Have you ever had your house broken into? (Miami, Kendall: insurance, crimes)

[miamiblue]

My parents have lived in East Kendall for over 30 years and never had a break-in or any problem. Mostly because many of their neighbors have been there just as long and everyone is friends and looks out for the neighborhood as a whole. I'm currently trying to find a piece of wood to knock on, because the newer residents that are moving into the neighborhood are not interested in the least in getting to know their neighbors, so this may deteriorate over the next few years as some of the retired residents downsize and move elsewhere. They did have a situation where a man shot his wife, tried to kill his step-daughter and then baracaded himself in the house for 8 hours before killing himself on the next street over almost two years ago.

My boyfriend lived on Day Ave behind Cocowalk and had his truck broken into the first night he actually lived there (nothing was stolen but some change, mainly because nothing was in there). He also had a mountain bike stolen off his terrace. This was particularly interesting because he lived in a commune of small residences that were surrounded by a fence, so someone was brazen enough to walk past all the other residences, go upstairs and steal the bike. He also had a big, mean dog that lived there at the time, but that did not deter the theif either.

[doggiebus]

Originally Posted by miamiblue

My parents have lived in East Kendall for over 30 years and never had a break-in or any problem. Mostly because many of their neighbors have been there just as long and everyone is friends and looks out for the neighborhood as a whole.

I live in a neighborhood similiar to your parents in East Kendall. The problem I have found through our blocks getting together (forming a Citizens Crime Watch) is many residents seem to think the area is safe because they have not been broken into. Yet 4 houses down from them their neighbor was broken into last month. Or the neighbor behind them had their car broken into last week.

Many people just don't have any clue, this is why I go to this site http://gisims2.miamidade.gov/MyNeighborhood/home.asp on a weekly basis to keep up with the crime in my area. It takes about a week for a crime to get listed and it will stay up for about a month and a half. Growing up in Miami I never thought about crime, but Miami has changed as many of us know for the worse. And so I check the crime reports on a weekly basis...

[miamiblue]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

I live in a neighborhood similiar to your parents in East Kendall. The problem I have found through our blocks getting together (forming a Citizens Crime Watch) is many residents seem to think the area is safe because they have not been broken into. Yet 4 houses down from them their neighbor was broken into last month. Or the neighbor behind them had their car broken into last week.

Many people just don't have any clue, this is why I go to this site Miami-Dade County - My Neighborhood on a weekly basis to keep up with the crime in my area. It takes about a week for a crime to get listed and it will stay up for about a month and a half. Growing up in Miami I never thought about crime, but Miami has changed as many of us know for the worse. And so I check the crime reports on a weekly basis...

This is true. I know that my parents' neighborhood has seen some vandalism, such as eggings and car windows being shot out with bb guns. Of the neighbors that have been there for years, if something happened, all their other neighbors would know about it, because they would make it known. They have always looked out for each other; unfortunately, attitudes of the newer neighbors are more of the "I'm the only one that matters" flavor. In fact, a few years ago, a rental house was turned into a hydroponic lab and was shut down mainly because the immediate neighbors of the house noticed suspicious activity. The perps thought no one noticed because the neighborhood is quiet, little did they know that everyone was actually talking to each other even though he didn't see them outside with their kids (all these people's kids are grown and gone).

I also used to read the police reports in the newspaper for the local area. It is amazing how many cars get broken into because of what the owners think is safe to leave in them, such as laptops and other valuable items. Most of the vehicle breakins involved something of great value being taken from the car - why on earth would you leave something like that in your vehicle in any city. Sometimes it's not about how much crime there is, but whether people have the presence of mind to not make themselves targets.

[Rismiller]

At the time I was living in the Port St. Lucie area.

Can you believe I walked in and could still hear their voices at the far end of the house as they were leaving?

By the time I got back there one of them had cut himself on the glass window that they broke when they came into the house.

There was blood everywhere.

