Sister's house got robbed how to be more safe??

[TurboV6Sonoma]

SORRY THIS IS SO LONG I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU GUYS THE WHOLE STORY. Well my sister lives directly across the street from me and today I went to get the mail at 12:30 and everything was fine but when I left for work at 1:30 there was a box in her drive way directly in front of her garage so I went over there to see what it was. It had a bunch of cards (like birthday cards) in it so I pick it up and went to her side door (see picture attached of my house hers is the same) in the breeze way in between the garage and house and checked both doors and they were locked and since I was too lazy to go back across the street to get her keys, I just left the box in the breeze way. So while I was at work she called me at about 5:10 pm and was crying saying her house was broken into and they stole all her stuff, So I flew home doing 115 mph in my toyota. When I got there the box was right where I left it but now the side door was kicked in and the front door was wide open. They stole her 60 something inch tv, a 27 inch tv, computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, misc. jewlery, printer, digital camera and they disconnected her stereo and moved it to another room but didnt take it. The stupid cops took forever to get there and when they did they told us they would have a forenic team call her tomorrow to set up a appointment to check the house out. Now what kind of crap is that I had to close the front door, repair the side door so I could lock it for the night and I had to trampel all through the house. So what damn good is checking fingerprints now? Well about the box it turns out it wasnt hers or mine and it was full with someones holiday cards. I'm thinking that the theif put it there to know if someone came home because you would have had to move the box to get in the garage, Or that it was there decoy to come up to the house and if someone was there they could have just said hey is this your stuff I found it. Now get this my sister goes to the model home to tell the realitor what happend and the lady told her someone elses front door was just kicked in at about 3:30 and the ladies alarm went off. When the lady got there her door was kicked in and nothing was stolen, she called the cops and they took a report. So they most have hit my sisters house then hit that one and hauled butt when the alarm went off. So the question is how can I secure mine and her house better? I would hate for someone to steal my pride and joy sitting in the garage. We have alarm people coming out tomorrow for her house and mine, but I couldnt believe how easy it would have been to kick a door in. Basically the dead bolt only goes into a peice of molding not a 2x4 or anything. It just ripped the door frame to peices. This kind of crap scares me since I live alone with nothing for self defense. How can I make our houses more secure? How can I make the doors harder to kick in? Please help so this doesnt happen to me.

 

[galoush]

Well im a Fireman in NYC and with tools you can easily get into most doors , steel industrial type included . And that would look pretty lousey on a house too. Something with a steel frame and heavy wood door or orante steel door might be more secure and look nice . But then you have the windows anyway . Unless you want to go the Getto window bars route but thats looks like a jail in and out so i doubt thats an option . Id say and alarm with a loud outside speaker would be good , throw a big dog/s inside if you like pets.

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

I forgot the picture

 

[1FASTV6]

Alarm with CCTV

Alarms are very affordable these days with notification to central station.
CCTV if you got the extra cash to get the video of the perp. Ghetto gates are out of the question in that neighborhood.
Don't know what you had as house insurance but you need a direct replacement policy.
Have pictures or video of everything you have for the future.

 

[N.W. Buick]

First off - sorry to hear about the break-in, that really sucks.

I've been concerned about my place for quite awhile since during
the day my neighborhood is pretty much a ghost town. After watching that "It takes a Thief" tv show I've tried to incorporate some of the stuff they've recommended.

About the dead bolt - when my brother's house was broke into the same thing w/the dead bolt it basicly went into the molding
and stopped. When he replaced the door he added extra framing
in to the door w/pieces of 1 x 6 and got a new lock w/a longer
bolt. His comment afterwards was whoever tried that again
was going to break their foot cause the door wasn't going to give.

Mike

 

[Pablo]

get a mean dog

and a gun
if someone wants to break in they are going to find a way. When it comes down to it you need an active deterrant like the dog, or an alarm

 

[GNSCOTT]

Sorry to hear about your sisters house, I think we will be seeing more of this now that the Discovery channel has a new series " To catch a theif" I'm sure it is teaching many how to rob a house. I think the show must have been put together by an alarm company. They take an actual ex burglar and have him rob your house when you are not home. They show you all the ways to break in, and he tells you how he robs a house in like 4 minutes and what he looks for. After that they show all the high tech gadgets that are supposed to keep you safe and he tests you to see if you are doing it correctly.

