Anyone been burgled?

[Alarm]

The point everyone is missing is if you have glass then burglars have entry, unless the glass is protected with bars or such like.

You can be as smug as you like with your locking windows, your six lever Chubb hardened steel, your bells and whistles.

What good is a window lock if the glass breaks.

I have mentioned shutters and grilles if not in this thread then in others. However the whole point of the locks is it stops the oppertunist as such and shows you have made an effort to protect your property and belongings. Hence the insurance being valid.
I have had some who have every entry point "stelled" over and do not use insurance. Their choice!

To the other point DG units can be broken as can most types of glass. Again if you have the correct locks you will be insured.

 

[noseall]

However the whole point of the locks is it stops the oppertunist as such.

How does a locked window prevent a burglar from breaking a pane of glass!

50% of our windows lock.

All our doors were locked.

None of our windows were left open.

How does a locked window deter a burglar? Does he pick an unlocked sash as he aims his hammer at the glass.

A burglar is going to break the glass of a window he can climb through regarless of whether that window will open or not.

How does a burglar know when a window is locked as he is climbing in through the empty sash that he has just broken the glass out of?

I can not see how a locked sash has any benefit other than preventing a burglar from escaping from the property via the locked ones over the one he has smashed.

 

[Alarm]

You obviously did not read my previous did you.
Have a little recap on what insurers expect, and why cover can be revoked.

 

[Norcon]

Burgulars and theives should be shot on sight. Far too soft in this country.

 

[JohnD]

if the window is locked and he has to smash it, and climb in through broken glass, there is a chance he will cut an artery and bleed to death.

If you are less lucky, he might just cut a finger, but it's better than nothing.

 

[noseall]

You obviously did not read my previous did you.
Have a little recap on what insures expect, and why cover can be revoked.

I am in a position where i have recently been burgled and have a rapport with the insurance company.

What you have said applies to certain conditions, locations and criteria that are pre-stipulated in order to gain certain discounts on premiums.

I have not benefitted from any discount. My insurers have insured me based upon the property having no locking windows.

Alarm, I agree that if you claim to do something and then do not do it then insurers will have a field day. Not all of us however are so tight with the purse strings.

 

[noseall]

if the window is locked and he has to smash it, and climb in through broken glass, there is a chance he will cut an artery and bleed to death.

The glass he/she broke in our door was typical toughened that shatters (into small pieces) once broken. No such luck with the artery thing.

Wore gloves too. The glove print was the same as the burglar up the road so at least we have a match.

 

[big-all]

you have my heart felt sympathy and i understand not wanting to go for a fortress

i am really lucky have lived in surrey in the same house for nearly 30 years
the only time i lock the back door is when i go on holiday
i often leave the inner front door in the porch ajar for days on end often when i am not in for hours on end
in my street there is a village feel but dont know most off the street but not for the want off trying lol

Whats your address and when are you next out

yours sincerely

AB Urglar

there are several things in my favour
they are terraced houses so14ft wide with just 3ft off front garden so no cover
the front room is never used so all you see is a 14" portable and vhs recorder along with the normal soffa and dresser


the back gardens are entered via next doors garden who have nice modern stuff on display and a side door

 

[Alarm]

What you have said applies to certain conditions, locations and criteria that are pre-stipulated in order to gain certain discounts on premiums

No what I said is what I have worked to for almost 30 years of working predominantly in London and the home counties. With some blasts around the rest of England and Wales on occasion.
Having the basic locking systems in place were mandatory for the policy to be valid. Then there was a new rule applied by various companies and if the locks were fitted by certain schemes a discount was allowed.
As I have mentioned before I have observed people being refused cover after the assessor had visited and seen the appropriate devices were not fitted.

But the fact remains that locks have to be to a certain standard for polices to be valid. This applies to every insurance document I have seen, also from the ABI documents the industry works to which was also endorsed by ACPO.

If you have negotiated a deal with your broker or insurer then fine. But I assure you locks are needed for the majority if not all policies.

 

[masona]

if the window is locked and he has to smash it, and climb in through broken glass, there is a chance he will cut an artery and bleed to death.

The glass he/she broke in our door was typical toughened that shatters (into small pieces) once broken. No such luck with the artery thing.

Wore gloves too. The glove print was the same as the burglar up the road so at least we have a match.

Noseall, go for laminated glass, hopefully your insurance will pay for this. it's very difficult to smash but can be dangerous if you need to break the glass to escape from fire

 

[Ricardus]

I'm getting slightly worried now...

I have a old car on my driveway that I keep meaning to fix up and sell on ebay but never get around to it.

This morning the doorbell rang when I was in the loo and I got to the front door just in time to see one of the local rag&bone men climbing into his van which was parked at the end of my drive and driving off.
Maybe I', just being paranoid, but I know a bloke with an identical car in the same situation who had his nicked by a couple of blokes with a flatbed and crane - they just turned up one day when he was out, picked up the car off his drive and left. Neighbours thought he'd arranged for someone to come take it away!

Reckon I'll start blocking one car in with the other and have to get my security webcam running again.

 

[Alarm]

This is also happening more and more.
But on the other side of the fence.
A friend of mine was inadvertently caught up in this as he is a "scrapper" and he was given permission to clear some land looked after by a friend. It has since turned out the cars were not dumped but were there with understanding by another.........yeah I know big head ache..........bottom line is my friend has now to go to court and defend his actions. It should be an open and shut case, but you never know.
A clean record and a few willing to give character references should be fine.
Its more about who believes if the cars were worth as much as said and who is going to pay for them.
Bit difficult to return them, well not really as they are a lot smaller now


Back to the point, put a notice on it. And inform neighbours it is not destined to be removed for many a month yet. Just to be on the safe side.

 

[Mw Roofline]

The point everyone is missing is if you have glass then burglars have entry, unless the glass is protected with bars or such like.

You can be as smug as you like with your locking windows, your six lever Chubb hardened steel, your bells and whistles.

What good is a window lock if the glass breaks.

Spot on. Our estate is rife with break-ins. That's why i've got triple glazing everywhere downstairs. 6.4mm lam, 4mm tough, 6.4mm lam. All squashed into a 28mm sealed unit

 

[amy9]

The point everyone is missing is if you have glass then burglars have entry, unless the glass is protected with bars or such like.

You can be as smug as you like with your locking windows, your six lever Chubb hardened steel, your bells and whistles.

What good is a window lock if the glass breaks.

Spot on. Our estate is rife with break-ins. That's why i've got triple glazing everywhere downstairs. 6.4mm lam, 4mm tough, 6.4mm lam. All squashed into a 28mm sealed unit

How much did your triple glazing cost you? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[SALL2009]

We got burgled around 6 months back. For the most part, what I felt was disbelief and shock. We have lived there for over 10 years so felt completely at ease before. Now every time we go out, I have a feeling of it happening again in by mind.
We did loose some material possessions, but worse of all was a camera with our child's birthday pictures on it (which were not transferred to the PC yet). But that’s life.
I guess its one of those things; you just got to move on.