This week I have been mostly thinking . . . .

dreamdaisy

. . . . . like a burglar. This is not a career change for yours truly (with my knees? :shock: ) but a natural response to a very local event. On Bank Holiday Monday morning, between 8.15 and 9 am whilst she was out walking her dog, my elderly neighbour was burgled. She didn't discover this until six hours or so later when she went upstairs to her spare bedroom and saw that her room had been 'turned over'. She called the police who handled this (and her) with immense kindness. When they pointed out that there was no sign of forced entry she had to admit that she had left her back gate unlocked and her bedroom window (at the back of the house) ajar, her usual habit. They concluded that someone knew her movements, had strolled through the gate, clambered up her conservatory, crossed a small patch of roof and entered with ease. She lost jewellery and other small items and none of her neighbours, including us, saw a thing. Her insurers will not be paying out, for obvious reasons.

Ironically enough I had organised a visit from our Crime Prevention Officer to our house a few days earlier. Her advice was interesting and thought-provoking including that we should / could remove anything from the front of the house which could aid a burglar, something which had never crossed my mind but then I don't think like a burglar - or didn't. I'm improving on that front.

One thing is niggling me; if my neighbour had been 'watched' then no doubt they know that when my car isn't on the drive I'm not in the house. I stayed close-to-home last week and suspect I will be doing the same again. She is thinking of starting a Neighbourhood Watch group for our short road, there are other local schemes but we're not covered. Every little helps, yes?

The moral of this story is don't leave any form of entry unlocked when you go out. The majority of burglaries are opportunistic so it's best not to provide the opportunity, yes? DD

Slosh

Good advice DD and I am sorry for your neighbour, I was burgled twice in tbe same house which was rented. The landlord refused to pay for the modifications e.g window locks etc reccomended by the police. However a couple of years later after we had left the property was empty for a while, when neighbours noticed people going in and out removing the original victorian doors, fireplaces as well as the (non-victorian ) boiler and radiators they assumed the landlord had the builders in...he didn't!

As well as not leaving doors or windows open make sure broken window locks are fixed, a friend of mine had a frightening experience a few months ago when she woke heard a noise and disturbed a burglar in her house who had gained access through a window with a loose lock.

Other tips I have heard are gravel, it's noisy, no high growing plants near windows as they can provide cover but plants with thorns such can be a derdeterrent.

dreamdaisy

Our drive is gravelled but I only hear someone approaching if a kitchen window is open (they're double glazed) and I am in the kitchen. I am fortunate in that I have never been burgled and I aim to keep it that way! My mum disturbed two burglars who had been in her house for some time, she hadn't heard them moving around. Her losses were irreplaceable and she didn't claim on her insurance - she was too shocked and too tired.

Poor you, I suppose once someone has been in the thievery jungle drums bang and you're marked as an easy target (this is my neighbour's fear so she has stopped leaving windows open, even when she's in). Your ex-landlord learned a lesson, didn't he? Served him right. I suppose those burglars who work on opportunities being offered enjoy the summer, windows left ajar all over the place equal possibly very easy pickings. DD

barbara12

Its very unnerving when something like this happens..we have a neighbour across the rd that has a tv box..they go away often and we keep an eye on there house,the TV box is a gadget that comes on at dusk and through the curtain looks like a TV is on..it can come on in the day and looks really realistic..

bubbadog

Many moons ago my OH's mom & Dad (who have now passed) where burgled while they where on holiday and my OH & I where looking after the house. My OH came home from work to find the back windows jimmied open & the back door left wide open and the house turned over. The police came and said they had got over the back fence (which leads on to the highway) and broke in that way. They took a lot of jewellery and electrical equipment and used pillow cases to carry the stuff in. After that when his parents got home they did a total over hall of the house locks on windows, burglar alarm and burglar proofed the back fence so they couldn't get over the fence. Since we moved we had been more careful with making sure our home is burglar proof.

theresak

Oh DD, what a horrible experience for your poor neighbour. It`s that sort of thing which saps your confidence.

Our older son was burgled one year, and hadn`t heard a thing, being a very sound sleeper. They took cash - not a lot, but thankfully didn`t take or damage any of his musical instruments.

I tend to keep the front door locked when I`m in the house on my own - if I`m upstairs or outside at the back I`m always afraid someone could just walk in. You simply can`t be too careful these days.

dreamdaisy

I have always kept doors locked and do so here - it's the windows which are my 'undoing'. I still jump when I come in and hear the radio going and may invest in one of those telly gizmos for our kitchen (that is the only room that has road-facing windows). Our single-glazed old house was far less secure in some ways but, being a mid-terrace, felt safer than this one which is in its little oasis of calm; I have identified its weakest point and will be sorting things ASAP. I don't agree that if miscreants are hurt as they try to effect an illegal entry I will be liable for harm caused to their person but needs must . . .

One of my favourite Tim Vine jokes is this: 'Crime that takes place in a multi-storey car park is wrong on so many levels.' So is this. The majority are good folk but they live in fear of the minority who wreak such havoc with such ease - and without fear of punishment. My mother's burglars were never caught, my neighbour's won't be and any others who 'pop in' round here will get away with it because they can. The law needs teeth, it's time to stop gumming at 'justice' with excuses and platitudes. DD

Slosh

They do sometimes catch burglars, they caught the ones that burgled me as they had their fingerprints on file. Hope they catch your friends.

dreamdaisy

He was a prepared criminal, Slosh, he wore gloves and left no physical evidence of his presence; he must be one of the brainier of the fraternity. :roll: DD