SNSUN Posted 20 November, 2012 Share Posted 20 November, 2012 On Sunday, when me and the wife were at home, someone broke into our shed and nicked my bike. We didn't hear anything so they must have been quick. That's all they took too, so it could have been worse, but now I keep having this tendancy to look out into the garden. There were a spate of burglaries in my area on Sunday apparently, pikeys looking for Christmas presents no doubt, but it has unnerved both of us. Where I live has always had a reputation, but in the 15 months I've lived here, I hadn't experienced anything out of the ordinary, in fact it's a pretty place to live. There was an aggravated burglary somewhere here in July, though I'm not sure where. I suppose nicking my bike is a minor thing. I'd dread to think what happened if they ever broke into the house. (Which is very secure btw) Have you ever been burgled? How did you feel afterwards? What would you do if confronted with a burglar whilst you were in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilton Saint Posted 20 November, 2012 Share Posted 20 November, 2012 I've had a bicycle stolen three times during my life. Each time it has been very upsetting. Not that the things were worth a huge amount, you understand - it just feels like such a personal violation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spudders Posted 20 November, 2012 Share Posted 20 November, 2012 I've had a bike nicked from a shed when I lived in a house share, like you I was a bit annoyed and unnerved. It was nicked along with another bike and the other guy who had his bike nicked saw his bike when he was out a few weeks later, he knew 100% it was his due to marks, scratches, etc. I can't blame him for doing this, but rather than calling the police and waiting for whoever came out to get on it, he just nicked it back. Shame as whoever had it may have been able to lead the police to whoever had mine as well. I've also had a flat I rented broken into when I was out one day, that was worse, knowing they'd been in the place I was living. The strange thing was what was taken and what wasn't. They took two mp3 players that I'd just bought (one for me & one for my mrs at the time) but left a digital camera that was right beside the mp3 players, they also took a watch (but left a couple of better watches) and took a dvd of Gone in 50 seconds, that was it! Was very strange. I lived on the top floor in a block where the only other flat on that floor was the girl opposite me. I'm pretty sure it was her boyfriend as he was a little sh!tbag, I think I may have not pulled my door closed properly and when he left hers he saw it slightly open, so just legged it in, took a few small items and would have been able to have got down the stairs and out the building without her even noticing any difference if she'd been watching out her window to wave goodbye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norwaysaint Posted 20 November, 2012 Share Posted 20 November, 2012 When I lived in a flat in Oslo our basement storage area was burgled all the time and I ended up carrying my bike up three flights and into my lounge every day instead of using it. When the frame broke on an old bike I had, I wasn't looking forward to somehow getting it to a rubbish dump. Then i tried leaving it out the front with a weak lock on it and in the morning it was gone. In England I had three or four bikes and a car stolen. Once, when I lived in a ground floor bedsit in Moseley, I woke up in the night to a noise and looked out of the window. outside a big bloke was jamming a sharpened screwdriver into the door of my car. I leapt out of bed and ran straight out of the front door to confront him at which point he legged it. Looking back I don't know why a big guy with a weapon would run from a bloke half his size running at him in just his pants, but there you go. Nowadays I live in a quiet area. I rarely lock the front door or my car and the shed with our bikes and stuff in usually has the key sitting in the door. Maybe one day we'll be robbed, but it's been seven years now and I've never heard of a burglary round here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spudders Posted 20 November, 2012 Share Posted 20 November, 2012 When the frame broke on an old bike I had, I wasn't looking forward to somehow getting it to a rubbish dump. Then i tried leaving it out the front with a weak lock on it and in the morning it was gone. this reminds me of a few years ago when I lived in a block and someone left a tv out the front of the building near the road in the hope someone would take it away. After a couple of days it was still there so they taped a note to it saying 'do not touch'. The next morning it was gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seaford Saint Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 We rented a big house in the posh side of Newbury. Thieves nicked all my fishing gear.....didn't bother telling the police. Now live in a smaller house close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericofarabia Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 In England I had three or four bikes and a car stolen. Once, when I lived in a ground floor bedsit in Moseley, I woke up in the night to a noise and looked out of the window. outside a big bloke was jamming a sharpened screwdriver into the door of my car. I leapt out of bed and ran straight out of the front door to confront him at which point he legged it. Looking back I don't know why a big guy with a weapon would run from a bloke half his size running at him in just his pants, but there you go. . Maybe the jar of vaseline and buttplug you were brandishing unnerved him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 When I lived in a flat in Oslo our basement storage area was burgled all the time and I ended up carrying my bike up three flights and into my lounge every day instead of using it. When the frame broke on an old bike I had, I wasn't looking forward to somehow getting it to a rubbish dump. Then i tried leaving it out the front with a weak lock on it and in the morning it was gone. In England I had three or four bikes and a car stolen. Once, when I lived in a ground floor bedsit in Moseley, I woke up in the night to a noise and looked out of the window. outside a big bloke was jamming a sharpened screwdriver into the door of my car. I leapt out of bed and ran straight out of the front door to confront him at which point he legged