There was a group of thieves who stole SUVs and were in a network that shipped them to Japan (evidently they love US SUVs). The neighborhood (high end homes on lots slightly less than .5 acres) - a neighbor saw a stranger driving off in his neighbor’s SUV and called police - there are two ways out of the neighborhood, and police caught them on the main road. Grand work for the suburban town of 60,000.
Daytime robbers are going to do the stuff mentioned on the thread, and look for opportunities. Brazen. Our previous neighborhood in the larger city had a night time burglar that would unlock a door for easy/fast exit - he crept around bedrooms and stole jewelry off bedside tables. Kept returning to the neighborhood. One neighbor heard him on the deck that surrounded their main level - she immediately begged/cried to her H to buy another house, and they did - moved quickly (he traveled some on business and she had two small babies). Another neighbor was 8 mo pregnant and not sleeping well - they heard the burglar and each had handguns in their side tables - the calls were buzzing and I told H we need to stay inside, as who knows who will shoot at what out there! Several neighbors have handguns. The reason I know it is a ‘he’ is that he was caught. Around that same time we had a naked person running around at night outside…Our home in that neighborhood had a daytime break in when we were both at work. The German shepherd next door was going nuts, but a meter reader had also gone through - so SAHM next door didn’t know what was going on. I do think the dog is what scared them off - they piled some of our stuff and then left it - so only some of our valuables were stolen. I suspect a painter’s helper duplicated a key.
We had a few incidents on car break ins and even a tire slash a few years ago. There was separately a group of 4 kids (looked like HS kids that skipped school, clean cut - I suspect hooked on drugs and needed cash) - one would ring the front door bell to see if anyone was home. One family had that camera with the front door bell - so they could see on their computer at work who was at their door. They called police and they nabbed them down the street from our home. I was driving in and out of the neighborhood on an errand, and got the 411 on our neighborhood facebook page. Whenever stuff happens, neighbors get more acquainted with their neighbors and people become more watchful.
If the bad guys know that it takes x minutes for the police to react to a distress call, they will do whatever they can in x - their getaway time. There is only one way to prevent that - make their access or getaway as hard as possible. Cameras will not deter a brazen burglar.
We have nothing of special value at our house. All important documents are stored at the bank. Maybe Mr.'s tools, but they can be easily replaced (and there are too many of them anyway). No gold, no art. Most valuable pieces are our Stressless sofas, and they are heavy as heck to carry out. Jewelry is non-existent - they will have to pry my measly diamond studs out of my ears (I never take those out) and my tiny wedding ring off my finger. My biggest worry is my avatars. If a door is left open, they will escape and might get eaten by coyotes.
Locks. Spend a few extra $$ on Assa Abloy (or whatever the heck they are called now) high security locks or a similar brand. If your internet is wired, make sure your cable connection to the house is hard to find so the burglars will not be able to easily sever your internet access and disable your web-based cams and security systems (it took the Comcast dude 2 hours to find ours… I am not worried about that part of our security).
Windows. Slider windows are less secure than windows that need to be crank open; burglars will not crawl through broken glass… they will break the glass, reach in, and open the window. Consider securing all of your sliders.
We keep doors locked even when we are home in the daytime, unless doing yardwork or on the lanai. Then only that door is unlocked. Our alarm system is set to make noise whenever a door is opened. We keep cars locked, even though they are always in the garage- which is left closed.
Key item- the habit of not using the alarm system when home. Bet you have changed habits. Hearing stories like yours is one reason we are more diligent.
We have the habit of setting ours to “stay” at night. Annoyance when I want to add something to recycling and have to redo it, but worth it.
The local paper has stories about burglaries of cars in driveways or garages. The owners did not bother to lock their cars. Do it even in a locked garage. There is also some article online about making sure burglars can’t disable your garage door opener’s auto setting so they can lift the door. A matter of if/how the cord to change modes hangs down (or not).
Lockup rules need to be followed all of the time. Neighbor forgot to close his garage door on a quick store trip and an August bored gang of thieves stole his good bike one year.
We replaced drafty old windows with hurricane rated ones in our Florida home, both for that, insulation and burglar proofing. No one will easily break a window to unlock a door or enter a window. We also keep windows locked when not open, and do not keep them open (less dust and dirt along with keeping the temps lower).
We also have longer (at least one inch) bolts and not just the doorknob locks on doors. The screws used to install them need to be long enough as well.
btw- I made sure to replace current house with doors that need to be unlocked before leaving (easy to unlock in case of fire). Schlage, used in last house, allowed exiting while door was still locked. One winter morning- think below freezing and snow- I exited in my robe and slippers- had a hard time finding an at home neighbor to call H and get the key. We hid one after that- in a hard to get at location (college son ruined his old good shoes once getting it).
Letting trusted neighbors have a spare key can be good- but we avoid those with kids (teens included) who may give them to someone.