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

I watch that show all the time and I cant believe what he gets in such a short period of time I have never seen him in a house for more than 12 minutes, normaly he is only in there for about 5 minutes. I consider myself a very safe person because of my car, I always try to take extra percautions. I just told her on monday that I know someone was on the side of my house (right in the breeze way) because there was a freshly burnt cigarette in the grass that even burned the grass and no one lives by me or smokes. So someone has been casing out my house. The Brinks man just left the house and they will be back tomorrow to do the install. I was also looking at steel striker plates for the dead bolts today at home depot so I will be buying them tomorrow to help keep someone out. I know that they will get in if they really want to but I want to do as much as I can to keep them away. Yeah NO damn steel ghetto doors or bars. Crooks suck!

 

[Pablo]

What kind of cigarette was it

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

Not sure no name on the filter but it was Orange with white spikles. A design to make it look like tobacco or something I guess. I will be on the look out for more of them. I also heard today that the cops pulled prints off the other ladies house down the street that got kicked in yesterday also. So may be, just may be they will match someone in there data base to the prints.

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

The door frame after my temp. repair

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

The left overs of the foot print on the door. the GA. clay.

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

The messed up door frame and dry wall.

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

that is how they left her stereo that they took from the master bedroom and left in a spare room.

 

[TurboV6Sonoma]

my nice repair job, I just put the pieces of the puzzle back together.

 

[QTRMILER]

Sorry to hear about the break in, however, there are a number of things that can be done to make a house secure, yet at the same time, if they want to get in they will regardless. To start, motion lighting around the house is a deterrent (even though this was a day time job), remove landcaping that covers windows so that they landscaping (small trees &shrubs) cannot be used as cover. Next when it comes to a door, a metal entry door is helpful, howver a 3/4 inch brass screw will not help the dead bolt lock to stay in place. Get a 3 oe 4 inch screw and use that to secure the door catch to the frame of the door, but make sure that the screw goes into the stud in the wall. Do this on both the deadbolt as well as the regular catch for the door knob. Also windows in the doors should be the "eyebrow" style so that it is extremely difficult and time consuming to make entry. Anything that you can do to delay someone from getting in is a plus....dogs help as mentioned before as well. Dont be too worried, its most likely some junky p.o.s. that is searching for something he can sell for dope money. If you catch them inside, not like they'll be a physical challenge and they dont want to see them or confront them, hence the delay box in the driveway, gives 'em a chance to run from the back door.

 

[Renthorin]

Out of habbit I keep all my bedroom doors closed so all you can see is what is in that room. No temptation seeing what 'else' might be in the house. I keep the blinds in the living room closed during the day.

If you look inside the garage...... you see several dog kennels and a **** ton of leashes and collars hanging on the wall.

Oh yeah........ six 50+lb dogs helps too

They get really loud when someone is around.

 

[ACME RACING]

dog

My sister has 2 of these :

http://www.reliablechimes.com/electronicdog.htm

It works !! The sound of dogs barking faster as you get closer and you can have a sound of one dog or two barking . It scared away 2 attempts to break in her house . (neighbor saw attempts and called the Police while they ran down the street) One of her neighbors brought back a garbage can that blew down the street during a storm and she ask my sister " ....why didn't you tell me you had a big dog..."
Looks like it's not much , but it's loud and if you don't know , you won't come in ....
I got one in my garage .....

 

[RobsIron]

Ryan, You answered your own question in your post.

Get an Alarm System. Your neighbor still has all her stuff.

Most of the Alarms we install are AFTER a crime has been committed.

Alarms are very affordable and have many advantages over dogs and bars. Dogs need care while you're away. Bars are unsightly and you'll hope they weren't there during a fire. Gotta be home to use a gun.

If she can afford a 60" tv and a $50-$80 a month cable bill then the cost of an Alarm System is neglible.

Check with your local alarm companies. Just don't let them sell you equipment you don't need. Have them contact the doors and put in a couple motion detectors. No need to contact all the windows...they can break the glass and just crawl thru.

She will get a discount with her insurance co. also. Helps offset the monthly monitoring charge. Especially if you add smoke detectors.

Get one for your house and get a package deal.

Let me know if I can help.

 

[87grandnat]

got two words for you PIT BULL!!! then let them try to break in again