Attempted Burgulary - after my car AGAIN!

[Clarel]

Got woken up at 4.15am by someone trying to get to the front door keys through the letter box. As soon as they saw me look out of the window, they casually walked to a black Focus and drove off. Called the Police and they came quite quickly!

Luckily, after my last Cup got stolen, I have been taking a few more precautions than we previously did, so even if they hadve got in, (unlikely seeing as weve got 2 bolts and a security chain on the front door), they wouldnt have been able to find my keys.....

Cant believe it! I just thought, bugger, if they nick this one, my insurance company wont want to touch me with an incredibly long barge pole!

Remember, always take your keys out of the front door and I will be looking to fit a postbox basket and risk people mistaking me for an old aged pensioner!

Take care

Clare

 

[182_blue]

b******s,hope all is ok

i remember your last one, did you ever get anything from that bloke that was selling alloys like yours on ebay

 

[Clarel]

Nope, the police didnt do anything. I handed it to them on a plate, but they werent interested!

Shame I didnt get the reg number of the car they drove off in - it was 4.15 and my eyes hadnt fully focused by the time they drove off!

 

[Tom]

Madness!

where can you get cheap sniper rifles?

Mate hook the letter box up to the mains.

 

[pkimber]

Similar thing happened to me in May this year. They broke in through the front door at 4.30 am, wife was breast feeding upstairs at the time, took both my ML and Golf Gti. Also took our wallets, purses etc that were near the door. Heard the cars start and looked out the window to see them disappearing down the road. We were taking the kids to CentreParcs that morning so we were all gutted. Police were very good, found the ML in 5 days thanks to Tracker, Golf was found only last week in a lock up in Luton. Used the insurance payout to buy my 182 though so some silver lining.

Keys come upstairs at night time now and I have a baseball bat under the bed, hope they come back now !

 

[CocoPops]

wow!

I guess you were lucky this time Clare, like you said I guess you are extra vigilant this time round.

Does make you wonder tho doesnt.

Really ought to lock my car in the garage each nite and put the keys somewhere safe, but you dont pay much attention till it happens to you.

 

[Clarel]

I dont understand why they do it - they must think the police are complete muppets!

We live in a nice area, just off the main road on our estate. They are doing it in full view of everyone that drives past, plus a load of houses. I was lucky that I was sleeping very lightly last night and heard them going through the letterbox with something metal.

I cannot begin to imagine what would have happened when they couldnt find the keys downstairs, what if theyd come up? I have a 5 year old daughter! Makes me sick. These people are not treated harshly enough in my opinion.

 

[jonny]

What area do you live in Clare???

This was a worry of mine when i bought the Cup as i live on quite a rough estate, but touch wood everything been fine

I do park two other cars behind it in the drive way though!!!!!!!!!!

 

[y0z2a]

Clarel,

sorry to hear this again!

have you thought about getting a safe? and some burglar alarms.

/y0z

 

[Daipac]

This is fooking ridiculous ! How can people have the cheek and nerve to even attempt to do this ?!?!?!?! These people are just scum. I have said it before but I will say it again, this type of people just make my blood boil !

That has made the decision for me, I am going to get a chain for the front door now. I dont think you can bolt uPVC doors tho can you ?

What other precautions are there ?

 

[CocoPops]

Stupid thing is tho, that had they actually got into the house and youd batter/beaten/shot them, YOU would have been prosecuted.

This country sucks when it comes down to protecting your family/house/possessions.

Why cant we have the nice cars without worrying that some thieving toerag has got its eye on them.

 

[Clarel]

I live in a "village" which is on the west side of Northampton. Our house is near open country and fairly near junction 16 of the M1 which is probably where they escaped to. My last car ended up in Bradford!

I think we need to rethink our parking arrangements. We only have room for one car on the drive (and thats mine), have the Astra parked in the road half blocking the drive and the other car in the garage. Seems like they would have had to get both the Astra keys and the Cups to nick it. Perhaps because there was 3 or 4 of them, they were going to take the Astra too?

 

[Clarel]

I am going to get the burgular alarm refurbed!

 

[jonny]

The trouble they go to!!

The desperate jealous little b4st4rds!!!!

Suppose it doesnt matter what area you live in, if these tramps want it they will find it anywhere!!!!

