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Totally bumbed

A

abrahamfh

Active Member
My folks came down to visit and while they were away their home was robbed. TV's camera jewelry laptop all got stolen. They kicked through the front door, dead bolt and all. No one in the neighborhood called in to the police, I am highly suspicious. Other than myself, I'm glad no one was home when this took place.

4c5f48d0-aafb-df3b.jpg


Any front door locks and frame, glass sliding doors and first floor window security tips would be great.
 
Wow, that sucks. Sorry to hear that.
Good thing they were not home and no one got hurt.


Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
Sorry to hear the news.

Normal entry doors in wood frames are never going to keep out someone bent on stealing your stuff, they only keep the honest people out. A 12 ga steel door and frame properly installed in the wall and 3 HD deadbolts (top, middle and bot) will keep out almost anything. That'll just cause them to find a window or cut a hole in the wall if they really want in.
 
"abrahamfh" said:
Any front door locks and frame, glass sliding doors and first floor window security tips would be great.
Click to expand...

The German Shepherd 5000?
999JustinSullivangetty.jpg


Or the Rottweiler 2100 series?
Rottweiler.jpg
 
Glad no one was at home nor hurt.The rest is replaceble beside some jewelry with emotial value of course.
If they want to break in your home , nothing will stop them.Even an iron door.
I would say :
In house alarm system to protect yourself while you are at sleep at night.
Good insurance of jewelry and electronics.( keeping detailed photo's of everything.)
Most important is , they didn't stood beside your bed at night waking you up with a gun in their hands. :hide :hide
Thats something that will traumatize you for a long time.
 
Thanks everyone.

I couldn't sleep last night so I was looking at some wireless security cams for inside the house to watch the entry points. They are tripped on by motion detectors and you can watch live from anywhere with a laptop and Internet access.

Thinking about getting the folks one of those security outer doors for the front main door and some alarms for at night on the sliding doors and window.

Kat, the wife and I are dyin for a German Shepard but we have to hold off until we move into a bigger space. Such beautiful amazing animals. Thank goodness my sisters dog Duke was at her boyfriends house. Little guy would have tried to hold his own.
cf68e6fe-1204-8185.jpg
 
Wow Abe! Sorry to read about this. Helluva "welcome to the neighborhood" huh?! :sarc

As others have pretty much stated, locks are to keep honest people out. Good security measures aren't going to keep out someone intent enough on getting in. What they DO accomplish is a) deterring them in favor of looking for an easier "target" elsewhere; or b) slowing their entry down. If you live in a townhouse, duplex, apartment your options are limited on deterrence. The simplest (and FREE!), thing to do is get to know your surrounding neighbors! Police can't be everywhere at once and neighbors MUST look out for each other! It's a practice that fell off through the years, but I've been seeing return through many of the neighborhoods where I work. Even if they don't prevent things from happening, they can potentially serve as good witnesses to help get the scum off the streets. Exterior lighting and making sure shrubs and bushes are kept trimmed low and away from the immediate structure also help. Don't give them a place to hide. Also think about planting some "thorny" plants near access points (doors and windows). Motion sensor equipped exterior lightning is pretty reasonably priced and easily installed.

When it comes to your windows, you've got glass in them...duhhhh. If the crooks want to break them, done deal. There's plenty you can actually do, just most things are either not attractive or cost effective (e.g. window bars). What you can do, but again, unattractive, is secure sheets of lexan to the framing on the inside of the windows. Even though the glass can be broken, the unbroken lexan will slow them down. Don't depend on your stock window locks either. Drill a hole through the framing at the middle (so it passes through the lower window AND into the upper window frame), then insert a pin. This locks the upper and lower windows together so one can't be raised nor the other lowered. For YOU to raise or lower, just pull the pin! Make sure it fits snugly though. Same for the sliding door. Pin the frame AND get a drop bar that fits in the track. You can cut a broomstick, but I'd strongly recommend making sure it fits VERY snug. You also install an "L" bracket at the door frame and the door edge just slightly higher than needed to remove/install the "stick". While you won't have the convenience of simply dropping the "stick" in place to secure the sliding door, the crooks can't easily slide something in between the doors and pop the stick out either!

Unfortunately, as you've already discovered, most door locks aren't very strong. They're generally installed into the casing and not securely into the wall. You'll need to look at how yours is constructed and sink your fasteners in as deep as possible. Honestly though, I've seen a steel door with industrial strength deadbolts in an ALL steel building get popped open. A few seconds with a large pry bar and they bent everything enough to get the door open (including bending the door itself!). The deeper a deadbolt can penetrate the door casing the better.

Last thing is a video monitor. While you can't stop them from getting in, you can at least help catch them. They are a GREAT tool that defense lawyers HATE, and police, prosecutors and juries love! If you go that that level, get one that has a good picture and not some cheap grainy thing. While even those CAN be helpful, usually not by much.