This was a petty crime - nothing was expensive, but I thought long and hard about how dangerous a situation this would have been if we had encountered each other.

Anyway, for about 6 months I had a hard time sleeping in the house.

Finally, fed up with my own fears, I put a baseball bat under my bed and that seemed to do the trick.

It's not something I would wish on anyone.

[doggiebus]

Great point I totally agree. I just shake my head when I see some of my neighbors leaving their windows open (which we should be able to) with their blinds open letting every passer by see what kind of stuff (i.e. TV) they have, it just invites burglars. Miami is not a place you can leave your windows or blinds open any more, and leave the house. Well you can, but chances are at some point your house will be targeted if you do this.

Originally Posted by miamiblue

This is true. I know that my parents' neighborhood has seen some vandalism, such as eggings and car windows being shot out with bb guns. Of the neighbors that have been there for years, if something happened, all their other neighbors would know about it, because they would make it known. They have always looked out for each other; unfortunately, attitudes of the newer neighbors are more of the "I'm the only one that matters" flavor. In fact, a few years ago, a rental house was turned into a hydroponic lab and was shut down mainly because the immediate neighbors of the house noticed suspicious activity. The perps thought no one noticed because the neighborhood is quiet, little did they know that everyone was actually talking to each other even though he didn't see them outside with their kids (all these people's kids are grown and gone).

I also used to read the police reports in the newspaper for the local area. It is amazing how many cars get broken into because of what the owners think is safe to leave in them, such as laptops and other valuable items. Most of the vehicle breakins involved something of great value being taken from the car - why on earth would you leave something like that in your vehicle in any city. Sometimes it's not about how much crime there is, but whether people have the presence of mind to not make themselves targets.

[sunrico90]

Based on the poll only 11 individuals/families had their homes visited by unwanted intruders. I will like yo ask what is a better deterrence:

Bars:
Alarm system:
Dog:

For me is the dog...

Ever had an unwanted intruder come and steal your stuff?
Yes, several times -- 3 --6.38%
Yes, once -- 8 --17.02%
No, but only because of my security bars -- 2 --4.26%
No, and no bars -- 34 --72.34%

[compelled to reply]

Well, I believe a dog is a good deterrent, but they had a burglar in Margate a while back DROWN dogs in the home...Margate isn't a high crime town either. It's true, the most dependable deterrent is security bars. Personally, I don't even have an alarm and have been without burglary, as has my neighborhood and surrounding ones. If I had a burglary, or heard about a wave of them in surrounding areas, I would personally get an alarm. Still, I believe the REAL best defense is living in a neighborhood where people are looking out for each other, keeping your shrubbery well trimmed to prevent burglars from finding a place to hide, keeping your property well lit (if an apartment or condo, living in a well let complex), leaving an interior light on at night (especially when out of town), and of course, locking your doors and windows.

[tallrick]

Best deterrent, let the burglars know that you don't have anything worth stealing. I always sleep with a pistol between the matress and the wall.

[cmsvmom]

A dog is a good deterrent, a good alarm system is a better one. Dogs can be killed.

I grew up in what is now palmetto bay. Years ago we had a rash of breakins. Turns out it was one of the neighborhood teens setting up his drug buddies and acting as lookout.

They broke into one house and punched the dog between the eyes. She died a few weeks later.

So a vicious attack dog might be a good deterrent, but that might not be practical if you have kids. But for many criminals, the family dog is no problem, they'll just kill or disable it.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by cmsvmom

A dog is a good deterrent, a good alarm system is a better one. Dogs can be killed.

I grew up in what is now palmetto bay. Years ago we had a rash of breakins. Turns out it was one of the neighborhood teens setting up his drug buddies and acting as lookout.

They broke into one house and punched the dog between the eyes. She died a few weeks later.

So a vicious attack dog might be a good deterrent, but that might not be practical if you have kids. But for many criminals, the family dog is no problem, they'll just kill or disable it.

Excellent point....