Signs of the Times..oh how SAD

[onewhocares]

Hello Everyone....

I came into work on Friday morning and my boss said that the home adjacent to our office (we live less than a quarter of a mile away) was broken into in the middle of the day. We are located in a very trafficed area and to be honest I never would have suspected that we are a prime target for break ins. Granted we, I mean our household have nothing that is worth stealing...but the thought of someone being in our home is troubling.

My question to you all is...how can we do little things that would make us less of a target for breakins? I have NO clue.


Belle

[rainbowmonk]

The things that I have found effective are to draw less attention to your home. try putting away thing that may make your house look expensive(out of sight out of mind so to speak), if you cannot afford alarm systems try putting up motion sensitive lights,fake cameras and lights that go on timers for when you are not home in the evening. It is also good to get to know your neighbors so that you can watch each others houses(safety in numbers). Make sure your windows and doors can be secured and are so for the most part all the time. I hope this helps... they are just a few thoughts but you might want to talk to a security company for more.

Good Luck from the Monk
:)

[jem_is_bi]

After reading this post, I just looked around at my possessions. They work very well to keep me comfortable and entertained. But, if some desperate soul should steal my 1980's TV and record turntable, old records, Window's 98 vintage computer and $20 in spare change and pennies, then, I can only hope it somehow provides them some happiness and relief from their economic despair.
I have been robbed at gunpoint, but I still feel very sorry for the wasted lives of those young men. In contrast to them, I was provided access to great education, encouraged to attain success and a very productive life. Therefore, I think it would be better, to raise our children to value themselves more than our possessions and give all of them opportunities to succeed and encouragement to do so.
Then, we could change our focus from small time thieves to the real criminals that, on a regular basis, gain enough power to destroy the economy of this country and occasionally the world economy. Criminal activities? How is your home value, IRA and 401K doing compared to the loot that those responsible have amassed?
.

[12voltman59]

With the times Belle--it is only gonna get worse---

The other day here in my rather well off suburb---someone tried to rob an Oreck Vacuum sales store!!!

Can ya believe that???

They sell a good number of sweepers there---but its not exactly like people buy them paying cash---its more of a credit card kinda sale store.

We sure have been having a rash of bank robberies in our area--one bank in one part of town last week----it got robbed early in the day--the police and FBI had it closed for a time doing the investigation--it got robbed again later that day a few hours after it had reopened--that branch has now been robbed something like five or six times in the past several weeks---same for a few other branches of other banks in other parts of the area.

What is really dumb about robbing banks---they really don't keep all that much cash in the drawers and the tellers are very good at placing the dye burst packs----the dumb asses nearly always get caught--when the packs burst in some shopping center parking lot a few blocks away and people report it --soon the patrol cars have 'em surrounded---

Well-they aren't "rocket scientists!!":bigrin::bigrin:

[Falke]

Rainbowmonk has some good ideas which should help.

My prefered home defence device when I am here is a .45. :bigrin:

[HighEnergy]

I saw something on the news the other day about crime rising in these times. They had a woman who was the daughter of a police officer and had an alarm system in her house. She felt pretty safe. This security expert walked around her property on one day with a clipboard assessing things, looking like a siding salesman. The next day, he took the ladder from behind her garage, went up on her front porch roof, cut the screen, jimmied the lock and was in in less than a couple of minutes. She didn't have the second floor windows alarmed.

I kinda figure if they want in your house, they are going to get in.

[vittoria]

this is what a friend of mine's father did ( its rather hilarious too)...

he painted his front door black..

and he drilled a bunch of extra long sharp as f*** black nails in from the inside to the outside... that way if someone wants to break in the front door, they will be chock full o' holes!! and its a great camoflauge as well, no one would even notice the nails since they are the same color as the door, especially if they are behind a screen door too. just a random (albeit painful) thought.:cool:

[FalconAngel]

Fact is that if the bad guys want in, they will get in. What happens to them when they do get in is between you, them and any boobytraps you set for them:devil:; and the police, of course.

Personally, I can never get enough of watching videos of the bad guys getting some immediate Karma.

[jem_is_bi]

this is what a friend of mine's father did ( its rather hilarious too)...

he painted his front door black..

and he drilled a bunch of extra long sharp as f*** black nails in from the inside to the outside... that way if someone wants to break in the front door, they will be chock full o' holes!! and its a great camoflauge as well, no one would even notice the nails since they are the same color as the door, especially if they are behind a screen door too. just a random (albeit painful) thought.:cool:

That woud keep salesmen from knocking on your door!

[FalconAngel]

That woud keep salesmen from knocking on your door!

