Burglaries

My barber lives in the country. Out of sight of neighbors but right beside the road. Her house has been broken into an ransacked 3 times now all within 2 months. The last two with a monitored burglar alarm blaring. The police were there in 6 minutes of the alarm but the burglar/s were gone having trashed and taken what they wanted. They just bust in the doors. To top that she has a small dog inside that barks and a large one outside in the back yard that also barks. I suggested she could leave a tv or radio on to make it seem someone was at home and they said oh we do--for the dog all the time! The burglar/s dump drawers and take all kinds of stuff even a very large glass jar of pennies! They aren't rich folks just ordinary every day people so it's not like they have some fortune of stuff to take. The first group got jewelry, and some misc coin collections like the new quarters and a few silver dollars, TVs, etc. The last time all she noted to me was they trashed the bedroom and took a couple of her husbands guitars on the way out. I can't imagine the guts it takes to break into a house with dogs inside and then continue to burglarize the place with an alarm going off. Oh, another interesting thing--the first time she said the burglar/s left the stove on!!!???

Just found this fascinating and scary. Can't imagine how much more a person can do to protect their property when they can't be there 24/7. She only lives about 4 miles from me.

Yep the same things happen out here, you like to catch them in the act. But if they got enough nereve to do that with the alarm on who knows what they are willing to do. Desperation makes people do crazy things, not worth risking your life over. Make sure insurance is paid up, the cops say you cant shoot them unless they are trying to harm you (I think is B.S). May bee trap them get another jar of pennies with a tracking devise in the middle of the jar.That will be the last jar they take.

Sounds like the perps are watching, and know when they're gone- time for a little neighborhood watch, eh? Get the neighbors together for a meeting. I'd be looking into setting up some inside & outside hidden video cameras as well
A couple years ago, we had some mail theft going on, fairly bold as we're just outside of town, parcels are 1/2 acre and up. One of the neighborhood gals that's home during the day was "on watch", saw them, followed them thru a car switch while on her cell with LEO's, and they caught the gal with credit card stuff, etc. This gal then printed up handouts and put them in everyone's mailbox with the perp's name, address, & description, license #'s, etc., so now everybody's watching for everybody, knows who's supposed to be around their neighbor's place feeding critters and picking up mail while they're gone, etc.

Few game cameras might tell who it is.

We had a similar problem here. It turned out to be a couple of middle school kids. They were caught when the sheriff compared attendence records to the dates of break ins. What the heck the parents were doing beats me.

Around here , the burglers will knock on the door , if someone answers they say they lost thier dog and was wondering if the homeowner has seen it. If no one answers thenn they break in.We bought 2 very big dogs and keep them in the house. They wouldn't hurt a soul except maybe lick a hole in your hand,LOL, but they are intimidating, when they bark at you.

if you do a search for spy cameras on the internet you can find several motion sensitive cameras that look like clocks, smoke detectors, etc. that way she can get pictures of the crooks.

frank

My uncle had something similar. Turned out it was his neighbours teenaged son. He'd see everyone leave and go over and kick the door in. Happened 4 or 5 times until someone caught him.

Every time the kid stole all the booze in the house so my uncle started pissing in wine bottles and leaving them near the door.

I go with the game camera I have one on my tree lot and it sure works great. The flash alone scares off those who would steal a tree.
Used it last summer on my Pumpkin wagon and caught a guy with his hand out to grab a big pumpkin the next picture he was gone and the pumpkin was still there.
Walt

They also have the drop off scheme. One drops a couple off and leaves. The two ransack the place and stash the goodies outside, out of sight, but convenient for pickup. They like to use blankets, bedsheets and tablecloths to carry the loot. Number one comes back and picks up the other two and the loot. No cars in the yard for the neighbors to notice, and if something goes wrong, they bust out the back door and run. You ain't gonna catch them.

My neighbor had his place broken into TWICE in one day. I got good telephoto pics of the first dropoff crew and immediately checked and found the broken window. I think the thief was inside, but I didn't want a gun battle. Called the cops - they responded in 30 minutes - rural area - made report and left. About three hours later another bunch - same story - got good tele pics, but this time the cops and I were there when the pickup guy returned. They nabbed him - he had a rap sheet - no insurance - stolen license - stolen tags - stolen sticker - stolen tools, etc. Cost him about $500 - he shoulda went to jail. The cops didn't believe me when I explained the drop off scheme - until the pickup guy returned with us there. Also found loot they had stashed from another neighbors place. Anyhow - the cops loved the pictures, but you have to make the cops as mad at these people as you are. They'll just let it slide if you don't keep after them.

This stopped the thefts in our area, but it won't be long until we'll have to educate a new crop of thieves.