My burglary story is from medical school decades ago. I had a third (or was it second?) story apartment in a not bad part of town. I came home from a hospital one winter afternoon and was annoyed by a police car parked close to the corner where I once got a parking ticket. It got worse- thieves had broken the lock on my apartment and made off with some stuff. The little old landlady couldn’t see their car plates because of the huge snowbanks. They took my stereo with 8 track player, used the crocheted blanket my mother had made to wrap it in, the old B&W TV I got when my grandfather died. They missed my glass piggy bank with loose change. I don’t know what they were thinking as I was deep in debt and did not have much. The worst part was the loss of a sense of safety in my home.
When we were kids my parents locked doors and the car at night in the average suburbs. In a different city H and I knew people from small towns who never locked their doors, even when gone. Times change.
Confession time. I never lock my doors unless we’re going on a long vacation. I don’t even know where our key is. We do, however have a security system with door chime, a large dog, a highly variable schedule, friendly/nosy neighbors, and a police station around the corner.
A wealthy friend once told me to leave decoy jewelry out where easily found. Imagine if the purse they took was a knockoff with fake credit cards and maybe $100. Maybe a few pieces of costume jewelry that looks authentic.
A wealthy friend once told me to leave decoy jewelry out where easily found. Imagine if the purse they took was a knockoff with fake credit cards and maybe $100. Maybe a few pieces of costume jewelry that looks authentic.<<<
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THat’s a good idea! I don’t have a lot of good jewelry, but what i do have it sentimental. I think right now I keep it in my underwear drawer (I know, no thief would ever think to look there!!! LOL) Perhaps I can leave some sparkly costume pieces in my actual jewelry box and any burglars would think they got the good stuff.
Even with doors locked…thieves can steal. When i was a little kid, we lived in apartments. We were playing outside one afternoon…a bunch of kids and parents. A moving van pulled up…and the folks one building away were moving out.
Except…they came home…to find their apartment completely…totally empty including the food in the fridge.
We all watched it happen…and never thought twice about it. People moved in and out all the time…
I live in a very safe area and the only time I lock the door is if I am alone in the house and going to take a long bath or if I leave the premises. I only started locking the door in the last 5 years or so, because H said it would make a difference to the insurance company if we were robbed. I can’t imagine living in a place where I felt I had to lock the door just to go to the backyard. Wow!
Or former neighbors across the street used to go away on vacation and leave the house unlocked. In reality, entrance to our house, even if the door is locked, would be incredibly easy and completely out of sight or hearing of any neighbors or the road.
The only jewelry I have worth stealing in always on my finger. We don’t have fancy electronics or fur coats. The most valuable easily portable thing in the house is sterling silver in the sideboard in the dining room, which is worth quite a lot. Sometimes when we go away I put it all in a bag and put the bag in a hiding place no one would find, but usually I forget. Do thieves take Persian rugs, china, and stuff like that? I don’t think so.
Our dog is a golden retriever. She would probably bark, then bring the thieves her stuffed bunny to admire.
@bevhills , I am so sorry that this happened to you. What a feeling of violation. I’m glad Mr. Ellebud was not harmed.
@bevhills , so sorry this happened to your family!
As far as locking doors when home, we used to leave our front door unlocked, but it blew open a couple of times so we started just keeping the deadbolt turned. We have also replaced our front door lock with one that we can activate with an app. It sends a text when it gets opened, and can distinguish the code used.
We also recently put up a camera, because the number one crime in our neighborhood is Amazon package pilfering. Last night it caught a raccoon waddling across the porch. It’s kind of fun, but probably won’t do much to stop a determined thief.
Ha! Mr Racoon was pretty fat and slow. We also caught a bird eating bugs between the bricks. And lots of false alarms due to wind in the branches. No sure if this is worth it…
When I was a kid, our house was broken into. They broke 3 windows getting in and completely ransacked the house–dumped every drawer in every bedroom and the kitchen. They seemed to be looking only for cash-- got $6 that mom had in a drawer. Horrible feeling of violation, though, to come home to broken glass, everything dumped on the floor. For years we kids were afraid of the basement, thinking the robbers might be hiding down there!
No problem since then, probably because we have a big family, almost always multiple people in the house, 3-4 cars in the driveway, random schedules, poorly maintained lawn/landscaping. One look in the window says this place was just hit because it always looks ransacked. Little of value in here. No jewelry except wedding rings.
When I was in Peace Corps decades ago, a volunteer was killed for her radio. After I heard about this, I promised myself I’d never own anything that I couldn’t willingly give away. Pretty much stuck to that.
Several in our neighborhood have had cars stolen. I heard to keep car keys on your nightstand --not just to keep them out of reach of thieves, but so you can set off your car alarm if you hear someone enter the house.
Maybe an NRA bumper sticker on a car/truck parked in the driveway might help?
