My house got broken into tonight !!

[Caleb]

I'm for hire as a house guard, may need to borrow yor shotgun and shells for the time being though...(no purple being used here)


Glad all is ok!

 

[Bapak2ja]

Heard that! Amazing, it's ok to point a gun at a faceless robber, but as soon as that person becomes a person, suddenly its not ok. Simply amazing.

Careful, may you have a hard time justifying pointing a gun at the robber in court!

What else needs to be said before you understand that a "faceless" robber/burglar/home invader is not the same thing as a relative (teenage girl at that) that you INVITE into your home (that may have some lip gloss in her pocket?

I'm seriously at a loss, otherwise I'd try to help.

As I said, she is not allowed at the house any more. Besides they are both people. both equally capable of filing a law suit. Odd how that doesn't seem to be a concern here. People seem pretty free about pointing weapons at other people in here. Weird.

Guys, time to let it go. Continuing to pick at one another will not change anyone's opinion or make INGO a better forum. You had a good exchange on another thread and discovered you are on total opposites of the spectrum on this subject. Bringing that over here to another thread is not beneficial. Let it go, my friends.

 

[Bapak2ja]

T-Dogg, the Fort is a great place to live and raise a family, but it is to perfect. Glad you and yours are safe. I appreciate you posting this thread. It makes it clear that I need to address the issue myself. Time to get that alarm system in place.

 

[T-DOGG]

T-Dogg, the Fort is a great place to live and raise a family, but it is to perfect. Glad you and yours are safe. I appreciate you posting this thread. It makes it clear that I need to address the issue myself. Time to get that alarm system in place.

We've lived in our house on the Southeast side for 6+ years now. We live in what I thought was a "safe" neighborhood. After my neighbor's house and mine got broken into this year, it doesn't feel so safe. I realize this can happen anywhere, it just sucks when you go home to be safe and sound in your sanctuary and it's not safe anymore. This weekend I'm going through the entire house and doing some major overhauling. It's time I woke up, the world ain't like it used to be.

 

[churchmouse]

Been there and done that. Horrible experience. I did the alarm thing. I also upgraded the locks on my doors. When I repaired the damage from the kicked in back door I reinforced the jamb and made it a part of the frame around the door. I used a router and recessed a piece of 1/8th inch thick aluminum plate into the area where the latch striker is to make this area stronger. I used long screws to seat it into the frame work. I did this to the dead bolt as well. A set of pinned hinges and you have to be really serious about getting in this way. All doors are done in this way. Not perfect but a lot better that it was. If they really want in they will get in but I am making it as hard as I can.

 

[churchmouse]

The bad guys cruise all the areas now. They scope out the likely targets and return to do what they do which is not good. No areas are totally safe anymore. They caught some thieves at work near me, they were from the other side of town.
Set up a watch with your neighbors. Be aware of who comes and goes. Know the cars that should be around and take info from strange slow moving vehicles.
Another way they look you over is to drop off young kids that run the area un-noticed and pick them up later. The kids note what is where and report this. The crew comes back and does their thing. I learned this from some police friends. It is a wicked world anymore. Be aware.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Train a GSD and let him take care of would be culprets. I hear German Shepherds like the taste of BG.

They also like the taste of GGs

 

[Expat]

We live in what I thought was a "safe" neighborhood.

In the current economy, I don't think we have any safe neighborhoods. If the economy continues as is or gets worse, then look out.

 

[MrsGungho]

In the current economy, I don't think we have any safe neighborhoods. If the economy continues as is or gets worse, then look out.

there is no place safe. We were talking about this at the store the other day when discussing the murders in Cumberland, no forced entry yet 2 left dead along with some electronics stolen. Guessing they thought it was safe to leave the door unlocked during the day. It isn't our grandfathers world anymore when we could leave keys in the car and sleep with all the doors and windows open.
Between the economy, job situations and drug addictions that need fed, thefts are going to continue to rise and thieves are going to get bolder as we try to secure more.

 

[jgreiner]

I came home tonight to my back door being kicked in. Instead of going in to check things out Chuck Norris style I called the police and waited until they showed up. The "kind" citizen who broke in was already gone. Besides a broken door they also tore through my bedroom and the mancave. Items missing that we established so far: wife's laptop, camcorder, money/change (maybe $40-$60 worth), & my range bag (they dumped most of it's contents onto the counter). Two things that really made me mad were: 1) found my daughter's piggy bank by back door "gutted" & 2) camcorder had tape in it of last year's Christmas containing footage of my late Father who passed in February (this hurt the worst of all items stolen). Nobody was hurt and no guns were stolen though, that's about the only good thing. Upgraded the door tonight with a steel one (original was cheap hollow core wood) and this definitely woke me up about how secure my home really is. This sounds cliche but I NEVER EVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME. Well I was wrong, it did. I will not sleep easy tonight, but there is a tomorrow and my wife and daughter are still alive, gotta be thankful for that. Accepting any recommendations for home security systems also, affordable of course.

Deadbolts. Always deadbolts. I installed perimeter security lights too, though those don't do much during the day.

The 95 lb Golden Retriever with the booming Bark is a good deterrent in my home, however.

