Burglary

We decided to put a porch on the front and back of the house, so to gain entry you have to get through two doors. We put up smooth metal fencing that does not give a foothold. We added cctv because there had been break-ins further up the street, not a glimpse of a suspicious person since. I did however manage to leave both front doors unlocked for 2 days over Christmas

We went to a crime prevention talk that formed part of my husband's pre-retirement course. The ex-policeman was a fan of those wooden carpet gripper strips fixed to the insides of fencing panels about an inch or so from the top (had to be the 6ft ones). Anyone putting their hand over the fence would get a nasty shock, and as he said with a real glint in his eye.....they left behind a useful bit of DNA.
Automatic lights on the outside of the house are good too. but dont have the really bright searchlight ones....they really annoy the neighbours.

Many thanks for all the replies and advice, the gardener turned up just as I was about to go out so he was working in the garden if the scumbags did come back. He was also able to reassure me a bit by pointing out the hedge at the back of the house is very thorny and no-one would want to try to climb over that. I do feel a little better but just surprised that it had affected me so much.

I will contact the local police to see if I can get a home visit from the Crime Prevention officer.

Again many thanks - GNs always come through when you need them!

What we learnt from when DD3's car was stolen was never to leave either the door keys or your car keys anywhere on view or accessible.

Apparently the first thing burglars want is the car keys as they are worth the most amount of money. We keep ours in a drawer in the hall. We used to keep them, along with the door keys, in a pot on the hall chest but DH locked himself out and managed to fish them out of the pot and through the letter box with a garden cane.

Our house is an end terraced, and our terrace backs onto an alleyway with a row of houses facing our backs, and out garage is built onto the back of the house, facing the alley. We were woken at 4am one morning by the police, the lady opposite was up with her sick hubby, and looked out of the bedroom window to see our up and over door wide open, and someone moving around inside, using matches for lighting. She thought it odd, so rang the police. The burglars had gone by the time the police arrived, taking my son`s new mountain bike and hubby`s best fishing reel. This was about 20 years ago, but if I wake in the night for any reason, I always look outside to make sure nobody`s hanging about, don`t think I`ll ever stop doing it.

Perhaps the dog thought the CPO was a terrierist.

(I'll get me coat)

Absent Picturing the dog examining the warrant card.

When I moved to my previous house I contacted the local crime prevention officer because I had a lot of computer equipment – in those days I employed several staff and had a business partner. I was a little concerned about the basement where the "office suite" was located. It was a hot sunny day, so I had left the front door wide open. Just about the time the officer was due to arrive, i heard the dog barking and trotted out into the from garden to find the self-described "small fat Scotsman" showing his warrant card to my dog.

Good advice phoenix I know our local police force (Northumbria) have a crime prevention department and you can ask them to come to you and give advise. I would strongly advise you doing this Barrow as they may pick up on things you hadn't even noticed. Good luck ,

Oh how I hate these scumbags who make decent peoples lives a misery.

I had 4 attempted break ins on my London home bot thet never got in as they were UPVC doors with 7 point locking etc.
The damage was covered by insurance but I know there was about £5,000 worth of damage between all 4 attempts and they got nothing.
I do keep my mobile phone by the bed so I could call the police if anybody cuts the telephone wire.
I also have the phone numbers of my neighbours so I can warn them about people in the garden without going out of my house.

Frank

I think it may still be possible to contact your local Police and arrange to speak to a Crime Prevention Officer. They should be able to give you the right sort of advice, maybe even arrange a home visit?

When I'm feling a bit spooky I leave the pooter on all night; know it sounds silly but I feel as if I'm not on my own and when something did scare me once someone was still awake on one of my forums and they talked me through it. It's understandable to feel worried.

Of course you should be worried, only natural. After my car was broken into I felt unsafe in the house on my own. I thought the kitchen door was the most vulnerable so put the ironing board against it so that anyone breaking in would make such a noise when it fell on the tiles that I would be woken up.

I'm sure you looked at your home as if you were a burglar to find any weak spots so just make sure you have your phone handy at all times. I think the feeling will wear thinner in a few days.

Perfectly normal to feel shaken by this Barrow. My dear old Grandma was burgled many years ago - and it really shook her up. Its an invasion of ones intimate space. Just do the obvious - check doors etc. You might even give the old Crime prevention lot if you dont have a local Neighbourhood watch. From experience they are usually very happty to help, seeing prevention better than dealing with the outcomes. Try not to let it upset you - but it is perfectly normal to feel this way. All the best