House Burglary..

pjjafc

Hi,

Just got back from holiday and my house has been trashed and several items stolen. Whilst I am all insured dont want this to happen again.

I have no alarm and a pretty naf front door with a Yale lock.

Can anyone suggest any good changes I do to prevent this happening again??

What type of alarm should I get?? Any other things I can do??

I have a Chubb lock being fitted in the morning

pimento

You could ask the local police to send their crime prevention officer round. When we had an attempted burglary a few years back we had one round and he made some really good suggestions.

sillygoose

It sounds like they got in through the front door? Modern multi point locking doors have hooked arms that not only come out but 'curl around' the frame plate, hugely stronger as long as the frame is steel reinforced too.

If you cant go to that then a normal bolt lock in addition to a Yale is vital. A Yale is only any use if your at home to just keep the door closed to casual thieves.

The second approach I use is damage limitation. You can never assume they won't get in if they really want to. One thing in your favour (especially if you have an alarm ringing) is they don't like to hang around, the clock is ticking. Things that would be a major headache to replace under insurance get priority. Example - my computer, riveted to the back is steel plate through which I have passed a very thick hardened motorcycle security cable & lock, which is passed through a steel shackle bolted to the underside of a very large desk with security bolts. Now unless the burglar comes with some heavy tools and a lot of time this item is going nowhere! You can get cheap safes in the DIY's from £15. If properly bolted down they are not impenetrable but would waste a lot of the thief's time even trying to open it, even if he had the tools. The burglar can have the TV, or my work laptop, not bothered, wouldn't mind new ones but some stuff is too valuable

A.Penny.Saved

sillygoose wrote: »

It sounds like they got in through the front door?

Was that how they got in? They don't usually break in from the front, it's usually a hidden place in the back garden.
uPVC doors are not very secure and can be fairly easy to open by snapping or bumping. Snapping is the most common which means breaking the lock cylinder off with some large grips/pliers once that is done the door opens unless anti snap locks are fitted.

The second approach I use is damage limitation. You can never assume they won't get in if they really want to. One thing in your favour (especially if you have an alarm ringing) is they don't like to hang around, the clock is ticking. Things that would be a major headache to replace under insurance get priority. Example - my computer, riveted to the back is steel plate through which I have passed a very thick hardened motorcycle security cable & lock, which is passed through a steel shackle bolted to the underside of a very large desk with security bolts. Now unless the burglar comes with some heavy tools and a lot of time this item is going nowhere!

I had that idea myself as my PC is irreplaceable, especially the files. I use a hardened D staple through a hole in rear of my PC and then a big hardened chain locked to the staple. Once the lock is through the staple it cannot be removed.

An alarm system won't stop them if there is something they see that they want and can quickly take it without difficulty. That's why chaining anything valuable or irreplaceable to either something very big/heavy or a fitted anchor plate such as wall or shed anchor is worthwhile.

Many break ins occur at night while people are sleeping so don't leave wallets/purses and keys downstairs. I have a nice machete waiting for anyone who attempts to break in while I'm at home.

booty40uk

New locks back and front.

Alarm system. Wireless ones are easy to install. Even a dummy alarm box in plain site will make potential scumbags think twice.

Security lighting.

Window locks.

shandypants5

I think a Dummy alarm box can be more of a deterent than a real alarm.

There are some casual burglars that deliberately try to set off a house alarm without breaking in. (they flick stuff through the letterbox to try set off pir sensors, or thump and bang window panes to try and activate window alarms)

If they CAN set off the alarm then they just retire to a safe distance and watch the house.
When no one responds they KNOW they are then safe to smash a rear door or window and help themselves.

If they can NOT set it off then they are not sure what will happen when they do break in, so move on to the next house.

booty40uk

So there are 2 houses next to each other. one has an alarm box on the exterior.............live or not.

You are a scumbag thief................which one do you break into...................!!!!

Tr1pp

I got broken into a few years ago (girlfiend was in alone at the time...horrible ordeal) they kicked in the front door (wooden not PVCu). the door would have held no problem if the lock/door frame hadnt failed. I would suggest you dont get a PVCu door (I dont trust the strength on the panels they use) but get a nice wood door and either retro fit a multilock system into a strong frame or even get a london bar. Maybe they do premade multi lock hardwood doors, not checked.

alarms are a bit iffy, as people have said they may scare off casual thieves but people either set it off and wait n see set it off to be annoying. you could get a monitored alarm system with 2 levels of response, police response or a guard response. police would be best but the service isnt cheap and if they have e false alarms within 6month i beleive then they cancel your coverage and you have to pay to reinstate it. To have a regular security guard visit the property is a bit of a false economy (i used to work for chubb alarms) and unless ur BIG spending company then dont expect the fella to get there within 30mins unless hes round the corner (not due to lack of caring but for an area like leeds there may be 2 or 3 guards on duty...). the latter is only useful if your out of the city / country where having someone board up your windows might be useful.

back up ur files, buy a safe and keep up ur insurance premiums

forgotmyname

Only house burgled on my street was the one with an alarm box on the front.

People do tend to leave windows wide open though.

pjjafc

Tr1pp wrote: »

I got broken into a few years ago (girlfiend was in alone at the time...horrible ordeal) they kicked in the front door (wooden not PVCu). the door would have held no problem if the lock/door frame hadnt failed. I would suggest you dont get a PVCu door (I dont trust the strength on the panels they use) but get a nice wood door and either retro fit a multilock system into a strong frame or even get a london bar. Maybe they do premade multi lock hardwood doors, not checked.

alarms are a bit iffy, as people have said they may scare off casual thieves but people either set it off and wait n see set it off to be annoying. you could get a monitored alarm system with 2 levels of response, police response or a guard response. police would be best but the service isnt cheap and if they have e false alarms within 6month i beleive then they cancel your coverage and you have to pay to reinstate it. To have a regular security guard visit the property is a bit of a false economy (i used to work for chubb alarms) and unless ur BIG spending company then dont expect the fella to get there within 30mins unless hes round the corner (not due to lack of caring but for an area like leeds there may be 2 or 3 guards on duty...). the latter is only useful if your out of the city / country where having someone board up your windows might be useful.

back up ur files, buy a safe and keep up ur insurance premiums

Thats what happenend in my case but at least we were out I suppose sounds awful. Fitted a big old chubb lock as well as a chain on now so should hold (for a while as least)

I have also paddlocked a lot of things up, bought timer lights, placed barbed wire on the gate, ordered an alarm and got a metal softball bat to keep under the bed. So fingers crossed it will be ok.

My new TV arrives in the morning. Anyone know of any ways of securing it to the wall to make it harder to take? Googled it but cant find anything!

emmaanddave

If you have a new TV being delivered then please remember not to advertise the fact that you have a brand new TV by leaving the empty box on view outside.