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Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
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This is kind of spin-off from the locking your door thread.
Anyone every lived in what you thought was a safe neighborhood that had a strange rash of break-ins? Did you make any modifications to your house in response? Did you have a hard time sleeping?
I'm sitting up at 1am with insomnia. Normally I would just pull a "change of venue" and sleep on the couch, but with three exterior doors, I'm not so keen on that tonight. See, the neighbor across the street was broken into twice in 10 days. Both times at night. When the police were talking with my husband (to see if he saw anything), he (cop) mentioned how the neighborhood behind us has several people known to law enforcement (warrents, summons, etc). Wouldn't tell us what type of crimes, but I am now paranoid. The funny part is the neighborhood behind us is full of $600k McMansions, while we live in the 40-year-old tract homes that is 80% original owners. Go figure! Guess they figure they will rob us to pay their ARMs.
Anyway, thats the insomnia babbling. We have motion detectors around the house and a german shepherd puppy (11 months old, and yet to convince me she will be a guard dog).
This is kind of spin-off from the locking your door thread.
Anyone every lived in what you thought was a safe neighborhood that had a strange rash of break-ins? Did you make any modifications to your house in response? Did you have a hard time sleeping?
I'm sitting up at 1am with insomnia. Normally I would just pull a "change of venue" and sleep on the couch, but with three exterior doors, I'm not so keen on that tonight. See, the neighbor across the street was broken into twice in 10 days. Both times at night. When the police were talking with my husband (to see if he saw anything), he (cop) mentioned how the neighborhood behind us has several people known to law enforcement (warrents, summons, etc). Wouldn't tell us what type of crimes, but I am now paranoid. The funny part is the neighborhood behind us is full of $600k McMansions, while we live in the 40-year-old tract homes that is 80% original owners. Go figure! Guess they figure they will rob us to pay their ARMs.
Anyway, thats the insomnia babbling. We have motion detectors around the house and a german shepherd puppy (11 months old, and yet to convince me she will be a guard dog).
And why do you think they dont break into the "McMansions"? because it's harder and there is a greater threat of gettin caught.........your on the right track..........up it some more.......Neighbourhood Watch, extra locks on windows and doors, cut down the obstacles they hide behind and get rid of anything that will help em out ie. lawn chairs, ladders, tools etc. I know cops, and if anything he was down playing it so as to not scare you too much(and get himself reported).........take the warning seriously.
And sorry to add to your worries...........it is afterall a very different world now.
So sorry that you're going through this. I'm in the process of replacing my exterior doors, locks, adding key boxes, investing in a gun cabinet (also holds important documents and jewelry) etc. I wish people would stop kidding themselves ... there's no such thing as a "safe" neighborhood.
You're going about it the right way with your security. Like OTUP said "up it some more" and make sure you use it.
Go get some sleep and take a trip to Lowes or Home Depot tomorrow. They have a great selection of security products.
Not a good feeling to have. If you don't have them already, install motion activated lights outside your home. Once the losers trigger those, they usually run off. I live in a rural area and I have four of these on my property. Two that cover the drive way area and front of house, one for the side of the house and one for the back. I'm a light sleeper so I usually wake up if any of those are triggered.
And wouldn't you figure, one night at about 4am, one of my lights turns on in the driveway. Usually it's an animal. This time I looked out the window for a couple of minutes. Then all of a sudden, two punks go running from my property to their getaway car on a side street. Luckily nothing was taken and they didn't have time to even attempt to break anything to get into my outbuildings or house. I let out a yell, louder and deeper than a grizzly bear. I hope I scared the **** out of them.
Were you able to find out if the homes that were broken into were all locked up at the time? There is a chance that the thief chose those places b/c opportunity presented itself via an unlocked window or door. I'd say make sure everything is locked as a first step. Secondly, was anyone home during these break-ins? If not then the burgelar is probably targeting homes when noone is there, so leave a light on or your car outside so they think someone is home. If it is only one house getting consistently broken into, is there any chance that they as people are being targeted? Here is what I am getting at. I think if you break down the answers to these question, you may logically feel a bit better about the situation. And yes I agree motion lights are always good; just don't let them freak you out if something innocuous causes them to go on.
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
1,501 posts, read 11,750,050 times
Reputation: 1135
Thanks for the comments! We bought a couple more motion lights tonight and DH will put them up tomorrow.
The house was locked; it was a basement door. Probably not a great door as the guy is an original owner and doesn't look like he has updated much. He was not home the first time, but was home (and asleep) the second time. No idea what they took. Doesn't seem to be anyone targeting him specifically. His backyard backs to the woods and is very dark. Our neighborhood has large lots (3/4+ acre) and lots of large trees. DH is going over there tomorrow to help him install security lights.
Thinking logically, I think its kids from the neighboring neighborhood (the demographics in my neighborhood have no one between age 3 and 35 - and 35 is us LOL). They found an easy target the first time and went back a week later for more. Logically, we don't have many of the things that makes his house and easier target. Our yard is much more open and well lit. We have good locks and solid doors. But alas, even as an engineer, logic doesn't overcome 2am emotions. LOL
I like your kid theory. That was my initial reaction from your first post, and it feels like a good one. Think low-tech as well: a stack of empty beer cans or other surprise noise alerts might help you sleep better, and will frighten them off if activated. Then again, there's always the chance that the puppy will knock the cans over, too!
Don't be scared: be angry instead. It's your home and you shouldn't be trapped in a pre-victim mentality. Anger is a much better emotion than fear at thinking creatively, and sleeping better.
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
1,501 posts, read 11,750,050 times
Reputation: 1135
The other thing that makes me thing kids. The first time, there was fresh snow on the ground. What thinking theif would break in and leave footprints in the snow all over the yard? The footprints stopped at the street, which had been sort of cleared, so the cops couldn't follow a direction after that.
kids, school vaction, the motion lights, have been around-they sell this barking dog tape, and buy a sign beware of the dog! just post it. frankly if it is kids, they will go eles
where! the tape plays dog barks, kids go elsewhere. I guess it is not a real tape, but it is
a security dog, without the dog!
This is kind of spin-off from the locking your door thread.
Anyone every lived in what you thought was a safe neighborhood that had a strange rash of break-ins? Did you make any modifications to your house in response? Did you have a hard time sleeping?
I'm sitting up at 1am with insomnia. Normally I would just pull a "change of venue" and sleep on the couch, but with three exterior doors, I'm not so keen on that tonight. See, the neighbor across the street was broken into twice in 10 days. Both times at night. When the police were talking with my husband (to see if he saw anything), he (cop) mentioned how the neighborhood behind us has several people known to law enforcement (warrents, summons, etc). Wouldn't tell us what type of crimes, but I am now paranoid. The funny part is the neighborhood behind us is full of $600k McMansions, while we live in the 40-year-old tract homes that is 80% original owners. Go figure! Guess they figure they will rob us to pay their ARMs.
Anyway, thats the insomnia babbling. We have motion detectors around the house and a german shepherd puppy (11 months old, and yet to convince me she will be a guard dog).
well done, when I did post- I did not readythis in full! The Shepard is great! post the beware of dog and recording bark! enjoy your puppy! one time I had a young shepard, way back in the 70's when water meters, false were knocking on the door to read meters. My mother, without thinking alone in the house with a g.s. puppy let him in, then thought! the puppy just did follow, it might have been fine, however, the g.s. watching, worked! you also
do not want you puppy mean, or aggressive! mostly all dogs protect or bark within there home-post beware dog! not the mean dog sign!
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