Neighbor's Home burgularized - would you do anything differently?

[Heatherwith4]

I just found out our neighbor's home was broken into today. They were both at work, and their "valuables" were taken.

 

My anxiety is through the roof, which I know is irrational...but what are some things we can do to prevent this happening to us? We are normally at home during the day, being homeschoolers :) but of course we have an appointment tomorrow morning. I am nervous to leave the house with all the gifts under the tree. Talk me out of being crazy please.

Edited December 20, 2016 by heatherwith3

[Liz CA]

I'd get a Cane Corso. They are great with kids, slobber a bit but are very protective of their family and just big sweeties to their own families.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_Corso

 

Do you have an alarm? You could start putting a fake sticker on your front-facing windows that your "house is protected by a Cane Corso (or any local alarm company :)). This would be the cheapest step.

 

My aunt had some shotgun shells box in a window. This was supposed to tell any would-be burglar that she was armed to her teeth. :lol:

[cintinative]

I wouldn't keep presents in plain sight through a window. If they are, move them somewhere they can't be seen.  

Other than that, lock all your windows and doors.  Don't keep the garage door open when you are home.  

 

Generally thieves want easy in-easy out.

[HomeAgain]

I read an article years ago that gave me simple ideas to do (we have a lot of burglaries here lately):

-leave lights and the tv on.  If it looks like someone's home, they're less likely to force entry.

-put small pots, decorations, etc on your outside window ledges.  If it looks like it will break, it doesn't make for a good entry spot.

-put bells on your door handle

-lock everything.

-put the good stuff in your kid's room.  Adults are more likely to put valuables in their room, and electronics in the main room.  A safe under a pile of Fisher Price is going to be overlooked.

[Janeway]

Dump all your Legos on the floor. I think burglars would be scared of my house.

[zyxwvut]

Most door locks are actually pretty easy to pick or jimmy.  You might consider getting a chain or another additional lock.

 

You can run a chain under a bush, and leave out a large bowl of water to imply you have a large dog.

 

Yes to leaving lights on (different each time!) and you TV on when you aren't home.

 

Put 911 on speed dial because it can be very difficult to dial in an emergency because of adrenaline.  

 

Spend a few minutes thinking about what you would do if you were home when someone breaks in.  Picture yourself and kids in various places in the house.

 

 

[redsquirrel]

I wouldn't be too worried.  My friend was living in a neighborhood that was having break ins and she learned that the houses had all been watched. The thieves knew exactly when people were leaving and coming back, they got the routines down.  As a stay at home mom, even with an appointment you are not a dependable quantity. You could be gone 6 hours, you could be gone 15 mins. I live in a neighborhood that has had several break ins over the almost 15 years we have been here. We've never had a problem because there are people here most of the day and we leave at irregular times. There is no easily discernible pattern, it's not like everyone leaves at 8:15 and is gone until 3:30.

 

And it is highly doubtful that they would return to the scene of the crime the very next day.

[Laurie4b]

I would just up your game if it's not already there in terms of keeping doors and windows locked---including when you are home-- not making it obvious when you've left the house, etc. 

 

I don't at all think it's irrational to be concerned because thieves do tend to target the same areas. You can also contact your local police and I bet they have info on what they wish all homeowners would do to prevent theft. 

[EmilyGF]

When we had a burglary, we got the police to come talk with our neighborhood about what we could do to be safer. It was useful and made clear that a lot of the conventional ideas don't really make much of a difference (although people may feel better because they *did* something).

 

Keeping things out of sight and not in the master bedroom seems to be useful, as are motion lights at night. 

 

The number one thing that makes people think twice is eyes on the street. So every time you go outside with your kids, you discourage burglars.

 

But getting a neighborhood meeting with the police can be really good - especially since it can draw neighbors together.

 

Emily

[EmseB]

I would make sure my garage door openers were not in my vehicles parked outside my house.  I'd put up a deer camera or similar.

 

I probably wouldn't be super worried, because I'd assume that the thieves would want to stay away from the area, at least for awhile.

[Kalmia]

The houses on my road of nice nosy neighbors were watched by someone looking for a target. One of the grandmas called the cops on a twenty something stranger skateboarding up and down our very rural road. He wasn't one of the neighborhood kids and not really the right age bracket for random skateboarding trip down our road. He wasn't breaking any laws so they just talked to him. Turns out, he was caught a few days later after burglarizing a house in another neighborhood!

[Selkie]

You've already gotten lots of good suggestions, but I just wanted to say that I don't think you're being irrational at all.  It's perfectly rational to be worried when a home close to yours has been burglarized. 

[gardenmom5]

my house was broken into 30 years ago.  irony is - the police were at a house up the street taking down a burglary report while they were in our house.   they were in our house when we drove up - but they heard us and got out a back window before we entered.