 

[warangelcometh]

Sorry to hear about your break in Thank God no family members were hurt. As far as security measures - good start on a solid steel core door. Reinforce frame with long screws that go deep into the studs. Get some motion lights as a deterent. Security camera with recordable video feed by back door will be a valuable deterent. ADT has some good packages out there to help the wife feel safer while your away. Good luck .

 

[T-DOGG]

Sorry to hear about your break in Thank God no family members were hurt. As far as security measures - good start on a solid steel core door. Reinforce frame with long screws that go deep into the studs. Get some motion lights as a deterent. Security camera with recordable video feed by back door will be a valuable deterent. ADT has some good packages out there to help the wife feel safer while your away. Good luck .

Motion detectors and security camera were also something I wanted to add.

 

[nsheepdog]

Sorry to hear about the intrusion. That sucks about the video being stolen.
Have you considered an alarm system?
I don't trust dogs to be much of a deterrent. I just don't think people in the proximity would really "hear" the barking and if they did, I doubt most would take action to pick up the phone. On the other hand, with kids, I wouldn't want an overly agressive dog and most people dont know how to, or don't have time to train a dog. My opinion.

 

[45fan]

Motion detectors and security camera were also something I wanted to add.

Might even be worth looking into motion detectors that turn the lights on in rooms that open to the outside. Convenient for when you come in the door with full hands, and just one more thing to make a BG second guess if someone is home or not.
I have thought about security cameras for our house as well. It may not be much of a deterrent, but properly placed could help apprehend the criminal after the fact.

 

[mainjet]

Wife was home before me, she noticed the door from garage to house was locked. She never saw the back door, she called me and I had her wait for me to get home first. I came home and saw the back door broken and called Police immediately. We both carry handguns, but neither of us felt like taking our chances. I'm no Ultimate Fighter and she's petite (and had my 2 year old with her).

Excellent choice! You certainly could have gone in but once you do there would be no gaurantee you would be coming out. For the defense of a piggy bank and laptop it's just not worth it when given the choice. But it's very obvious that you already know that so GOOD FOR YOU.

Being broken into while your in the house is a complete different story...

Very glad your family is safe. I would bet they are not coming back BUT they probably now know that your house is a place they can ge guns so if they are not very well secured now, I would make that a priority. don't blackout the house when your gone. Leave that TV on and a couple lights. Especially in this Christmas season when people know there are lots of new goodies laying under the tree.

rep inbound for making the right choice of protecting family first rather than trying to show how tough you can be.

Also REALLY sorry to hear about the video tape. I can totally understand how that one would hurt very badly.

 

[nsheepdog]

I agree. Good choice not confronting the bastards with the family present.

Excellent choice! You certainly could have gone in but once you do there would be no gaurantee you would be coming out. For the defense of a piggy bank and laptop it's just not worth it when given the choice. But it's very obvious that you already know that so GOOD FOR YOU.

Being broken into while your in the house is a complete different story...

Very glad your family is safe. I would bet they are not coming back BUT they probably now know that your house is a place they can ge guns so if they are not very well secured now, I would make that a priority. don't blackout the house when your gone. Leave that TV on and a couple lights. Especially in this Christmas season when people know there are lots of new goodies laying under the tree.

rep inbound for making the right choice of protecting family first rather than trying to show how tough you can be.

Also REALLY sorry to hear about the video tape. I can totally understand how that one would hurt very badly.

 

[mik1202002]

Sorry to hear about the break in...I found this I don't know how helpful it might be. Maybe someone here has used or knows a little bit more about it and how well it would work but here's the link.

HOME

 

[sbsg2005]

Now that you have replaced the door with a steel door the frame is the weak link I am speaking from experience from kicking in my crappy old doors during a remodel to see how well they held up many frames give away rather easily. Window film is good but not cheap to have installed. Just an ADT sign in the front yard can be a good deterent.

 

[Clay]

Sorry to hear about the break-in.

Somewhere on INGO a while back someone posted up a door latch and deadbolt reinforcement kit (or plate, something) that really seems to help make the door stronger.

Anyone know what Im talking about??

 

[45fan]

Sorry to hear about the break in...I found this I don't know how helpful it might be. Maybe someone here has used or knows a little bit more about it and how well it would work but here's the link.

HOME

Products like this are only one part in making the door more secure. Kicking doors in is one of the noisiest ways to gain entry. With portable hydraulic tools becoming cheaper and easier to find, a rigid door frame that resists bowing past the deadbolt is equally important. This sort of improvement is easiest when framing the door prior to sheeting the house, but long throw deadbolts will go a long way in crutching this in existing door openings.

Making the door more resilient to attack is only one part of making a house a hard target. Double cylinder deadbolts on all exterior doors (or ones that lead to garages or other large doors) will limit the theifs ability to remove large items from the home, and make exit less efficient.

Windows are also an easy entrance to a home. several things to consider when hardening a home.
The biggest thing to understand is that a determined thief will get in, unless a house is turned into a fortress, and even that is no guarantee.
Lots of things to consider, minimizing loss, making movement through the house difficult, good security systems. All these things combined in an effective net work much better than addressing one part of the situation separately from everything else.