Burgled!!

darich

han2505 wrote: »

I dont want to cause trouble with them. i am already in dispute.

Sorry to hear about your burglary. Thankfully never happened to me but i imagine it would be horrendous.

As for the above quote, i don't think you have much choice. If whoever fitted the doors hasn't done a good job or left them insecure then you'll either have to accpet that they've been fitted badly or you can pursue them for your costs.
If you're already in dispute, then what's the problem with adding the doors to the dispute?

Hope you get it sorted.

PasturesNew

When I bought my last house, I was nervous as it was large and old with a back access lane and it was not overlooked.

First thing I did was install double glazing... but I was working away all week, staying away 4 nights a week.

I put voiles up at the windows and set lamps on automatic timers to come on/go off. With the voiles up they couldn't see that the curtains were open/closed.

In addition, the back door was right at the back, one of the weakest points. I put a radio in the utility room by the door, again on a timer. Made it sound from the outside like somebody might be in.

Personally I want patio doors in my next house, but I know they are notoriously a really weak spot. So I'd be looking for some gossamer-style lightweight curtains - and I'd put those on an expanding pole so I could quickly put it up (I have no DIY skills) and again, I could quickly take the whole lot down if I was about and wanted to go in/out a lot or wanted the light.

imho

han2505.Sorry they are for sliding doors .And the length of wood my friend uses is on a sliding door. .

http://www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention/doors.htm scroll down to French doors.There are locks that are similar to the ones i said get, that you can fit to French doors.

han2505

does anyone know anything for non sliding patio doors. They open outwards??

maninthestreet

Can you upload a picture of these doors at all? Someone maybe able to give more specific advice once they've seen them.

han2505

http://www.bestglazing.co.uk/images/frenchdoor1.jpg

I would say that that is the closest kind of door which looks like mine.

maninthestreet

So there are two matching handles on the inside, just like on the outside? If there is, buy one of the thick chain cycle locks and wrap tightly around the inside door handles, and lock it. That should stop the doors being opened from the outside even if the door lock has been forced.

mrtg0525

Alternatively and a bit more subtle, use a cable tie to tie the handles together. That's almost invisible, but you'd obviously need to cut them instead of just unlocking them.

Cable ties are pretty strong and cheap, but like the chain and lock, it'll only slow down a determined burglar.

maninthestreet

"A burglar is extremely foolish to burgle the same house again and besides they've probably already stolen everything they wanted the first time round"

I disagree! They work on the assumption that items they have stolen will be insured, and new items will have been bought with the insurance payout. So they wait a few months following on from the first burglary for the insurance claim to be paid, and then perform a second burlary on the same premises.

han2505

Both of you are right. Now they know how to get in they could easily come back and try again.....although there is the possibility that they got everyhting they wanted. They took a few things.....laptops but the thing that hurts me most is that i had all my families presents under my tree and they left the wrapping paper and took the cards and presents...!!!

I have been trying to look after the house as much as i could and also try and hide most things. But they managed to get most things electrical in the house. I'm just worried in case they do come back as part of me thinks that they could have taken a lot more things than they did, so i dont know if they were disturbed by the dog barking next door. Who knows!!!

We've got CCTV, floodlights and the gripper things for the fence. Bought quite a few annoying plants to put up by the fences, and we have stickers on the house warning them that there is CCTV. so it might discourage them. Also got some magnetic alarms on the doors so that if they do go off then it might scare them off, there just temporary until we get the proper alarm fitted. Just annoying that instead of buying things that we want for the house were having to fork out on burglar stuff instead. O well worth it in the long run.

There must be some way of getting another lock for the patio doors, if the dispute goes our way then hopefully they should be getting replaced, but until then i'm majorily concerned that they could come back as they know how to get in.

Any other ideas would be appreciated!!!