it. Looking back I don't know why a big guy with a weapon would run from a bloke half his size running at him in just his pants, but there you go. Nowadays I live in a quiet area. I rarely lock the front door or my car and the shed with our bikes and stuff in usually has the key sitting in the door. Maybe one day we'll be robbed, but it's been seven years now and I've never heard of a burglary round here. Perhaps the pikeys should include Norway on their travels. They would have a field day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CylonKing Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 Years and years ago, we got burgled New Years Eve while the whole family were out. They mainly stole jewellery and money as our house was the 2nd that night. The neighbours were first and there house was turned upside down and had loads of stuff nicked, including the grand kids Christmas presents. I have to admit to feeling a bit nervous being in the house, but not that bad really. Maybe as they had only pinched about £60 from my room and nothing else. Since then, the furst thing I've done when moving into any house is fit a burglar alarm if one is not there. The area I now live in, the neighbours all check up on each other so if an alarm goes off, you know someone will pop round and check that all is well. More annoying and upsetting is that one of my old Saints shirts (from 2005 ish) was stolen from my work changing room. It was worth nothing so I couldn't believe that someone would take it. It had sentimental value for me so was quite upsetting. I put up posters around the changing room asking for it back, stating that it was a Southampton shirt and is going to be worth nothing except to me. Never got it back! My girlfriend managed to replace it with a later one for £1 from Ebay. Luckily a seller in the Nottingham area wanted to sell but not pat delivery. Just shows how much it was worth if it could be replaced for £1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattio Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 I had 2 mopeds stolen before I realised they're stupid chav magnets, They broke into a heavy traditional door lock, mental! I did feel quite violated for a while before I got a car and moved house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint137 Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 Had a couple of bikes nicked over the years, fact of life but yes still annoying. Nan's house got burgled twice, we had a pretty good idea which of the local scrotes did it as well but police did nothing. This was late 80s, pretty difficult back then to get a conviction without the stolen goods being in their possession or them being caught going equipped. Considered finding him and taking him out to the Forest for a quiet word. My Nan was a pretty fierce resourceful character so I don't think it affected her that much - carried on living in the same house on her own for another 15 years. Only really upset about some of the jewellery she lost. Fortunately never had my house burgled but I know in my head I'd want to kill whoever did it, slowly and painfully. No doubt I wouldn't though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu0x Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 Looking back I don't know why a big guy with a weapon would run from a bloke half his size running at him in just his pants, but there you go. 99% of the time this is what happens when a burglar is confronted, it's not a violent crime in the same way a robbery is so the suspect's initial reaction is usually to try and flee. My parents' house got burgled 3 times when I was younger and living there, for the cars each time. It never really affected me, but I can understand why it does some people. Never been burgled since. There are some fairly basic things to do to radically reduce your chance of being burgled. It's a crime of opportunity more often than not, so if you make your house a harder target than those around it chances are it won't get screwed. Bikes (or anything of worth) in sheds are an obvious one, if your shed is easily accessible from the road don't store anything of value in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pap Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 I've never been burgled. My strategy has been living in ****hole areas. It's you social climbers that have your heads above the parapet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 When living in a house share in Leytonstone our place was robbed while we were in the local pub. A few days later , mates from the pub told us that some fella was in there trying to sell our gear. Unfortunately for this fella, he also came back to the pub on the Friday night when we were in there. We never got the stuff back but lets just say we got our own back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norwaysaint Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 I've never been burgled. My strategy has been living in ****hole areas. It's you social climbers that have your heads above the parapet. Living in inner city Birmingham and Oslo I was robbed a few times. Now I live among the rich folks, I've never heard of or seen any kind of crime in about ten years. Like I said, we don't even lock anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 I've never been burgled. My strategy has been living in ****hole areas. It's you social climbers that have your heads above the parapet. Thats because all the scousers are elsewhere nicking stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pap Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 Thats because all the scousers are elsewhere nicking stuff I was actually making the point that people tend not to **** on their own doorsteps, and there ain't a great deal worth nicking from a crappy estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecuk268 Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 A couple of weekends ago I forgot to lock the car which was parked on the drive. Came out in the morning to find that the contents of the glovebox and door pockets strewn across the seats. They only took a tatty pair of gloves, a plastic ice scraper and a wind-up torch. Didn't take any of my CDs or my waterproof jacket. Mrs ecuk268 said "What a coincidence that they tried your car on the one occasion that it was unlocked". Reported it on the 101 number and had a visit from the law. They said it's quite common for thieves to go down a road late at night and