Best Practices - Residential Break-Ins, Securing Your Home, and Insurance

[4X4]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Somebody spending as minute with power tools to cut a hole might raise some additional suspicions.

Depends on where you are. Hopefully not in a new community, because people are so used to the sound of power tools, evening and night time break ins are fairly common. I know of two guys who had their trade trailers broken into in the last month. Both times the thieves used a grinder to cut off the locks.

** Sidenote - to anyone reading this that may be a dirty trailer robber, you are scum. Do you realize that you are seriously screwing over the tradesman? He has to go and buy new tools before he can get back to work, which costs money out of pocket, and then costs a day or two of work. And then the insurance deductible, and then having to wait and wait for the insurance to finally reimburse him a portion of the value of the used tools stolen. Seriously, F-U. Get a f'ing job, losers. Learn how to use the tools instead of pawning them for crack, you useless SOBs.

Originally Posted by OldDutch

It's even easier than that. I had a locksmith over and he basically told me builder quality locks can be taken apart with pliers and a screwdriver in under 2 minutes. Builder locks (ones that come on new homes) are more decoration than anything.

I don't want to get all defensive about builders, but what this locksmith said is pretty silly. I mean, sure, builders can go putting $500 locks on every house, but guess who's going to pay for it?

I don't think that thieves typically spend the few minutes gaining access through the regular quality locksets on front and back doors. Don't they usually find an unlocked door or window? Or break a window?

[jar_e]

I goto break ins all the time with work and in my experience...

-I have never gone to a break and enter with a dog over 20 lbs in the home.
-I goto break and enters all the time with premises that have alarmed, but more often then not, places aren't armed.
-Newspapers stacked up outside you front door/snow not shovelled, etc. is usually an easy target
-Exterior lighting is a great deterrent
-Lights on inside the home while your gone is a great deterrent
-Consider how you have shrubs and plants arranged in your home near windows and such....it can provide a good cover for someone to gain entry, but if done properly, good environmental design can deter an offender.

Anything else, feel free to ask.

[onetwo_threefour]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Was a former NHL enforcer, eh? What is he now?

Evidently dead given the double past tense...

Another vote for a big dog with a big bark...

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by jar_e

I goto break ins all the time with work and in my experience...

-I have never gone to a break and enter with a dog over 20 lbs in the home.
-I goto break and enters all the time with premises that have alarmed, but more often then not, places aren't armed.
-Newspapers stacked up outside you front door/snow not shovelled, etc. is usually an easy target
-Exterior lighting is a great deterrent
-Lights on inside the home while your gone is a great deterrent
-Consider how you have shrubs and plants arranged in your home near windows and such....it can provide a good cover for someone to gain entry, but if done properly, good environmental design can deter an offender.

Anything else, feel free to ask.

What are the most common areas of entry?

[MoneyGuy]

Don't post on Facebook that you're going to Europe for three weeks.

That seems to translate to, "hey, I'll be away from xxx to xxx. Feel free to break in and take my stuff."

[RW99]

Originally Posted by morgin

It got me thinking about the best ways to secure a house and inventory your stuff for insurance purposes. Anyone ever dealt with a break in and then their insurance company after the fact? Any tips on what insurance companies like to see? I figured this was as good a reminder as any to start taking some photos of our valuables. I'm assuming serial numbers and such are good to include. I was also thinking of maybe finally going cloud backup for all my important data along with hard copy backup on-site - if someone stole my computer and my external hard drives, I'd be pissed (and out some data!)

Having photos or taking one video of the entire place can go a long way in handling an insurance claim. Receipts, copies of serial numbers for the police reports are also good ideas.

Most insurance policies have limits on jewellery, cash and any other monetary items. If you have a lot of jewellery check your coverage and add more coverage if need be. Also I don't think any consumer insurance company will insure your data, so it's a good idea to back it up.

[jar_e]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

What are the most common areas of entry?

Front or back door.

[saillias]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Don't post on Facebook that you're going to Europe for three weeks.

That seems to translate to, "hey, I'll be away from xxx to xxx. Feel free to break in and take my stuff."

If you're afraid of your friends then they shouldn't be on your friends list.

If your facebook posts are visible to the public you need to take 5 min to learn the privacy settings of your account