in there to enable easy access. (if that makes sense!)

[maxf]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

My mum has the same thing - I agree, it is excellent and gives very good peace-of-mind for little cost. One night though it went off through an error and she woke up to find 2 policemen knocking at the door - poor mum thought someone had died!

[jas xjr]

if you do not wish to have a monitoring station called by your alarm, it is possible to have a dialler fitted to your existing alarm at a very reasonable cost. it calls iirc 3 numbers until you clear a code.cost was around £100 a few years ago.the upside is no ongoing cost but you pays yer money etc

[dern]

You don't want to admit that you may not be using your window locks and especially that your deadlock doesn't work because your insurance may be invalidated.

[alfaman]

It may be worth putting in a newer, stronger kitchen window .

I had my house burgled a few years ago ... the window was crow barred and bent open even though locked.

The replacement window had a more robust , crowbar proof lock mechanism ..... and foiled the burglers when they came back a few weeks later.

[YarisSi]

There is a show with the bald chap from London where people let their houses get burgled. It is worth a look because it gives you a lot of tips. One of the main things seems to be stopping them getting to the house so trelice on top of fences. Secure gates.
Then if you have been burgled they come back as people don't learn so you need to show you have leant so a burgler alarm and secure double glazing etc. Then they re-inforce the doors etc. e.g. doors with the pannels on the bottom can jsut be kicked through so don't have to risk breaking glass and cutting self.

I'm not sure about those police alarms I think it depends a lot on the system. I have set of school alarms and they have security guard there in about 10 minutes. I have been driven of the road, driven home, heard the alarm at a club, phoned the police, driven up there. Spoken to the police again, driven back down and looked about, then back seen 3 police cars, followed them up. Took about 20-25 minutes and that does not include time burglars in the club. That was with a police car at another local golf club on routin check. Although handy when no one is around or for security if you are stopped from phoning the police.

>> Edited by YarisSi on Thursday 8th December 11:50

[Mr Whippy]

silversun said:

mutt k said: Big dog with big teeth? This might sound like a daft idea but it isn't. My parents have always owned dogs and theirs is the only house in their road not to have been burgled over the years. The Police have been to all the houses and they told my parents that a dog was the best deterrent. Sorry to hear you've been done over again though, it's happened to me before and it's not nice.

Dunno, dogs can suffer if the burglars are determined. My mum had some things nicked from her barn next to the house. The Black Labrador dog was all dozy and had let it's bowels go all over the barn floor when she came home to find things stolen.

Clearly fed the dog something

Not nice for the doggy, and quite worrying that people go to such lengths to get hold of a 15 year old Honda trike/quad thing thats knackered (pikeys?)...

Best deterrent would be proper punishment for burglars. Not like you slip into a house and accidentally pick up laptops etc. They know they are doing it and need public stocks and whipping/wrotten vegetabling...

Dave

[nubbin]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I agree with Alex - get a monitored alarm - if nothing else it means the scrotes will move on to other (non-alarmed)properties. I too have an ADT alarm, and it also means money off your contents insurance, so at least there's a bit of payback on the installation cost. The cost increases depending on the number of sensors you have installed, but as mentioned it also includes mains powered fire alarms, battery backup, panic alarms. just make sure you lock the cat away when you set it, or the Police will be round for false alarms!! (And they really do turn up for genuine calls!)

[ZR1cliff]

speedychrissie said:

i have thought about an alarm, but i dont feel that it will be that effective as i live in the city centre where no-one pays any attention to alarms.

Do your self a favour Chris and get an alarm,even if they ignore it,no burglars going to hang around with an alarm going off.
If you cant stop them getting in,the least you can do is shorten their stay.
Good Luck.

[ledger]

nubbin said:

anonymous said: [redacted] and it also means money off your contents insurance, so at least there's a bit of payback on the installation cost.

when we looked at this the doscount on house insurance was hardly noticeable and if you were burgled and had not set the alarm you were not covered. We decided to take the discount.

[vee]

One more vote for ADT, not cheap but for the £350 odd it costs per year we get relative peace of mind.
If you do get one ensure that they set it up for you to arm downstairs at night.
If anyone breaks in while you're at home then you have some warning.
I'd also recommend an additional control panel upstairs.

When it comes to personal safety and property I don't think you can be too careful.

ps I believe that the alarms which dial a selection of numbers can be circumvented by cutting the phone line - not sure how true this is though.

[puggit]

Couple of other tips - IR sensing lighting. No one likes to be in the spotlight!

And gravel - it's very difficult to tippy-toe across gravel

[cymtriks]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

...and then they fit a speed camera at the end of your street! That'll teach em!

Seriously, turn your house into a fortress, decent secure windows and doors for starters plus an alarm. Trellis on top of the fence next.