 

keep things away from the outside of the house - it can give cover.

have security lighting with motion detectors. 

make your house look lived in.  noise from music or tv, lights, etc.

[Xahm]

My dh, a police officer, always tells people that most burglars are youngish teens who aren't really interested in working hard. Anything you do to make your house harder to burgle than the one next door helps significantly. Also, they really don't want to mess with having people in the house. Most of the time when people are shot during a home invasion it's because the homeowner returns and walks in on a burglary, then the burglar panics and shoots. So, if you do come home and it appears someone has broken in, stay outside and call 911. And if you are home and someone starts breaking in, make noise; don't hide. A frequent trick they use is to knock on your door first. If you answer, they offer something ridiculous like "would you like us to paint your house number on the curb for $49?" If you don't answer after a few knocks, they assume no one is home and break in. You don't have to open the door whenever anyone knocks, but be sure to make your presence known.

[gingersmom]

Get a loud barking dog and an alarm system.

[Bluegoat]

I'd just add, any dog is effective, even little ones.  A dog doesn't have to seem dangerous to make it not worthwhile to break into your house.

[wintermom]

My dh, a police officer, always tells people that most burglars are youngish teens who aren't really interested in working hard. Anything you do to make your house harder to burgle than the one next door helps significantly. 

 

Excellent! The perfect reason NOT to shovel the snow on the walk and driveway too well. ;)

[Ravin]

At my place, I'd lock up our bikes. We keep them in our patio without locking it up, if there were break-ins in the complex I'd want to change that. However, someone is almost always home at our place--there's maybe eight hours in a week no one at all is home. A SAHP makes for a lousy target.

[lllll]

nm

Edited December 25, 2016 by ..Kathy..

[Heatherwith4]

Thanks everybody! I am on my phone so I can't really quote and reply properly, but I've read everyone's advice and you've given me some good ideas. :)

 

We do have a dog, but unfortunately, he is a blind and mostly deaf toy poodle. I have a cat that stands in the window and growls at people when they pass by though. :lol: One day we will have another large loud dog but it's not in the cards right now.

 

We definitely make plenty of noise though, and there's usually tv or music going unless we are doing seatwork. I will make it a point to get outside with the kids this week as well.

 

Doors and windows always stay locked.

[Danestress]

Also make sure you cut back landscaping around the windows so that it's difficult for someone to hide close to the house.

[Lanny]

Your anxiety is valuable.  I suggest that you contact the Crime Prevention Office/Officer of your local Police Department and ask them, if they have any spare time, if they can visit your house and make suggestions about how you can make it harder for people to enter your home. I am assuming that your property is not fenced all the way around and that people can walk right up to your house. There are ways you can make your  outside doors, and the door frames, much stronger. There are locks that are probably much stronger than what you have on those doors now. There are solid doors, which are much stronger than hollow doors.  The ground floor windows make it incredibly easy for someone to enter a home in the USA. Whether or not you want to put burglar bars on those windows, is something you must evaluate very carefully, so that you are not trapped inside, if there is a fire in your home.  You should have a 12 gauge shotgun, with a short barrel (I think the Federal law requires a minimum of 20 inches?) and you should know how to use it, in the event of a home invasion. We had a Rottweiler, who died before he was 2 years old. He loved us (and v.v.) and as my wife said, he would have, if necessary, protected us.  He was inside our house more than the other dogs combined and I can only imagine the surprise of someone invading a home and being confronted by a (normally very gentle and loving) dog of that size.  

 

Read about how you can better protect your home.  Alarms may or may not help. Possibly the ones that make huge noises would encourage a home invader to leave. The ones with the silent alarms,  I understand many Police Departments do not respond to, because there are so many false alarms. Look before you leap with regard to any alarm service.  

[luuknam]

Or, for comic relief, you could decorate your downstairs like an episode from Hoarders. Burglars are not going to squeeze in between stacks of newspapers taller than them, 50 cats that are only sometimes cared for, piles of used diapers lying around, etc, etc, etc, especially if you don't put anything valuable on display.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Dump all your Legos on the floor. I think burglars would be scared of my house.

 

:lol:

 

I always think that about my kids.  If someone broke in they'd injure themselves on my kids' stuff.

[gstharr]

Don't store the cash, and small valuables in  their original box, case, or jewelry box in the  master bedroom. try a small bag hidden well in the children's room, laundry room (behind the book-shelf, back of bed, bottom of clothe hamper for ideas)  Thieve tend to snatch the visible portable electronic ( big screens are so light now that these are now portable), then ransack the master bedroom for jewelry, cash and guns. Every drawer emptied, bed overturned,. If in the master bedroom, they will find it. 

