So, I live with my dad in a comfortable house on a nice street. I've lived here since I was about 11. It's always been very safe, very quiet. However, around Christmastime, two houses got broken into and robbed. And now my dad has just told me that our next-door neighbor's house got burglarized in broad daylight yesterday afternoon, when they were gone. Their alarm went off and everything, but that didn't do much. Apparently, the police aren't investigating, because they have more serious crimes to follow, or whatever. And there's this: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...Say-Criminals-Are-Getting-More-Bold/186251322 We already have an alarm system. We also have a small dog. I'm just wondering if there's anything else, like little things, that can be done, short of installing cameras or buying a gun(s).
Actually, most home burglaries occur during broad daylight- the most frequent time being between 7am and 11am, because the criminal waits until they think everyone has left for the day to go to work, school, whatever. So never leave your house until the afternoon, and you'll be fine, at least 70% of the time.
Maybe if I break out in song, I can form an alliance with the woodland critters... That certainly makes a lot of sense, but the burglary yesterday happened at 3:10pm. These guys are pushing it a little, aren't they?
Awesome, Frieda! Cor, you can get cheap surveillance systems that work via laptop / network and email footage / photos to your phone if things change in-frame. So it might not stop burglars, but you can watch them steal your stuff in real time.
They were obviously all out until the wee hours spending their loot from a previous robbery and got a late start that day.
Yes. One fine sunny afternoon, I was just sitting by the computer working. Then suddenly the locked + deadbolted door unlocked and opened. I looked over, about to congratulate said burglar on their successful entry, when they paused with the door half opened and decided to close it. I felt abandoned, so I took a warm shower and cried.
Ask Arlon. http://boards.theforce.net/threads/i-am-alright-i-was-held-at-gunpoint-this-morning.30521308/
if the Gun Control thread has told me anything, you need to buy around 6 guns and wait at home to shoot those burglars until they die from it! That will teach them a lesson they never forget!
Or one assault rifle which is limited to 6 rounds, as long as all 6 are all shot at the same robber until he's dead. If there is more than one bad guy, just carry more magazines in your pocket, although that gets uncomfortable to sit on all morning....
A friend of mine who whose house was broken into twice started to hang a "Hells Angels Chapter" banner on his front window. He also moved his motorbikes from the garage to the front porch. He has never been bothered since. The other thing to do is to give the impression that somebody is home all the time. This can be difficult but if you can do it it works. For example, encourage neighbours to park in your driveway when you are away if you only have one car. Leave a big note on the front door addressed to a fictional person advising that you have just popped down to the shops and you will be back in 5 minutes. Leave some lights on. Keep the radio on every second day or so loud enough that it can be heard from your front door or play "Gangnam Style" really loud on repeat.
You can get light timers that will turn lamps and radios on and off at preset intervals. If you have a spare vehicle, leave it in the drive, not in the garage etc.
Do you think that even real Hell's Angels want to brave "Gangnam Style" set really loud on repeat though?
I guess it is if it is noticed by someone in the Hells Angels or a rival gang, but I guess it's a calculated risk. Most bikies would be flattered rather than mortally offended, although I guess if my mate is ever the victim of a drive by shooting then yes it would confirm that it was probably a bad idea.
There are alarm systems that will automatically call/dispatch the police when they're set off, get one of those instead of the crappy one your neighbor has.
My friend used to live on a street with a crack house, and he got his stuff stolen constantly. One of his more interesting plans was to electrify the bars on his windows with a photocopier transformer, which apparently packs quite a punch. For good or ill, he was talked out of that one.
I have three of these: Serious post: I think you're doing all you can, and it's true that most burglaries happen during the day because burglars assume that people won't be home. This isn't a preventative measure so much as a way to recoup your stuff if you do get burglarized: make sure you have all the serial numbers on TVs, game consoles, etc., any expensive piece of electronic equipment. The police in this area have been advising people to do that after pulling over cars full of stolen X-boxes (just one example).
