[sensible]

Originally Posted by Isow

My neighbour was burgled.
Extensive monitored alarm system.
CCTV etc.
Scum smash a window , run in grab a few things etc and cycle off.
They are gone in 5 minutes, before police who have been informed by monitoring company can arrive.
CCTV shows scum looking up at CCTV cameras.
They are all wearing Balaclavas of course,and so they can't be identified.
Good insurance is the only realistic response to today's burglars.
Some burglars can be more professional than others.
When we were burgled 3 years ago the alarm bells were removed by the burglars ( I live in a bungalow ).
Don't forget to hide your car keys including the spare.
Hiding them means genuinely hiding them I.e. NOT in a drawer in your bedroom !

I am in favour of hiding my keys (and my spare set) and do so if out in the second car and at night. I wish I could show you where, great place, but not on a public forum. I know others have the view that they would rather they take the car than confront them or thier family whilst they are in bed (that's fine...personal choice but not mine).

Another thing to consider is where you keep your keys whilst driving. I always keep mine in my pocket and not in the car. This way if you are car jacked the keys are on you and you can throw them into a bush and run. They are unlikely to spent 10 minutes looking for them.

Also don't put your exact home address in your sat Nat. Put home as a few streets away. Then if you are car jacked and lose your car keys and house keys, they can't just press home on the sat nav and come and burgle your house. (and don't have anything with your address on in your car. )

The main thing is that people think about their security BEFORE it happens.

[Isow]

Originally Posted by Brigand

I assume you don't have kids?

It's a car, it's insured, it has gap.

I'm talking about house content insurance with a reputable company.
Everybody has car insurance.
I have a grandchild.

[sal80]

Originally Posted by TheLiverBird

If this involves high voltage electricity; attack dogs; poisonous gas or similar I'll definitely by up for it!

hahahaha i thought of all that in anger!! but for long term i think i have something very easy which i will try very soon.

[sensible]

Originally Posted by Brigand

I assume you don't have kids?

It's a car, it's insured, it has gap.

As I said...personal choice whether you hide your keys or not after weighing up the pros and cons.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by stefan4

Came home after a night out with the wife, left the new car at home. Upon arriving home I see a white 3 series parked up a little up the street and see 2 young lads in it. Paranoia kicks in big time!

15 mins later I decide to call 101. Half an hour after this, the car is still there. Recalling that when the last car was stolen it was after a night out, now getting massively paranoid and called 101 again. They said that they have circulated a call for a petrol car so someone may come if they get chance, I'm now pretty pissed.

5 minutes later a lad gets out of the car says bye to his mate and goes into the house across the road! God damn.

I hate this bit of having a new car! Tomorrow's job however is ordering cameras and a nas.

You really should stop smoking the weed! Crazy paranoia like that is not good for the soul!

[Isow]

Originally Posted by sensible

As I said...personal choice whether you hide your keys or not.

Well as I said We were burgled 3 years ago.
We were out in the wife's car but the scum found my spare keys to the 328i and it was stolen.
Luckily the police found it parked up and it was eventually returned.
Apparently the burglars often leave the stolen cars parked up for 2 days in case they have a tracker.
No damage to the car but had to have new door lock barrels fitted because of stolen key.

[Hanchurch]

My S4 and my wife's RX8 got stolen in a burglary at our old house, the S4 was recovered through tracker after loosing the police at 150mph! The RX8 was a total loss. They "snapped the door lock", my recommendation based on police advice after the event would be, snap safe locks, good alarm with the car keys in an alarmed area, CCTV and a dog, clearly tracker works too.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by Isow

I'm talking about house content insurance with a reputable company.
Everybody has car insurance.
I have a grandchild.

Okay rather than leaving keys accessible.

Burglars go upstairs, wearing masks wake up grandchild - not much lasting physiological damage....

I much prefer making it really hard to get in, pick another house.

However make it straightforward if down stairs nicking stuff.

[sensible]

Originally Posted by Brigand

Okay rather than leaving keys accessible.

Burglars go upstairs, wearing masks wake up grandchild - not much lasting physiological damage....

I much prefer making it really hard to get in, pick another house.

However make it straightforward if down stairs nicking stuff.

