home break-in. lessons learned and to learn.

[vujade]

I was broken into a few weeks ago. The folks must have scouted us out because they came in minutes after my wife left for work and got out about an hour before I got home.

They spent so much time in my home that aside from practically all our belongings, they helped themselves to a box of twinkies and some microwavable pizza. The worst is my our wedding set which we left in the house (we hid them but not well enough). (my finger was too fat to wear it. my wife stopped wearing it for a few weeks because of the nature of her job). The worst is that they stole a prized handgun which was my carry piece which I hid at the house (but not well enough) since I can't bring it to work.

I've already started a movement among my friends/family. Many of the us are taking handgun carry classes, purchasing a firearm or otherwise beefing up their alarm system(s). I hope that my experience can help anyone here as well. I'll post things I've learned/am doing to beef up my own security. I also welcome ideas from other members on their experiences, advice, etc.

The cop who responded to my call said that break ins are at an all time high. Their busiest times are 4-7pm when folks get back from work and find their house ransacked like ours. Then he commented, "...it's not even summer yet..."

[vujade]

Stuff I did right. Stuff I wish I did. Stuff I've been working on.

* get a safe. it was one of the few things i did right.

* gun safes are for more than guns. it won't be as pretty as a ballerina jewelry box but it's a whole lot more secure.

* don't hide money just around the house. use the bank or lock it up in the safe. we thought we had some good hiding places. they emptied jars of sugar and flour. cut through picture frames. slashed mattresses/beds.

* lock EVERY door in the house when not in use. I'm not just saying the front doors but lock all bedrooms. Just make it harder for the bastards. insurance will cover the doors anyway.

* check your insurance policies. Mine only covers $100 in cash, $1000 limit for jewelry and $2000 for guns. Schedule other items of value... including ammo.

* new construction homes have $6 door locks and 1 inch screws holding the jambs and hinges in place. Replace those with 3 inchers. Place additional locks on the bottom of the door (where they will kick).

* there are other upgrades you can get at home depot/lowes. upgraded jambs, etc.

* get an alarm. if you already have one. turn it on.

* get a dog if you can.

* talk to neighbors/friends afterwards. folks get defensive about their neighborhood. Use it to energize them and start neighborhood watches, etc.

[Guest pjblurton]

I really hate to hear about your misfortune vujade...

There are few things a man can go through as infuriating as someone stealing your belongings (especially while your away earning money to pay for it all).

I hope insurance helps, but I know there are so many things that just cannot be replaced.

[jeffmem]

I am sorry to hear about your loss. Did they attempt to take your gun safe? Is it really heavy and/or bolted down.

[Fallguy]

I really hate to hear about this.

I have been the victim of theft, not to this extent, but more than once (one reason I have moved).

I think I have at least a hint of how you feel.....

One thing I would add to your list is cameras if you can get them.

[Punisher84]

Sorry to hear about this man. It's definitely one of the things no person should ever have to deal with.

Thieves, rapists, and murderers. Death penalty for all I say.

[poak]

The worst is my our wedding set which we left in the house (we hid them but not well enough). (my finger was too fat to wear it. my wife stopped wearing it for a few weeks because of the nature of her job).

Uh oh... sounds like your wife might be a waitress or bartender? Meaning lots of cash tips... meaning maybe the thieves KNEW this (as you mentioned they tore the house apart). Could very well be someone you know

[Guest david_g17]

might want to get some of this stuff: door jamb armor

to upgrade your doors. yeah, they'll just go through a window, but at least you can make it more difficult.

[Guest Jcochran88]

Hate to hear that. We just got an alarm installed, adt 29.99 a month. the peace of mind that it has given my wife(along with the hd mossy beside the bed ) has really helped her.

[Guest canynracer]

terrible news...thanks for the advice, and posting the things you learned.

Just remeber, if they made off really good...they will probably be back. Most idiots return to the scene of the crime.

Good luck to you, god bless.

[TGO David]

Uh oh... sounds like your wife might be a waitress or bartender? Meaning lots of cash tips.

I don't think you could have insinuated that his wife might be flirting for cash any more clearly unless you had just come right out and said it.

I can think of several vocations where a woman might not be inclined to wear her wedding rings for far less shady purposes. Nurses, for example, often choose not to wear them (or at least their engagement rings) since they deal with human yuckiness all day and are constantly donning and removing surgical gloves.

Chefs, bakers, etc. won't wear them for sanitary reasons. An artist might not just to keep them clean.

[poak]

I don't think you could have insinuated that his wife might be flirting for cash any more clearly unless you had just come right out and said it.

Meh, while I meant no offense, I think I'll let HIM decide if he's offended or not.

That said, as someone who worked in the restaurant/bar biz for several years, I gotta say it's a simple fact that the bartender w/ no ring makes better tips than the one w/ a ring. I wasn't insinuating flirtatious behavior at all.

[10Kilr]

How did they make entry?

[Guest Astra900]

I used to laugh at my grandmother for doing this, but it makes SOOO much sense nowadays.

