[330cdsport]

We were out on Saturday night and got a phonecall from the alarm company at 11pm to say that the house alarm had gone off. I phoned a friend to go check on the house as we were 80 miles away. My car was at home and we were away in the wife's 320d. I was pretty sure it was a false alarm as it seemed too early for a break in.

When she got there she met two of our neighbours and sure enough the house had been broken into. The buggers had leverd the door handle plate up with a screwdriver and then simply hit the cylinder lock with a hammer to snap it. They then just opened the door in the normal fashion to enter. Very little damage done.

I had one of those IP cameras running in the kitchen (just as a demo as we are putting them into the new house) but they must have spotted it before breaking in as it was just simply pushed face down so that it would not film them. I got three video clips (motion sensed) on the memory card. 3 minutes between security light coming on in back garden to kitchen entry.

Anyway, the alarm was sounding and they must have only been in the house for a couple of mins and went thru the drawers and cupboards quickly but did not get any keys as I had them locked in the safe - which was not even found thankfully. There was a laptop sitting on the kitchen worktop and some euros on the table - but they took neither.

The only damage done was the back door handle and the internal alarm siren.

The police said that they were only after one thing and that was the car. They said that 3-series bmw's and VW toureg jeeps were particular favourites.

There have been two breakins in our park in the last week and the alarm guy told us today that he is working flat-out at the minute fixing and installing alarms due to the current crime wave.

So just a word of warning to all fellow e90-ers. Make sure you are extra vigilant in these bad times.

We have now replaced all locks with anti-snap/anti-drill cylinders which means it should take a lot more battering to get the door busted.

[dxb335d]

Mate, you must be sooo angry.. those theivin shiight heads routing through your drawers looking for your car keys. Glad they didnt get it.

Who locked up the house then as you were 80 miles away? Wasnt left open all night was it?

[330cdsport]

Thankfully the missus was driving (not drinking) as we were out to dinner with friends. When we got home, the police were waiting outside the house for us. They had told the neighbours and our friend to go home and that they would wait on us.

The copper did say 'You were not sparing the horses on the way up the road were you?' and smiled knowingly at us.

I was angry but also happy that all my security measures had stopped the b@$t@rd$.

My mate later joked - 'Ahh sure I know why they didn't steal it. The realised it was a diesel and probably just left it'

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by 330cdsport

Thankfully the missus was driving (not drinking) as we were out to dinner with friends. When we got home, the police were waiting outside the house for us. They had told the neighbours and our friend to go home and that they would wait on us.

The copper did say 'You were not sparing the horses on the way up the road were you?' and smiled knowingly at us.

I was angry but also happy that all my security measures had stopped the b@$t@rd$.

My mate later joked - 'Ahh sure I know why they didn't steal it. The realised it was a diesel and probably just left it'

LOL...

Caught a glimpse of the badge and was a PHer and thought, ah fuck. Slow diesel LOL.

Least they didnt get it mate.

[RCUK]

I leave my keys on the window sill (frosted double glazed window) ... if they break in they can take the car and leave i figure.

What i dont want is them walking about the house.

If someone uninvited is in my house (let alone in the baby's room!) i figure there fair game for whatever i choose to hit them with ... repeatedly.

[Looney Toon]

Originally Posted by RCUK

If someone uninvited is in my house (let alone in the baby's room!) i figure there fair game for whatever i choose to hit them with ... repeatedly.

I'm with you on that one.

Sorry for your troubles 330cdsport... it's an emotional hassle we could all do without!

[JLR1969]

It makes me stop and think about my own security. We have an alarm and a dog but even that would not stop them.

Car is locked in the garage, out of site out of mind......I hope.

Really sorry to hear the news mate.

Impressed with the police for waiting, where I live I would have been surprised if they had even got there when I got home

[foxy-367]

Sorry to hear about your hassels at least the car was still there. I'm not bothered if the car gets pinched at the end of the day its insured. What would bother me most is the invasion of the house to get the keys. I don't hide the keys for the simple reason that if I'm in I don't want them coming anywhere near me to get the keys off me. If it came to it though I have a nice lumpy pick axe handle at the side of the bed and if it was my life or theirs I know which I'd choose. This is the problem with good alarm and imobiliser systems whilst they can't just jump in and drive away they have to look for other ways of getting the keys! Bad times

[330cdsport]

4 days have now passed and CSI have still not turned up to check for prints etc.

This is a total joke as we were told not to replace the locks or touch anything until they came out. FFS - what did they expect - for us to live in the house with no locks while wearing gloves???!!!!