If you notice I didn't say anything about an alarm! It's a mixed bag with them. I HATE the TV commercials. Crook breaks in, alarm goes off, alarm company doofus says some goofy ass line about calling police, police are on scene within seconds and bad guy is busted. YEAH RIGHT! Welcome to the real world, it DON'T happen that way! As an example, our local Graingers had an alarm activation one evening. When I got the call I was literally 1/2 mile away, in a neighborhood on the other side of a busy road. Having gone to Graingers numerous times for alarms, and knowing my area, I knew the quickest route there. Previous alarms had always been from the loading dock door. This activation was shown as a glass break, front door. I told the guy responding with me to "step it up" that wasn't a "normal" alarm. We arrived in less than 4 minutes after receiving the call. Thieves had already shattered the front door, made entry and taken over $3000 worth of cordless power tools from store display shelves. They were already gone! Keep in mind, I NEVER just take my time when I respond to an alarm..of any kind, even if I'd been to the same place for the same alarm a thousand times. It only takes once! Bottom line, an alarm lets someone know, eventually, something happened. An audible alarm, especially in a neighborhood, can let surrounding people know immediately. If you don't know your neighbors and the responding police are lazy or inept, they won't talk to those people. The the little old lady (we ALL got'em as neighbors!), that looked out the window and saw the crooks will never have the opportunity to tell anyone. Or worse yet, didn't want to get involved! That's why I didn't say anything about an alarm. I certainly don't DISCOURAGE one, but I'm hard pressed to quickly recommend also. It is definitely one of those things that's good to know ALL the pluses and minuses about before getting one.

Glad ya'll are okay and unharmed! Hope they catch the scum Abe!
 
"Ponyman66" said:
Wow Abe! Sorry to read about this. Helluva "welcome to the neighborhood" huh?! :sarc

As others have pretty much stated, locks are to keep honest people out. Good security measures aren't going to keep out someone intent enough on getting in. What they DO accomplish is a) deterring them in favor of looking for an easier "target" elsewhere; or b) slowing their entry down. If you live in a townhouse, duplex, apartment your options are limited on deterrence. The simplest (and FREE!), thing to do is get to know your surrounding neighbors! Police can't be everywhere at once and neighbors MUST look out for each other! It's a practice that fell off through the years, but I've been seeing return through many of the neighborhoods where I work. Even if they don't prevent things from happening, they can potentially serve as good witnesses to help get the scum off the streets. Exterior lighting and making sure shrubs and bushes are kept trimmed low and away from the immediate structure also help. Don't give them a place to hide. Also think about planting some "thorny" plants near access points (doors and windows). Motion sensor equipped exterior lightning is pretty reasonably priced and easily installed.

When it comes to your windows, you've got glass in them...duhhhh. If the crooks want to break them, done deal. There's plenty you can actually do, just most things are either not attractive or cost effective (e.g. window bars). What you can do, but again, unattractive, is secure sheets of lexan to the framing on the inside of the windows. Even though the glass can be broken, the unbroken lexan will slow them down. Don't depend on your stock window locks either. Drill a hole through the framing at the middle (so it passes through the lower window AND into the upper window frame), then insert a pin. This locks the upper and lower windows together so one can't be raised nor the other lowered. For YOU to raise or lower, just pull the pin! Make sure it fits snugly though. Same for the sliding door. Pin the frame AND get a drop bar that fits in the track. You can cut a broomstick, but I'd strongly recommend making sure it fits VERY snug. You also install an "L" bracket at the door frame and the door edge just slightly higher than needed to remove/install the "stick". While you won't have the convenience of simply dropping the "stick" in place to secure the sliding door, the crooks can't easily slide something in between the doors and pop the stick out either!

Unfortunately, as you've already discovered, most door locks aren't very strong. They're generally installed into the casing and not securely into the wall. You'll need to look at how yours is constructed and sink your fasteners in as deep as possible. Honestly though, I've seen a steel door with industrial strength deadbolts in an ALL steel building get popped open. A few seconds with a large pry bar and they bent everything enough to get the door open (including bending the door itself!). The deeper a deadbolt can penetrate the door casing the better.

Last thing is a video monitor. While you can't stop them from getting in, you can at least help catch them. They are a GREAT tool that defense lawyers HATE, and police, prosecutors and juries love! If you go that that level, get one that has a good picture and not some cheap grainy thing. While even those CAN be helpful, usually not by much.