Hope you start to have a little more luck with your Cup Clare, we all work hard to have our pride and joys, but we have to hide them the world doesnt seem right to me!!!!!!

 

[Clarel]

I think they trawl areas like ours because they know people will have nice cars! I also think people are too trusting and just because our area is nice and quiet, they think it is also safe.

 

[Lee]

A friend of mines g/f had just taken delivery of a new Seat Leon 20VT a few years ago. She left the keys in the porch, then while they were out, someone came and fished them and took the car.

I always hide mine, but my old man is terrible. I make sure his are at least upstairs, especially with is car being on the drive, blocking the garage door to make sure mine is extra safe.

Maybe you need one of those alarms that would allow you to alarm the entire ground floor while you sleep?

Hope you dont encounter any more nasty surprises Clare.

 

[Clarel]

Thanks everyone, were going to do a few more things to stop them even being tempted to try.

Im just happy I woke up and scared them off! They would have been well angry when they couldnt find the keys......

 

[UncleRogi]

Because of all the advances in "Car Security" the only full-proof method is to "Fish for Keys".

Im in two minds about this one, I dont them stealing my Car True, but I also dont want them "searching my house" and "interfering" with me if they want to take my car (its only a Car)

Perhaps I should lock the door at night..... hmmm

 

[Gareth]

i ALWAYS take my car key upstairs with me, just not worth it.

 

[MikeC]

omg, just the thought of this....

Clare - Get a dog!

 

[CocoPops]

Quote: Originally posted by Clarel on 11 October 2004





Thanks everyone, were going to do a few more things to stop them even being tempted to try.




[/QUOTE]

Sleep in the car
Chain an German Shepard to the front door
Hire a Bouncer
Get a shotgun
Encircle the drive with razor wire
Fit some WWII search lights
Hmm, that should do it?

 

[RobFenn]

Similar thing happened to my family, 2 cars stolen at lunchtime (they waited for us to go out). We now have lockable posts which come up from the ground either side of the car, and also have a hidden safe especially for car keys.

They nick cars to order, they dont care about anything else in your house, just want the keys.

-Rob

 

[Clarel]

Quote: Originally posted by CocoPops on 11 October 2004

Sleep in the car
Chain an German Shepard to the front door
Hire a Bouncer
Get a shotgun
Encircle the drive with razor wire
Fit some WWII search lights
Hmm, that should do it?


[/QUOTE]


Yeah, that should do it! Think I may try some other less expensive methods first though!

 

[badinvincible]

You think it might have been the same guys that took your cup?

 

[TheCake]

Quote: Originally posted by y0z2a on 11 October 2004

Clarel,

sorry to hear this again!

have you thought about getting a safe? and some burglar alarms.

/y0z

I think a Rottweiler would cover both jobs!

 

[Clarel]

Quote: Originally posted by badinvincible on 11 October 2004

You think it might have been the same guys that took your cup?

Maybe, I dunno. Stupid if it was them, surely theyd realise Id tighten up security measures to keep it from happening again.

If ONLY Id got the registration number!

 

[Swervin_Mervin]

Thing is, if you take your keys with you and they really want the car theyll come and get you.

Id much rather they nicked my car than harm me or the g/f.

 

[cat171]

just read this,

oh my god !!
i read about the 1st time it happened & they took the car.
who ever is doing it obviously knows what they are looking for (it could be the same ppl)
or the fact that yuors is the only cup in the area (and they have been told to steal one) hence why pll keep trying to steal it.

personally getting a huge dog is a good bet, that way theyll leave you alone.

 

[JillyB]

Quote: Originally posted by CupCake on 11 October 2004

Quote: Originally posted by y0z2a on 11 October 2004

Clarel,

sorry to hear this again!

have you thought about getting a safe? and some burglar alarms.

/y0z

I think a Rottweiler would cover both jobs!

Good idea but....

Rottweiler attacks burglar.

Rottweiler gets put down.

Burglar sues you.

 

[Dash]

Get a similar looking set of keys, but the wrong ones of course. That shoud keep them busy until the Police arrive.

Hope you get things sorted soon Clare.