Once a year, she would take several hours to video tape everything in the house. I MEAN EVERYTHING!!! From serial numbers to silverware. Every square inch of the house was on film. every drawer, every hiddy hole, everything. Then she would put the video tape in a safety deposit box at the bank. If ever they were broke into, everything is right there as evidence of what they had.

[jimic]

This is a problem, times will make it worse.

i believe Florida passed a law that let carry permitted employee to keep there gun locked in there car, even if the compy ruled otherwise.

Just a thought for TN.

[Guest Guitarsnguns]

I am sorry for your misfortune. I had a break in about 4 years ago, but I think the rottwieler kept them out of the house; however, they did take about $4000.00 worth of tools from the garage. It leaves you feelng quite violated and pissed off.

[Guest JHatmaker]

I used to laugh at my grandmother for doing this, but it makes SOOO much sense nowadays.

Once a year, she would take several hours to video tape everything in the house. I MEAN EVERYTHING!!! From serial numbers to silverware. Every square inch of the house was on film. every drawer, every hiddy hole, everything. Then she would put the video tape in a safety deposit box at the bank. If ever they were broke into, everything is right there as evidence of what they had.

This is something EVERYONE should do, your insurance company will thank you, and you'll thank yourself. It's not just for break-ins, but also natual disasters, etc. Make a tape and put it in a safe. Safe needs to be bolted to the floor, maybe in a closet.

Another tip for securing your house, plant shrubs or plants outside with pricks or thorns under every window. This deters some thiefs from breaking in. The ADT guy who installed our alarm said most break-ins happen through the front door believe it or not, but to also make sure the door in your garage that accesses your house is locked. Just closing the garage door will not secure your house (I know this sounds like common sense, but a lot of homeowners think that just b/c their garage door is closed, that no one can break in)

Also, remember to write down the serial #'s to all your guns and keep them separated from the actual guns, preferably in a safe (bolted to the floor)

I'm terrribly sorry to hear about your break-in, and hope they catch the person(s) who did this. Maybe this guy will be stupid enough to try and pawn that gun, and if you do have the serial #, maybe the police can issue some type of heads up to gun/pawn shops in the area.

[Guest JHatmaker]

This is a problem, times will make it worse.

i believe Florida passed a law that let carry permitted employee to keep there gun locked in there car, even if the compy ruled otherwise.

Just a thought for TN.

This is being discussed: http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/political-issues/19768-guns-parking-lots-work-discussed-tomorrow-4-8-09-a.html

[jimic]

That's what i would like to see. it you gun is home and you are at work,bad deal.

who is the bill supporter? i would like to send him an e-mail

[Guest david_g17]

This is something EVERYONE should do, your insurance company will thank you, and you'll thank yourself. It's not just for break-ins, but also natual disasters, etc. Make a tape and put it in a safe. Safe needs to be bolted to the floor, maybe in a closet.

I'd really recommend making the video (or videos) and emailing it to a web mail account (like hotmail or gmail).

That way, the video will survive fires, tornadoes, communist invasion, etc.

[TGO David]

Meh, while I meant no offense, I think I'll let HIM decide if he's offended or not.

Nice attitude. I showed it to my wife and a female colleague. Both of them said it was a pretty pig-headed statement and that they would have been offended by the insinuation, so you might want to at least consider a little more diplomacy and tact when you make a statement like that about someone's spouse. That's all I'm saying.

Edited April 16, 2009 by TGO David

[poak]

Nice attitude. I showed it to my wife and a female colleague. Both of them said it was a pretty pig-headed statement and that they would have been offended by the insinuation.

No attitude here.

I simply made a statement, which I personally don't believe to be out of line.

I remember when I worked in the restaurant/bar biz, I often had several hundreds of dollars sitting in my sock drawer. The OP mentioned the thieves had found their hidden cash as well as rampantly searched for it. The point of my post was to suggest that they might have known the thieves as they seemed to expect to find cash.

Furthermore, my comment did not suggest flirtatious behavior. I, and many others in the biz, have seen and noticed that women without a wedding ring make the better tips. I suppose, whether conscious or not, many patrons see a single women as needing the cash more than a married women. Do I like that line of thinking? No. Do I agree with that line of thinking? No. Does that line of thinking exist? Yes.

Then again, I suppose we could just vote on what I meant by my comment instead of asking me to clarify

[Guest JHatmaker]

I'd really recommend making the video (or videos) and emailing it to a web mail account (like hotmail or gmail).

That way, the video will survive fires, tornadoes, communist invasion, etc.

Excellent idea as well!

[Guest c_o_jones]

There's some FREE software called possessions matters from State Farm Insurance,

that is good to catalog your stuff, can even put in pictures as well.

It has password protection, data backup, multiple properties, unlimited and custom entries.

I would make print outs for the safe deposit box.

Software isn't flashy but does the job,

and the price is right, it works in win XP, don't know about Vista, though.

http://www.statefarm.com/insurance/service_center/possessions_matters.asp

[Guest docvantrease2003]

i was broken into several years ago never got the guns back insurance took care of my loss. an guess who done it next door neighbor son.just a smack on the hand an some time in juve.