As well as Jehovah's Witnesses.

[gfofbiguy]

As well as Jehovah's Witnesses.

And Mormons

[darkeyes]

We got our ole flat burgled a few years bak..owt that wos worth nickin went.. wos reely floored by it.. the loss a our stuff wos bad enuff but the foulin a the wardrobes an beds wos a bit 2 much 2 take.. as sum mite kno me reely luffed me lil flat an it wos a lil wile fore we felt comfy in it gain... it kinda took the shine off for a bit.. a few addtional locks..an a luffly expensive, but very efficient alarm system wos installed an so we slowly began 2 make it 1ce again our cosy home..an trust wos restored...

..but nowt is perfect...this place is like Fort Knox (thanks 2 Kate's dad) but in end..if the bastards wonna gerrin..gerrin in they will.. jus we don wanna make it easy for the sods dus we...???

[darkeyes]

As well as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Wen religies (or missionaries as summa them hav called themsels) hav cum 2 our door me begins immediately 2 flirt, spesh wiv the women.. an build it up 2 makin mesel a rite lil devil's angel...few lil propositions an the odd blown kissie.. a lil unbuttonin.. the coy look.. dun wiv "tact an decorum" works every time...

Don mind a lil argy bargy bout religion.. but not on me own doorstep ta very much..

[Lisa (va)]

Not sure how much help this can be. I would think living ina higher traffic area would be a bit helpful. Unfortunately (or forunately) Ilive in a very low traffic area in the mountains with my closest neighbor just ove a mile down the road. However, we do have an alarm system link up to a security company who will send help if they go off: but I believe one of our best defenses would be our dogs, they are extremely well behaved but will bark insensely at folks they do not know. Other than that, we keep valuables locked up in a box at the bank.

Lisa

hugs n kisses

[drawingboard3]

Get a Rottweiler....or have some Celine Dion blasting the entire time you're away....
No seriously, a dog or an alarm system is always a good deterrent. The alarm system is definitely the cheaper way to go and won't destroy your furniture!

[onewhocares]

Just wanted to say thank you for all the responses both here and privately. I do have an alarm but my main concern( which I forgot to mention) was that my mother in law lives with us (in her own in law apartment above our drive under garage). She is home during the day and I have asked her to keep the alarm set while she is in the house and only to disarm it when the dog needs to be let out, then reset. One other issue I am concerned about is the fact that the mother in law is very hard of hearing. Does anyone know if there is a some sort of a light or strobe that would also go off with the alarm?

Belle

[csrakate]

Sorry to hear of your concerns, Belle....but I have to add that my dogs, however small they are, have been a great deterrent to anyone who approaches my door. I've seen grown men leap up on the brick wall facing my back door as my "ferocious" Boston Terrier springs into action! One look at his barking little face and they become very concerned!! They don't have to know that what he really wants is for them to come inside and pet him!!

Hugs,
Kate

[FalconAngel]

Just wanted to say thank you for all the responses both here and privately. I do have an alarm but my main concern( which I forgot to mention) was that my mother in law lives with us (in her own in law apartment above our drive under garage). She is home during the day and I have asked her to keep the alarm set while she is in the house and only to disarm it when the dog needs to be let out, then reset. One other issue I am concerned about is the fact that the mother in law is very hard of hearing. Does anyone know if there is a some sort of a light or strobe that would also go off with the alarm?

Belle


Funny you should mention that. My father, as it happens, spent near to 20 years in the burglar and fire alarm industry. There are flashers that you can get and install. If you can't find the strobes at Home Depot or Lowes, then contact an alarm company; I am sure they can get them for you.

You may even want to install one at the front of the house to help emergency services find you faster, should anything happen.

[FalconAngel]

Wen religies (or missionaries as summa them hav called themsels) hav cum 2 our door me begins immediately 2 flirt, spesh wiv the women.. an build it up 2 makin mesel a rite lil devil's angel...few lil propositions an the odd blown kissie.. a lil unbuttonin.. the coy look.. dun wiv "tact an decorum" works every time...

Don mind a lil argy bargy bout religion.. but not on me own doorstep ta very much..

We had a Jehovah's Witness come to our door once, when I was a kid. My Dad, a Catholic, had the guy ready to convert to Buddhism after about twenty minutes of chatting with him.

It was a sight to see.