If you notice I didn't say anything about an alarm! It's a mixed bag with them. I HATE the TV commercials. Crook breaks in, alarm goes off, alarm company doofus says some goofy ass line about calling police, police are on scene within seconds and bad guy is busted. YEAH RIGHT! Welcome to the real world, it DON'T happen that way! As an example, our local Graingers had an alarm activation one evening. When I got the call I was literally 1/2 mile away, in a neighborhood on the other side of a busy road. Having gone to Graingers numerous times for alarms, and knowing my area, I knew the quickest route there. Previous alarms had always been from the loading dock door. This activation was shown as a glass break, front door. I told the guy responding with me to "step it up" that wasn't a "normal" alarm. We arrived in less than 4 minutes after receiving the call. Thieves had already shattered the front door, made entry and taken over $3000 worth of cordless power tools from store display shelves. They were already gone! Keep in mind, I NEVER just take my time when I respond to an alarm..of any kind, even if I'd been to the same place for the same alarm a thousand times. It only takes once! Bottom line, an alarm lets someone know, eventually, something happened. An audible alarm, especially in a neighborhood, can let surrounding people know immediately. If you don't know your neighbors and the responding police are lazy or inept, they won't talk to those people. The the little old lady (we ALL got'em as neighbors!), that looked out the window and saw the crooks will never have the opportunity to tell anyone. Or worse yet, didn't want to get involved! That's why I didn't say anything about an alarm. I certainly don't DISCOURAGE one, but I'm hard pressed to quickly recommend also. It is definitely one of those things that's good to know ALL the pluses and minuses about before getting one.

Glad ya'll are okay and unharmed! Hope they catch the scum Abe!
Click to expand...

Amazing info. Thank you.

Unfortunately we are very familiar with my parents neighbors. What is making me very suspicious is that they do live in a townhome and the door they broke in through is about four feet from the connecting wall with the neighbor. How can you not hear it, when someone goes down the stairs you can feel the vibration, when a semi truck goes down the street 50 yards away you can feel it.

Oh well, thanks again everyone, we will be looking at all the security suggestions you all have given and try to come up with a shopping list.

I'll keep you all posted
 
Hate to hear it man. Check out Sam's club website. I just installed two security camera systems bought from there. 4 camera, 500gig hard drive with net connectivity for under $350. One in parents house and one at work. Caught a thief at work within a week. Cheap way to get some footage. As far as securing the place, it's all been said.
 
When we go on vacations we set timers on all the tvs so they go on at different times just to make it seem as if someone is home. We turn the volume up slightly louder than normal so it can be heard better too. This won't stop pros casing the house, but might make a punk think someone is home.



Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
Even though everything negative about alarms is right, they are still very useful. Most thieves are simple opportunists. They see an unlocked car door, they act. Given the option of two homes, one with alarm signs/stickers and one without, most will go to the other house. If you live in a multi-family dwelling or have nearby neighbors, a loud alarm system will make a difference. If nothing else, it gets them out of your place faster meaning less time to ransack and take your stuff.
Your best buy, however, can also be your best friend. Thieves and dogs do not get along. Keep a big dog water dish on the porch or by the back door. Maybe a chain fastened near the door to look like it's used to hold a big dog.
 
"Horseplay" said:
Keep a big dog water dish on the porch or by the back door. Maybe a chain fastened near the door to look like it's used to hold a big dog.
Click to expand...

And maybe a few well used chew "toys".

I'm sorry to hear about this. I hate hearing stories like this. I guess the new trend is for crooks to target people who are away from home for a funeral. Time and date are right there in the newspaper.

Frank
 
I was working late one evening about four years ago and someone kicked our front door in. The alarm set on "instant" scared them off. I wish I had been home to blow the sob away but I wasn't home and glad they fled immediately since the wife and boys were home. On the plus they did not take any of my possessions with them when they bolted due to hearing the alarm go off immediately after they kicked in the door.

To both repair and reinforce the front door at the old house after it was kicked in I bought this:

http://www.armorconcepts.com/Our-Soluti ... Jamb-Armor

Great product and the install was not too bad.

And people wonder why I sleep with a loaded 40 cal within easy reach and take my training on the dojo mat very seriously....

For sliding glass doors not much you can do. Have a lock smith install one of the bars, but all they have to do is break the window. My current alarm system has numerous glass breaks at strategic locations since we have numerous sliding glass doors on the backside of our house.
 
Abe,
I can't contribute more than what has already been said above except to say those thieves should feel very lucky that they did not encounter with the Dukester !
 
LoL. So I went up to the Bay to visit my folks this last weekend and the house is a lot more protected than it ever has been. Well, at least better than before. Still some things to do, but every little bit counts.

Go figure, that Saturday night they broke into my car and stole the stereo and some other stuff. Blaw! Blaw! Blaw! Oh well. Watcha gonna do but laugh about it.
 
Sorry to hear about this, Abe.

Our Male is not fixed - the person who we purchased our dogs from has a bitch that is not fixed - maybe we can set you up.

Here are pics of our two Dogs, Porsche (10 years old) and Staark (9). They are both from the same parents, different litters...
 

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If the wife's rat dog would ever die...I've been thinking about getting another chow.

I had one named "Osa"....my step dad's buddy gave her to me a couple weeks before I started my freshmen year of high school and she lived till after I was out of college. Best dog I have ever owned.

I'd like to get the boys a Boxer because I think they are great dogs for kids but not sure they are good enough watch dogs.
 
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