When I rang the local station asking if CSI were going to come out, the officer ranted back at me that CSI were very busy and had better things to do. Fair enuf i thought, but you could at least have told me that.
He even seemed annoyed that we had gone ahead and changed the locks. DICKHEAD!!

Thankfully the two policemen that arrived on the scene that night were polite and helpful or I would have lost what remaining little respect I have for the police.

OK sorry guys - rant over.

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by RCUK

I leave my keys on the window sill (frosted double glazed window) ... if they break in they can take the car and leave i figure.

What i dont want is them walking about the house.

If someone uninvited is in my house (let alone in the baby's room!) i figure there fair game for whatever i choose to hit them with ... repeatedly.

Snap... our keys are left on a hook away from the front door (so they can't fishing rod them), but on plain view once your inside... feck the cars, they can have them. We've now got a pukka alarm ON whenever we're out or in bed, plus fixed HD-IP Cameras covering front/rear exterior and the hallways that backup to local and offsite NAS drives.

As I'm in the lighitng controls game, as soon as the alarm is triggered all exterior floods and interior lights (except kids rooms in case its a false alarm) come on full... a bit OTT maybe, but a house alarm going off lit up like a Christmas tree will cause more of a stir than just the alarm ringing.

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by 330cdsport

4 days have now passed and CSI have still not turned up to check for prints etc.

This is a total joke as we were told not to replace the locks or touch anything until they came out. FFS - what did they expect - for us to live in the house with no locks while wearing gloves???!!!!

When I rang the local station asking if CSI were going to come out, the officer ranted back at me that CSI were very busy and had better things to do. Fair enuf i thought, but you could at least have told me that.
He even seemed annoyed that we had gone ahead and changed the locks. DICKHEAD!!

Thankfully the two policemen that arrived on the scene that night were polite and helpful or I would have lost what remaining little respect I have for the police.

OK sorry guys - rant over.

That's just rubbish !

[330cdsport]

Originally Posted by biscuits

Snap... our keys are left on a hook away from the front door (so they can't fishing rod them), but on plain view once your inside... feck the cars, they can have them. We've now got a pukka alarm ON whenever we're out or in bed, plus fixed HD-IP Cameras covering front/rear exterior and the hallways that backup to local and offsite NAS drives.

As I'm in the lighitng controls game, as soon as the alarm is triggered all exterior floods and interior lights (except kids rooms in case its a false alarm) come on full... a bit OTT maybe, but a house alarm going off lit up like a Christmas tree will cause more of a stir than just the alarm ringing.

Turning on all lights sounds like a great idea. I wonder if it would be hard to install planks with nails that spring up out of the floor too

[foxy-367]

Originally Posted by 330cdsport

Turning on all lights sounds like a great idea. I wonder if it would be hard to install planks with nails that spring up out of the floor too

Sounds a bit home alone to me but a genius idea!!!!

[Hotcoupe]

Geez, more crap going on!

I'd be tempted to write a letter of complaint about the unnacceptable delay.
To be told that the CSI were busy and had better things to do is bang out of order.
I'm sure that in your own mind,your needs are just as important as other's, so hearing comments like that are bound to wind you up!

Hope you get it sorted.

[Looney Toon]

Originally Posted by foxy-367

Sounds a bit home alone to me but a genius idea!!!!

I can see a brand new thread on the horizon... How about some some audio trips... hmm Freddy Kreuger per chance, or even worse.. Joe Pasquale!!!

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by Looney Toon

I can see a brand new thread on the horizon... How about some some audio trips... hmm Freddy Kreuger per chance, or even worse.. Joe Pasquale!!!

You know... I did think about that! I have a multi-room audio system that has a contact closure input that would normally be used from a door bell push, to switch the tv's to an entry phone. You can also configure it to do anything else, so I could put Prodigy on full belt out of everyroom, switch all the TV's to the IP cameras, etc... but if it's a false alarm, the kids will sh1t themselves and never sleep again!

[Looney Toon]

Originally Posted by biscuits

so I could put Prodigy on full belt out of everyroom, switch all the TV's to the IP cameras, etc... but if it's a false alarm, the kids will sh1t themselves and never sleep again!

You could always try Paul Mckenna....

"You will drop your swag and the car keys and dial 999 to inform the police you are committing a burglary"

That way, the kids should stay sound asleep!

[330cdsport]

I still reckon the plank with nails on a spring is the best idea (aka Charles Bronson - Death Wish)