routinely try the doors on all the cars parked on the street or in driveways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofarnorth Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 Touch wood i've never had my home burgled, but i did have an attempted car knicking a couple of years ago. They were obviously just out for a bit of fun, as they didn't take anything but just wrecked all the console and electrics in an attempt to get it started. It was a bit of a ****ty old car so they probably thought it would be easy to knick but it actually had an immoboiliser. It wrote the car off in the end so it was really annoying as I got bugger all from insurance for what was an old but very reliable car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Saint Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 I was actually making the point that people tend not to **** on their own doorsteps, and there ain't a great deal worth nicking from a crappy estate. It was a cheap shot, but I couldn't resist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 On Sunday, when me and the wife were at home, someone broke into our shed and nicked my bike. note that burgulars often tend to go back to where they have had sucess before. They know the way in and out and know it is easy to break into. I would advise increasing your security, maybe getting a bloody great big dog that will tear the fucas apart limb from limb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 21 November, 2012 Author Share Posted 21 November, 2012 There are some fairly basic things to do to radically reduce your chance of being burgled. It's a crime of opportunity more often than not, so if you make your house a harder target than those around it chances are it won't get screwed. Bikes (or anything of worth) in sheds are an obvious one, if your shed is easily accessible from the road don't store anything of value in it. I read this from an ex-burglar who now works for home security. He said that burglars will look to see if you're slapdash, for instance your garden gate is open or your back gate unlocked. Me and the wife are very security conciouss, everything is padlocked including the back fence. The shed must've been an easy target though. You can't really see the shed from the main road, but seeing as they had been in other neighbours' gardens nicking stuff, that's how they must've seen it. It was definitely a bunch of opportunists. You can't even see into the shed for what's in there. Annoyingly though it wasn't the flimsy padlock they clipped to gain access, it was the metal the padlock was attached too. (Making me think they did that so I couldn't lock it and so that they could come back shopping again. If they want to clear the crap in the shed out for me, they're welcome.) I was actually making the point that people tend not to **** on their own doorsteps, and there ain't a great deal worth nicking from a crappy estate.Between Datchet and Horton (where I live) there are a number of travellers sites. By and large though not too much crime happens in Horton itself, they tend to venture up to Windsor or Ascot for the richer pickings, or Slough mainly for the numbers of people that live there. A couple of weekends ago I forgot to lock the car which was parked on the drive. Came out in the morning to find that the contents of the glovebox and door pockets strewn across the seats. They only took a tatty pair of gloves, a plastic ice scraper and a wind-up torch. Didn't take any of my CDs or my waterproof jacket. Mrs ecuk268 said "What a coincidence that they tried your car on the one occasion that it was unlocked". Reported it on the 101 number and had a visit from the law. They said it's quite common for thieves to go down a road late at night and routinely try the doors on all the cars parked on the street or in driveways. Before this incident, the only other time I've been a victim of crime was when my car was broken into in Hounslow. There was nothing of any value in there (I never keep anything valuable in my car), I was more annoyed that they'd smashed my window to gain access. That cost far more to replace than anything else in the car put together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Gotsmanov Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 I've never been burgled. My strategy has been living in ****hole areas. It's you social climbers that have your heads above the parapet. Interesting, where as I generally fall on the other side of the argument I often find you quite eloquent. I am guilty of stereotyping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um Bongo Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 https://www.crimereports.co.uk/ If you wanna see what's going on locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KelvinsRightGlove Posted 21 November, 2012 Share Posted 21 November, 2012 Whilst living in a student house we had our basement door kicked in during the night (lol) and our tele nicked off its bracket. Nothing else was touched, they even left all the wires/cables that went along with it. Even the ps3 which was connected and right next to the thing. Was worrying that my three housemates were in the house (asleep), being a student I was out getting blind drunk, and woke up to a police officer in my room standing over me. Which was rather confusing. Turns out they may have been in the house as I was stumbling through the front door, which is pretty worrying. I'm guessing it was at least two, as it was a big tv and ****ing heavy at that. Also, had my phone robbed out of my pocket in Barcelona t'other night. Jammy (albeit skilled) little bastards. Basically, I should stop drinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dig Dig Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 I've never been burgled. My strategy has been living in ****hole areas. It's you social climbers that have your heads above the parapet. Not sure if that strategy works....I grew up in Millbrook and attempted breaks in's on our property occured all the time. Caught a fair few in the act as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug187 Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 Twice.. first time on Milton Rd.. my room didn;t get touched but a load of electical stuff from thr lounge and my frieends ipad and laptop went. Was lucky I had a mattress in front of my door..guess they coouldn;t be bothered to move it..If they had they'd have found about 700 quid in cash in my draw..Second