 

[scotty1]

Same thing happened to us last May. Woke up to the sound of my mums clio sport 172 being revved to the limited over nxt doors garden. Looked out of my bedroom window at about 3am and saw my clio 172 go, my mums and my brothers clio williams. Obviously had planned this for a while. Hooked the williams keys through the letterbox, gained access to the house and found all the other keys nearby. Mine was never found but the other two were found in Liverpool about 30 miles away. Common problem in Cheshire as its slap bang in the middle of Liverpool and Manchester.

 

[Clarel]

I think I will go down the conventional route with regards to security. Having my car stolen 3 1/2 months ago brought a reality check. All I can say is this:

Dont leave your keys somewhere obvious

Make sure you lock all ground floor doors and windows at night

Just be aware that it could happen to you!

If what has happened to me stops someone else having a similar fate, then that would please me. Dont be in my situation and think because you live in a nice area thats its not going to happen to you, because that is what I thought and I was wrong.

It will always happen at the most inconvenient time - like theres a convenient time for your car to get nicked, but just be sensible. I wasnt the first time around and it cost me dear.

Getting a big dog is not the answer and besides, Id be done by the RSPCA for leaving it alone all day! A dog can be sorted easily by a piece of tainted meat - as could my extra lazy, stupid cat for that matter. I mean, he just must have looked at them last time and thought they were going to feed him!

Dont have nightmares!

 

[CocoPops]

Quote: Originally posted by scotty1 on 11 October 2004

<SCRIPT language=javascript> Same thing happened to us last May. Woke up to the sound of my mums clio sport 172 being revved to the limited over nxt doors garden. Looked out of my bedroom window at about 3am and saw my clio 172 go, my mums and my brothers clio williams. Obviously had planned this for a while. Hooked the williams keys through the letterbox, gained access to the house and found all the other keys nearby. Mine was never found but the other two were found in Liverpool about 30 miles away. Common problem in Cheshire as its slap bang in the middle of Liverpool and Manchester.



woah!!

thats some haul they got away with there!

 

[ChrisO182]

My girlfriends corssa got broken into last month just outside our bedroom window at the front of the house, they pulled the top of the door back and climbed in cos the dead locks were on, shame the alarm wasnt working, they managed to take the stereo that my gf had kindy left the front on and left us with a fooked door the b%^ards. Shes since sold the car and uses mine, i make sure the stereo is out and park it round the back.

 

[iwantaV6]

jesus! lucky you woke up clare. take the keys upstairs every night.

my V6 is in the garage, and the alarm is set to part set which alarms the entire downstairs and the garage. if they open the front door to find keys, then the alarm sounds instantly and at 4am id imagine the whole street would wake up before they even get to the garage, then they will realise that you can only open my garage from inside!

get the alarm sorted, and leave a light on.

stories like this are horrible, i too sleep with a baseball bat under my bed at night, but saying that the stories like this you see on TV are done via gunpoint, so if they really want it they will get it.

 

[Toypop]

You should get a CCTV system covering your front door in combination with a security light.

Doubt the police would do anything with the tape but it would really deter someone from trying to break in if they were lit up like a candle with a video camera pointing at them. Wouldnt cost you anymore than £150 (less than your insurance excess) all in and even less if you connect it to your existing VCR instead of buying another one.

Also lets you see who is at the door before opening it to strangers etc.


Got one outside my house pointing at the car. Believe me it really does annoy the hell out of chavs. Had a few lads walk up the road in the early hours daring eachother (you can hear them) to kick through a car window. They done over a Fiesta which you could hear out of sight of the camera but on their way up to the Fiesta they had to pass through the light and the cameras field of vision. When they came into view the main culprit sprinted fast and then slowed down as he went out of view! Most people underestimate its field of view and are unaware of how sensitive the mic is.

 

[gazcaddy]

My bro got his 330ci stolen from our house, they just through a paving slab through our kitchen door window in the middle of the night, took the keys of the table and took the car. By the time we had got downstairs they were gone

 

[entjm]

sorry to hear all this!

i wouldnt worry about not getting the reg number of their getaway car though. it would probably have been stolen anyway.

 

[Clarel]

They think it was stolen - last week from a nearby village!

Again - dont leave your keys downstairs!

 

[boyced]

do they do revos for the 172/182?

They do one for the Octavia vRS/golf gti and it allows you to set a limit on the ecu so you cannot go over a certain rpm, so even if they did have the keys and try to steal the car they wouldnt be able to go over 1k rpm.