[CuriousJon]

Had a friend that bought an old car that he would use or move often. Gave the impression that someone was home. Check your plants to make sure you are not giving the bad guy a place to hid while they break in. Lighting from night should be from the outside in so PD can see anyone by the house. They do make strobes that can give a visual if someone breaks in. Is your alram "zoned" if not see if it can be. That way some areas are always protected. Example Windows or screens. Areas where Mom doesn't go. Also consider video cameras. Stores like BJ and COSCO sell fairly good do it yourself and may even allow you to access via the Web. Guns are good but you just brought a weapon in your house that the bad guy can use so be carefull. Shotguns have a look and sound that can cause the badguy to run. Just anything you can do that will make the guy go to your nabor and not you, sorry but true. Good luck

[darkeyes]

We had a Jehovah's Witness come to our door once, when I was a kid. My Dad, a Catholic, had the guy ready to convert to Buddhism after about twenty minutes of chatting with him.

It was a sight to see.Reminds me a me mum's tack wen me wos a kid Falcie.. she wud invite 'em in for nice cuppa tea..tell us 2 sit an keep quiet..offer 'em a biscuit an open wv the words "Now..let me tell u about your God.... and please dont be so rude as to interrupt...."

A 20 minute diatribe wud follow wich brot blood from the ears a the "missionaries" an had 'em runnin 2 get out as fast as they cud..an she wudn let 'em.. me bro sis an me used 2 try very hard 2 keep str8 faces as she bludgeoned them 2 death wiv summa the cutest logic ya eva heard...

Spoke 2 'er on fone las nite an she tells me they havn been bothad by religies since before me left school.. can only assume word got round...

..an on the main purpose a the thread...if ne 1 tried breakin in me mum an dads house an got past the security wen me mum wos bout wudn fancy ther chances... she is a large, remarkably fit Lancashire lady who fritens the life outa mos peeps who cross 'er so not many do... in nature she a lil like me wivout the niceness...:bigrin: They mite gerrin...but hav me doubts wetha the sods wud gerrout in 1 piece... me dad is a softie... only time 'e wud get ratty wiv 'em wos if they raided 'is whisky cabinet or plonk cella.. o yea..an def the toy trains.. then a burglar betta wotch out..

[HighEnergy]

We had a Jehovah's Witness come to our door once, when I was a kid. My Dad, a Catholic, had the guy ready to convert to Buddhism after about twenty minutes of chatting with him.

It was a sight to see.

I'm usually nice to folks who come up to my door. Since I garden, they frequently catch me in the yard. So, I made the mistake of being nice to the Jehovah's Witnesses. They kept coming back. They came back every time they got a new issue of that magazine. No amount of being curt got them to quit coming back.

So one afternoon, the now exhusband says, "I see your crazies are coming up the drive." And it dawned on me. I quickly stripped down to my bra and panties and opened the door right up. They were flabbergasted and NEVER returned.

[onewhocares]

So one afternoon, the now exhusband says, "I see your crazies are coming up the drive." And it dawned on me. I quickly stripped down to my bra and panties and opened the door right up. They were flabbergasted and NEVER returned.

Well gee....I NEVER thought of the above as an anti-deterrent to breakins.....a six foot tall chubby blonde parading around the house in a bra and panties. Now THAT is enough to keep the criminals at bay.....and the milk man, and the post man, and god forbid in this holiday season the most welcomed UPS man. DAMN....I best still to the strobes, dogs or a gun.

Belle

[_Joe_]

record turntable, old records,

You realize those are making a comeback, right?

[DiamondDog]

People will steal anything.

I saw a recent news story on TV about a woman who was stealing people's credit cards and getting caught on tape at the supermarket where she worked at and the media was trying to blame it on the economy/current events/etc. and they interviewed people who all did not agree with that and they just said how the media can try to blame the economy all it wants for other people's actions but how people will steal anything.

Case in point I know someone who got their garage broken into and the only thing that was stolen was a leaf blower.

[allbimyself]

Well, DD, if they had no money and have OCD really, really bad and the leaves were driving them crazy...

[jem_is_bi]

You realize those are making a comeback, right?

Reciently, my nephews were at my home. Played them some Pink Floyd on the turntable. They were amazed. They only know digital. I doubt that records are going to make a comback. I am all for progress, even if I lag behind on some things. On other things, I am on the leading edge.

[jem_is_bi]

People will steal anything.

I saw a recent news story on TV about a woman who was stealing people's credit cards and getting caught on tape at the supermarket where she worked at and the media was trying to blame it on the economy/current events/etc. and they interviewed people who all did not agree with that and they just said how the media can try to blame the economy all it wants for other people's actions but how people will steal anything.

Case in point I know someone who got their garage broken into and the only thing that was stolen was a leaf blower.

It wasn't me. What I like to blow is not leafs.