I think we have had this discussion before....and I am not saying you are wrong, that's just your acceptible level of risk. Others, including me would hide the keys to make it as difficult for them as possible.

You obviously wouldn't leave your keys in your car or on view through a window, so you have decided that it is acceptible to you personally to leave them downstairs, although a burglar wondering around downstairs would still be distressing for your family.

I take the view that if they set off my house alarm system and are briefly in my house, I don't want them picking the keys up off the kitchen table or any other obvious placep and running out, so I hide them.

Do I have kids...yes. Do I care about them, of course.

[gr4z]

I installed two Wansview CCTV cameras from Amazon and used an old MacMini to run SecuritySpy security software. Works brilliantly. One of my driveway and one in my back garden. Gives me some peace of mind.

Want to get one for the front door now. Haven't managed to find a outside light cctv combo yet.

[doomsday runner]

I know just how you feel, in February I had my house broken into while we were out. All they took was the car keys and stole my 6 month old 335d LCI. I have since then upgraded my house alarm, fitted CCTV all round my house and fitted Autowatch Ghost to our new 435d and 335d GT.

[sensible]

Originally Posted by doomsday runner

I know just how you feel, in February I had my house broken into while we were out. All they took was the car keys and stole my 6 month old 335d LCI. I have since then upgraded my house alarm, fitted CCTV all round my house and fitted Autowatch Ghost to our new 435d and 335d GT.

Very interested in your assessment of Autowatch Ghost. Just looked it up on the net and it says it is fitted without having to have extra key fobs or having to cut wires etc. I have emailed them for more info.

[Danny Fireblade]

CCTV is a huge help in tracking down the naughty people who decide to break in to people's properties.
It shows what they have touched and left forensic opportunities behind, it identifies clothing and their mannerisms, some people may walk funny, with a limp or hunched over, all these things can help someone who has had dealings with them before to identify them.
Can also show what vehicle they arrived or left in and can give direction of travel.
It may not stop them, but increases the chances of them being caught.

[Kal101]

Originally Posted by Danny Fireblade

CCTV is a huge help in tracking down the naughty people who decide to break in to people's properties.
It shows what they have touched and left forensic opportunities behind, it identifies clothing and their mannerisms, some people may walk funny, with a limp or hunched over, all these things can help someone who has had dealings with them before to identify them.
Can also show what vehicle they arrived or left in and can give direction of travel.
It may not stop them, but increases the chances of them being caught.

Upto a point - have had cctv in retail premises before now - very little success in apprehending criminals even when some were caught clearly on camera

It's all down to an officer recognising them

If we look at all the cctv footage available in the public domain it's clear that it's not a viable deterrent.

Better to view it as a tool to aid long term apprehension of criminals by long term evidence gathering .

For the individual homeowner it should be viewed as part of an overall package whereby one balances the risk of increased threat and aggression againgst deterrent value. Each makes their own decision on that one.

Best thing to do is to pick up the criminals swag bag and think how easily could I do it if I wanted to. Remember the majority are opportunistic and if you make it harder they'll try next door.

[Isow]

[QUOTE=Brigand;19855981]Okay rather than leaving keys accessible.

Burglars go upstairs, wearing masks wake up grandchild - not much lasting physiological damage....

I much prefer making it really hard to get in, pick another house.

However make it straightforward if down stairs nicking stuff.[/QUOT

As I have said in previous post I live in a bungalow therefore no upstairs.
Both the police and representatives from my insurance company said the same thing ' if the burglars want to get in nothing can stop them , they will get in '.
Most people are burgled when they are out.

[Drek]

Originally Posted by stefan4

They said that they have circulated a call for a petrol car so someone may come if they get chance, I'm now pretty pissed.

You got drunk while waiting for a petrol car?

[stefan4]

Originally Posted by MCarChris

Changing to petrol is good, get the old bill involved too, I love it!

In all seriousness is this unusual, would no one park in the street normally etc to wait for someone, hard to tell but can understand the concerns.

Lol you got me.

It's highly unusual as our road is very quiet and they were there for best part of an hour, but ultimately I feel like a twat, but anyway. Guess the point is I need some additional security for peace of mind.