Paul

(quoted from post at 16:21:18 01/19/10) My barber lives in the country. Out of sight of neighbors but right beside the road. Her house has been broken into an ransacked 3 times now all within 2 months. The last two with a monitored burglar alarm blaring. The police were there in 6 minutes of the alarm but the burglar/s were gone having trashed and taken what they wanted. They just bust in the doors. To top that she has a small dog inside that barks and a large one outside in the back yard that also barks. I suggested she could leave a tv or radio on to make it seem someone was at home and they said oh we do--for the dog all the time! The burglar/s dump drawers and take all kinds of stuff even a very large glass jar of pennies! They aren't rich folks just ordinary every day people so it's not like they have some fortune of stuff to take. The first group got jewelry, and some misc coin collections like the new quarters and a few silver dollars, TVs, etc. The last time all she noted to me was they trashed the bedroom and took a couple of her husbands guitars on the way out. I can't imagine the guts it takes to break into a house with dogs inside and then continue to burglarize the place with an alarm going off. Oh, another interesting thing--the first time she said the burglar/s left the stove on!!!???

Just found this fascinating and scary. Can't imagine how much more a person can do to protect their property when they can't be there 24/7. She only lives about 4 miles from me.

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For a thief to do damage and take what they want in a short length of time suggest that the thieves know what they want and where it is.
You can also buy "dummy" cameras that are very realistic and inexpensive. Also the siren should be at least a 30Watt which is extremly loud.
I live in Alabama and a home invader can be killed during the act. It takes a very determined, brave, stupid and confident person to break into a home!

The guys we caught were mostly grown men - 40 to 50 years old, with one guy 75 years old. They had some teenagers involved, but the old guy was the mastermind. Apparantly, they had married into a family from Indiana. The stuff they stole in Illinois would be hauled to Indiana, and they had a similar thing going on over there. The Indiana loot would come to Illinois. They had a "resale" store and restaurant in town. They'd listen to the customers and learn their habits and then break in when they were not around.

I hate a thief. These people were stealing from the very people that were supporting them.

It might be the same person(s) doing the break ins. They might even know her. Other than having someone hiding in the house to catch the theives, a camera is probably the best option. Are there good dead bolts on the doors? Dave

I'd like to find one of those WWII style air raid sirens. Better yet, I'd also like to have one of those klaxons the germans used in all those WWII movies. Anyone know where I can find those?

Here is what needs to be done.

Put an add in the paper saying what has happened and post a reward, say $500. It is likely kids doing this, professional crooks arent that stupid to bust into the same place twice. Kids will blab their mouths and then after the kids are caught the cops need to throw the book at them. If it was me......I would post the reward and then hire someone to kick the $hit out of these punks....busted kneecaps, maybe even a broken arm or 2. (if the cops couldnt/wouldnt do anything.)

That's one of this country's problems. Law enforcement does little, other then a slap on the wrist, to juviniles. They don't do much more for adults! Sometimes one must take action himself and not say a word to ANYONE!

Worthless, Should do jail time. When we built my daughters home, I made a 1/4" steel insert in the door casing that the lock assembly went through,Had some prospective thief with big shoes tried to kick it in, I"ll bet he had sore leggs. Cracked the door but it held tight!! Took 1X4 sheeting boards across the windows in the basement,used 16 d nailer, and covered the boards with em Nails facing the outside .NO MORE ATEMPS. Had a friend tell me about people stealing stereo units from the cars(8)tracks. Lost a couple of em ,then he soldered fish hooks to the outside of em. Found Blood and meat but the units were still attached, stoped em cold. He-- of a way to have to take care that no one steals stuff. What ever works, DO IT!!!!
LOU

Texas case last year the neighbor called in burglars taking stuff from next door, he had shotgun handy. 911 dispatch told him police would be there when they could, maybe 15 minutes, officers busy with a couple other things. Guy said he could maybe hold them, dispatch warned that could be dangerous to him if the burglars decided to attack him. Caller said Oh, well guess I"ll have to stop them, couple Kabooms and dead burglar for when cops arrived. Media cussing but Texas County attorney said recently passed Texas Castle Doctrine law meant he wouldn't hold the shooter who stopped a fleeing felon. It may not have been his house being burglarized-- but until a grand jury said otherwise the law was clear about not detaining or prosecution of defender. Follow up news report a month or so later disclosed deceased burglar had record, partner was wanted, and burlglaries and home invasions complanits seemed down quite a bit in that neighborhood. One factor in rural burglaries past couple years- methheads needing some money for drugs don't seem very cautious, too many dead brain cells. The older rural potheads could always find some ditchweed, would occassionly sneak in and take what wasn't locked up at times but rarely broke in to locked doors or shops. Couple instances in Iowa where strongly suspected meth user caught in act and shot by homeowners, coroners juries given drug intelligence records to help them decide if manslaughter or murder charges to be considered- like grand juries with full records, no true bills returned or a death while in commision of aggravated (drug or weapons) felony means no charge to executioner. Supposed to have been a couple people paid daily posse rate for day of shooting and days of testimony- pay isn't much but gives shooters a sort of law enforcement agent status, detention and prosecution exempt in non castle doctrine states unless again a grand jury says otherwise. Wisconsin and Illinois prisons trying to balance budget by early release of "non-violent" felons- as in forgery, burglary, habitual traffic and minor drug amounts dealers-this make people feel safer? Remember these are prison, not county jail convicts. The guilty of charges for prison almost always have a history of previous county jail and probation for 1st, 2nd, 3rd offenses before being sentanced to state prison- these are habitual troublemakers being released. Public would be safer if a one time only muderer of obnoxious wife or husband was released - crime was a strictly family matter, not real danger to rest of public and would save a lot of money. (Cynicism Alert!). RN