[Classic Mom]

Get an alarm system. They have do-it-yourself systems like Simply safe that are much less expensive than those like ADT. You can get basic monitoring these days days for $15 dollars a month.

[ktgrok]

I was going to say a dog :)

 

We have door to door alarm salesmen here, and one of the last ones to come heard and saw my big shepherd/lab/pitt mix barking and lungig at the window at him, and told me I "was good" and didn't need an alarm. Then he left, quickly :)

[Night Elf]

My mom's house was broken into when I was living with her. They didn't take much because we didn't have anything worthwhile. However, they did take her extra car keys in her jewelry box. Then one night after we were asleep, they came into the carpart and rolled the car down the hill and took off. In the morning, we found it at the bottom of the hill with the keys in it and parts of the steering wheel broken. It really shook us up.

 

Starting with my first house, DH and I had an alarm system installed and it's monitored for $20/month. And it works too. When we accidentally set it off, the company calls within one minute. We've only had to call the police out one time which turned out to be a false alarm. It's money well spent, IMHO.

[FriedClams]

SimpliSafe alarm. Works great. Excellent monitoring. Cheap. Simple to install. Nope, I don't work for them.

 

And a dog.

 

And lights.

 

We had a strong if break ins in our neighborhood. It stinks. Hang in there.

[magnificent_baby]

I sleep much better since we got a security system. In my town, there are actually more break ins during the day, so I keep it on during the day as well. 

 

Our rep that came over to sign us up also told us a barking dog is actually more effective than a security system. 

[Heatherwith4]

Y'all have some great ideas. :) I feel better about the whole thing this morning. I'm going to look into alarm systems and make sure everything is secure. We have sturdy locks and doors so I feel good about that.

 

I woke up this morning to a text from Chase that someone made some fraudulent charges on our credit card. Isn't that special? :lol:

[mommyoffive]

Y'all have some great ideas. :) I feel better about the whole thing this morning. I'm going to look into alarm systems and make sure everything is secure. We have sturdy locks and doors so I feel good about that.

 

I woke up this morning to a text from Chase that someone made some fraudulent charges on our credit card. Isn't that special? :lol:

 

Oh man

 

I hate bad people.

 

I am glad Chase was on top of it.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Get a loud barking dog and an alarm system.

You can actually just buy the alarm system signs for lawns and window stickers from ebay to make it look like you have an alarm system. I think they even have dog recordings that go on automatically when motion detectors are tripped.

[J-rap]

Can you leave a big note in the front hallway that says, "Left to run a quick errand!  We'll all be home in 3 minutes!"

[xixstar]

Or, for comic relief, you could decorate your downstairs like an episode from Hoarders. Burglars are not going to squeeze in between stacks of newspapers taller than them, 50 cats that are only sometimes cared for, piles of used diapers lying around, etc, etc, etc, especially if you don't put anything valuable on display.

This is basically our approach. We often joke of the sympathy we'd feel for any theif that tried to walk through our house. I struggle sometimes and I know where things are.

 

Well we have clutter hoarding versus trash hoarding. Though I sometimes disagree about what dh owns, it could all be trash to me.

Edited December 20, 2016 by xixstar

[Heatherwith4]

We made it back from the errands and everything was good. :) I made it look like we were home, just in case.

 

I am smiling at y'all who are talking about making your house extra messy so they'd have trouble getting around. My house is never spic and span since we have 3 kids and 4 inside animals, but my neighbors is almost Hoarders worthy imo.... ;)

[lllll]

nm

Edited December 25, 2016 by ..Kathy..

[luuknam]

I am smiling at y'all who are talking about making your house extra messy so they'd have trouble getting around. My house is never spic and span since we have 3 kids and 4 inside animals, but my neighbors is almost Hoarders worthy imo.... ;)

 

Have you ever watched Hoarders? Seriously, a burglar stealing stuff from those people would pretty much be a good thing. The people on that show are typically the rather extreme cases of hoarders.

[Heatherwith4]

Have you ever watched Hoarders? Seriously, a burglar stealing stuff from those people would pretty much be a good thing. The people on that show are typically the rather extreme cases of hoarders.

Yeah, I have. Not often, as it's a really hard show to watch. They are *not* to the level of the tv show, but it is sort of hard to walk around in their house.

[mommyoffive]

We made it back from the errands and everything was good. :) I made it look like we were home, just in case.

 

I am smiling at y'all who are talking about making your house extra messy so they'd have trouble getting around. My house is never spic and span since we have 3 kids and 4 inside animals, but my neighbors is almost Hoarders worthy imo.... ;)

 

The same ones that got broken into?

[The Governess]

I have seen some very cool security camera systems advertised recently. They hook up to your wifi and detect motion,then notify you realtime on your smartphone if anything is detected. You can also view the camera feed remotely at any time. Multiple companies make them now.