time Langhorn Road.. some flower estate chav... nicked about a grasnds worth of xbox/ps3/bluray stuff from the lounge. Police got him but never saw a penny back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Le Taxi Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 https://www.crimereports.co.uk/ If you wanna see what's going on locally. Didnt know about that site ...very interesting ..thanks UmBongo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suewhistle Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 For some imaginative ways of dealing with the thieves the commenters on this blog have some good ideas: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2012/nov/19/cyclists-police-bike-theft?INTCMP=SRCH People get very upset about their bikes. I had one pinched from outside a sports centre and was probably more upset than when my old car got nicked from a lock-up. First thing I knew of that was the police knocking on my door at 5 in the morning asking if I knew where my car was... The WPC said you "don't seem too upset". It's a second-hand car FFS, 5 in the morning and it's insured... It had been used in a post office robbery up in the downs behind Portsmouth. Recovered in Portswood with damage to a wing, ho hum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperMikey Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 Reported it on the 101 number and had a visit from the law. They said it's quite common for thieves to go down a road late at night and routinely try the doors on all the cars parked on the street or in driveways. About a month ago I was enjoying a late-night cigarette outside my front door after coming back from a late shift. Noticed a bloke slowly walking up the other side of the street, looking into every car and trying a few of the doors. I watched him for a minute until he was opposite, and thinking he'd maybe had a bit to drink and forgotten where he'd left his car, asked him if he needed any help. He looked up at me and bolted straight away. I only realised then what he was doing. As for me i've never been burgled, but I did come back from visiting the family last summer to see that the house next door had been completely turned over. Plant pots tipped over the house, TV gone, laptops gone, the lot. Even took the remote for the telly! That prompted a few sleepless nights for me listening out for noises in the house (other housemates were away at that point). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 There were of burglaries on my road about a year ago. The family opposite had their back window taken out and their living room cleaned out between the dad going to bed at 1am and the mum getting up at 6. About 4 other houses were done in our road about the same time. Luckily ours never burgled. As for me, a few years back i went out the back of the house after hearing a noise one night about 1 in the morning and found two lads about 18 round the side of our house at the back of the drive, they saw me and ran down the road, i chased them for a bit but they managed to get away. When i was 16 and was living at my parents house the first time they'd gone on holiday with out me that night we were burgled. Looking back it must have been someone local who knew they were away as it's a bit too much of a conincidence. Only money was taken and not that much. I had no idea until the morning when i came downstairs and the back door was open and some of the cupboards had been gone through. I slept with a cricket bat by my bed for the next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latter day saint Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 when i still lived with my parents in Hedge End we were burgled twice within a year & we never had a clue untill the next morning which spooked us a bit. not long after i moved to where i am now we had an attempted burgulary one evening while we were in the house. bastards used a stone bird bath to smash in the conservatory door. they had the fright of there lives when i appeared with a pickaxe handle & machete screaming blue murder! chased them through a few gardens but eventually lost them. still annoyed with the attitude of the OB when thet eventually turned up.was still bit pumped up & ended up getting a lecture about chasing after them with the pickaxe! (lucky didnt mention the machete) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Garrett Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 When I was a student in Sheffield I had my laptop stolen. We were having a 'pre drinking' session for someones birthday so there was about 30 people in the house. it was a terrace house which youhad to go round the back to get in as the 'front door' was a bedroom. Victorian house, but just been refurbed, so was all pretty much 'ikea'd'. Still had the big windows at the front of the house and my mates desk was in the window area. It had blinds down but someone must have done a pre scan and seen there was a laptop on the desk. Heard a massive smash and ran into the bedroom to see the laptop was gone and had been replaced by a brick! Being a crappy student house the 'front' door was locked and we didnt have a key, so legged it out the back door through the alley way and down the road, we could see him on a bike, nearly crashed into a car going the other way and sped off through the cemetry. Had a visit from the OB but didn'd find anything...shock! Had the old forensics round to look for fingerprints but the guy was wearing gloves. Apparently in that area there are hundreds of break ins or atleast attempts. Atleast that was the only thing that was stolen, but wasn't ideal that it wasn't insured ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackanorySFC Posted 22 November, 2012 Share Posted 22 November, 2012 Didnt know about that site ...very interesting ..thanks UmBongo! Flower Roads wins the awards for most violent incidents per capita in my opinion. Touché Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pap Posted 23 November, 2012 Share Posted 23 November, 2012 Flower Roads wins the awards for most violent incidents per capita in my opinion. Touché Hmm. Police don't say this. In fact, go here:- http://www.police.uk/crime/?q=Southampton%20SO16%203HJ,%20UK#crimetypes/2012-09 Look at violent crime. Now either the OB is wrong, your opinion is wrong or Batman has moved into Honeysuckle Road in the last 18 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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