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[Spurt]

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@Goldengate8361 wrote:

Very interesting. Thanks for posting. I'm actually guilty of not always empting my mailbox.....I need to change that habit. I honestly can't believe that some people don't lock their door or fully close and latch their windows. That's shocking to me.

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@Goldengate8361

I actually have a friend when its a nice cool night she leaves her windows open at night and doesnt lock them when she leaves during the day....we'e told her but she won't listen....Im forwarding this video to her...............

[Spurt]

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@software wrote:

It amazes me how clueless people can be about locking doors & windows.

A co worker told me a while back her husband purchased her a small gun for protection.   She's going to leave it in her car, she drives a lot.   

Then she commented "I guess I need to start locking my door when I park"

What do you say?

I didn't see the video but many acts of crime are crimes of opportunity.    You leave your car unlocked ONE time, or a door or your kid leaves his bike in the yard, just ONE time.   You leave your handbag unattended for a minute in a shopping cart or a chair in a restaurant.   (I never put my bag on the floor)

I have some friends who live in a subdivision nearby and it's constant.   It seems every night something gets stolen off someone's property or out of a car.

I see news reports all the time about people reporting they lost their wallet, laptop, cell phone.  How?   Left it in their car with the doors unlocked.

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@software

When I go shopping with my sister or a friend I am always yelling at them because they leave their purse in their shopping cart and then go to a shelf to look or pick up something....there have even been local news stories about that too but they wont listen.......

[Mominohio]

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@RoughDraft wrote:

Interesting.  A burglar who is now serving 70 years for his crimes is schooling us on what to do to protect outselves.  

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I think you missed the point. Yep he did get caught....eventually. AFTER he got into between 100 and 150 homes! So he had quite a string of success, and that is a lot of people who were pretty dumb, as he said he never used tools to get in, mostly houses left unlocked.

[Mominohio]

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@ID2 wrote:

I always find it utterly shocking when my neighbors go away on vacation for weeks on end and don't even leave a timer light on at night! Their house is pitch black, prime target for a break in! When we're gone I have lights set up throughout my home to go on at coinciding times making it look like we are still home in our house. 

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And in this day of flameless candles, you don't even need timers on lights inside. I set up some of the VPH window candles (two at several different windows) to come on at staggered times. Those in particular have a very bright side, and look like a lamp lit behind the curtains when set in groups of two. I don't have to worry about a power outage while away, they will still come on and look like someone is there. They can be staggered in time, set a day before you leave, and if you are gone multiple days quite frequently, simply change the windows in which you place them.

[Mominohio]

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@bonnielu wrote:

Thanks.  Gone are the days we can leave the house and cars unlocked.  Used to have a neighbor who went away for weeks... everything unlocked.  She left her radio on at the front door. l also one at the back door.  Never a problem. 

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I leave a small tv on in the kitchen all day/night when I'm going to be gone. I think it might make someone think twice, along with lights that come and go at different hours, and always a car or two outside.

[Mominohio]

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@Spurt wrote:

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@Goldengate8361 wrote:

Very interesting. Thanks for posting. I'm actually guilty of not always empting my mailbox.....I need to change that habit. I honestly can't believe that some people don't lock their door or fully close and latch their windows. That's shocking to me.

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@Goldengate8361

I actually have a friend when its a nice cool night she leaves her windows open at night and doesnt lock them when she leaves during the day....we'e told her but she won't listen....Im forwarding this video to her...............

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We have no air conditioning so in the summer, our windows are open 24/7, but at night, I have to shut and lock the ones on the two lower floors. We keep the ones upstairs open all night or we'd die of heat stroke! But we have a big dog (pit bull mix) that will let us know if someone is getting up the side of the house and through a window. Plus, I don't go to bed till midnight or after, and my husband comes home from work between 1 and 3 am, and is usually up till at least 4 am.  Then I'm back up at about 6 or 7, so we don't have a usual pattern here to be too vulnerable most nights. 

It is a little uncomfortable, but during the day and evening, all our doors are open for air on the main floor. I do lock the screens after dark so someone can't just walk in, but I do realize that they could slice them quite quickly and step in. 

If I'm not going to be on that main floor, I shut and lock them before going upstairs or down, but is is a concern for me especially after dark in the summer to try to keep the air moving but be safe.

[OnlyShopsOnline]

Always keep doors and windows locked.  If I open windows, to air out the house, I only open the two story high bedroom windows, or some very small windows around my fireplace or the ones on the side of my bay window.  In the basement, we have three windows that we replaced with glass block, and they have small air vents in them.

As far as alarm systems, that guy would be surprised if he tried to get into my house.  My alarm is on, even when I'm home.

[software]

A little cheap bare-bones timer costs $5.   I have them all over my house, not just for burglars but for me, I don't like my house dark as I walk through it.   Don't want to step on a cat and break a leg or make a mis-step and fall.   They work so well and we are coming up on the end of daylight savings.   I can set certain lamps to come on at dusk and I don't come home to an empty house, fumbling for light switches.

I have one on my lighted, curved-glass front tall cabinet.    it takes some effort to turn on the light inside and I love for it to be on a couple of hours every night so the timer really comes in handy. It's easy peasy to use a timer.   And it's enough light for me to walk through the dining room without feeling around for furniture or light switches.

And indulge me a moment to express a pet peeve.     The word robber and burglar is not interchangeable.    A robber takes from YOU, your person.    A burglar steals from a house or a car, they generally avoid people.    Your home does not get robbed, unless you are in it.    If you are not home, it's a burglary.

[icezeus]

@Nightowlz

Like you I do not play around. I have everything locked up. I have been in my home over 13 years and I have locked myself out twice and had to call the locksmith to get back in. LOL!!

[icezeus]

@ID2

In the past I was guilty of this as well. In my head I was just thinking I am not going to waste the electricity. I went on vacation a few years ago for over a week. My next door neighbor (retired Sheriff) and his wife watched my home for me. I had a cat at the time so they were coming into my home daily to take care of her.

I returned at night and my light was on.  I  thought oh darn they accidentally left my light on. Boy oh boy did I get the lecture the next day about not leaving a light on when you leave for vacation. Ever since then whenever I go on vacation I leave on a light.