to me this one sounds like a inside job, somebody the barber knows and has had in the house, in 6 minutes,7, givin the alarm delay, a burgaler would have to know just where to go, and for what items, in order to gather up the items, make his escape and not get caught by incoming cops carrying the stuff, probably kids by the kicked in door, but most random kids arnt smart enough to work in that time limit, unless they already knew where all the good items were ahead of time

Once a burglar has selected a home to burglarize, most will spend no more than a minute trying to break in and less than five minutes inside.

Maybe not WWII, but probably easier to find....
Siren

A camera security system will not cost you that much money and it is well worth it.
I have one and it is great. I have one because of my hobby I collect guns, but the camera system is not the only thing I have in my home , I all so have a dog that will hurt
Some one that comes in the house. END OF STORY

JR Frye

Thieves prefer a place that's close to a road where you can easily see if somebody's coming but no neighbors can see you. Very possibly it's the same intruders, but not necessarily. The fact that they entered a house with dogs means there's a good chance it was somebody they know. They're taking stuff they can easily sell (coins, guitars) because they're just looking for a few bucks so they can get their next fix. Prime suspects would be friends of their children or grandchildren.

The stove bit is interesting. It's possible that they used it for drug preparation, but if they already had their dope you wouldn't expect them to do a break-in.

Take shotgun and load shells with rocksalt and wire to the door they kick in. Aim shotgun low like below the belt.then take camera and record the idiot getting blasted in the jewels when he kicks in the door.You will get a good laugh and he will never break in that house again.

A felony in every jurisdiction that I'm aware of in the USA...........

No, I don't suppose he would break into that house or any other house again. The millions he's going to collect from his lawsuit will pay for all the heroin he needs until he finally OD's.

shoot them bury them deep where I am at the cops dont do nothing and if you do find out who did it D.A. wont prosicute

Probably trying to burn the place down!

Probably trying to burn the place down!

Hide in house, but say that you were tired and taking a nap. Say you were asleep, awakened to loud noise, intruder charged at you, you fired to protect yourself. Dont say anything else, get lawyer, answer no more questions. He (they) were coming at you in an intimidating, threatening manner, you shouted stop loudly and then fired. Shoot for center of body, dont leave survivors. Justice done. Tom

Just make sure the setup is plausible for that scneraio... and stick to the story.
I agree tho. That is the only way the break-ins will stop.
Even if the cops caught them red handed, were convicted, etc.... they'd do about a year with free room and board, three squares a day, then be fit and ready to go again.

Rod

first off he would have to prove it. second he would have to incriminate himself to file suit and third he would be to embarrased to tell anyone he was dumbest criminal on earth kicked in door and got rock salted in the nuts.maybey put a sign up stating do not enter violators will be shot in the nuts.At least that way he would be warned.

I dunno.... today, I think anything is possible. That might have worked 30 years ago, but I'd not be surprised if you got sued over that today on top of being charged yourself. If yer gonna shoot, shoot to kill, once and for all. Take no prisoners and leave no witnesses.

Rod

D-D, there's plenty of case precedent on the subject. Do you think you're the first person to come up with the idea of setting booby traps? Injuring or killing a burglar with a booby trap is a great way to get yourself locked up while losing every nickle you own. And if you think a trespasser will be too embarrased to file suit, you're really out of touch with reality.

hey it was just an idea.you have the right to protect yourself and your property.If you dont believe it just try and break into my house and see what happens.

Mark is right about the case law precedent. Besides your daughter or other relative may decide to come home for a surprise or drunken visit some cold late night and forget their keys.

You must not have any serious robbers Walt,because most crooks will either steal or destroy any cameras they can find.Even cameras put up for game checking.Alarms don't mean anything to these people because maybe 90% aren't local people.

Probably the same group repeating. They will try it again.

RE-Read what you wrote. IF a drunk breaks into my house he needs to be shot. If the neighbor kid breaks into my house he needs to be shot. All you have to hear is him saying he is going to kill you and coming at you. What he was saying is only to be relayed by you, as dead men dont talk. Anyone who kicks down a door and comes in at me, will be laying right there when the cops arrive. I will be the only witness. Tom