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  #1  
Old 12/19/2007, 02:12 AM
moo0o moo0o is offline
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O/t: Make Sure Your Doors And Windows Are Locked

for people around the san jose area, be really really careful about locking your doors and windows this season. my cousin's house got broken into but lucky for him, he was home and had a weapon at hand.

during the same day, my friend got his house broken into and robbed. they took his plasma tv and some other valuable things. details arent really important about what they took, just giving a warning to you people in san jose, LOCK YOUR DOORS BEFORE YOU GO OUT SHOPPING WORKING, or whatever it is please!


thanks
charles
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  #2  
Old 12/19/2007, 02:05 PM
Vincerama2 Vincerama2 is offline
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That's pretty scary! I heard that the best buglary/robbery deterrents are ... dogs! But of course, not everyone can just add a dog to their family. But when a house has dogs, the scumbags tend to move onto the next house.

I hope your cousin and friend are OK. It can happen anywhere, not just San Jose.

Many years ago, I called a friend of mine right after work. She and I left the office at the same time, but she lived farther away. I called her right when I got home and got her answering machine.
Later, I found out that when she got home, she found the back door open (with a smashed window pane) and many things missing, she called the cops from outside.
As it turned out, they stole her answering machine too!...meaning that they were in her house at the time I called her, and when she got home, they were very likely still in her house!! This was in Toronto!

One thing I did in my house is replace the single cylinder door bolts with double cylinder bolts in the doors that have glass panes. That means you need a key to open it from both sides. That prevents people from smashing a pane of glass, reaching in and turning the lock open. I did that specifically because of what happened to my friend.

Also, just because someone knocks on the door, doesn't mean you have to answer it. My wife goes a bit overboard with it...if someone she doesn't recognize comes up to the door and knocks, then looks suspicious in the neighbourhood, she has no problems calling the cops to report it. What I do is take a picture of suspicious people...just in case a neighbour gets broken into.

We have some retired folks in the 'hood, so there is always a friendly eye out on the street, I think that helps.

V
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  #3  
Old 12/19/2007, 02:35 PM
fishme fishme is offline
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imo, the best buglary deterrents are your neighbors
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  #4  
Old 12/19/2007, 02:39 PM
sfsuphysics sfsuphysics is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by fishme
imo, the best buglary deterrents are GOOD neighbors
Fixed a bit for accuracy.

I know I have some good neighbors, hell some have called the police when *I* was cleaning out my garage... had a car backed up to the garage, tossing bags of stuff in the back... I could understand.

However I can easily see some of my neighbors just not caring at all, or wanting to get involved or something.
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  #5  
Old 12/19/2007, 02:48 PM
Unarce Unarce is offline
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There's an unfortunate increase in burglaries around the holidays. The time of economic struggle, depression, and homes full of presents being the main reasons, I think.

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  #6  
Old 12/19/2007, 03:14 PM
GreshamH GreshamH is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Unarce
There's an unfortunate increase in burglaries around the holidays. The time of economic struggle, depression, and homes full of presents being the main reasons, I think.

That's one way to look at it...another would be it's the PRIME time for thieves and probably how they make a good prtion of their yearly income. Opportunists don't need a reason, just an opportunity!
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  #7  
Old 12/19/2007, 03:18 PM
Elite Elite is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by fishme
imo, the best buglary deterrents are your neighbors
For some reasons, I think the people right across from me are the one who broke into my van and stole the DVD player system.
  #8  
Old 12/19/2007, 03:26 PM
GreshamH GreshamH is offline
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Some one I know in Oakland went camping for a week and returned home to having all his plumbing stolen out of his house. The neighbor is the prime suspect. $10K to replace 100% of the plumbing (waste was copper for some reason, so they ripped the waste out as well) and all the damage caused by the quick removal.
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  #9  
Old 12/19/2007, 03:32 PM
tuberider tuberider is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by fishme
imo, the best buglary deterrents are your neighbors
Right on, it's like livin around a bunch of freemen around here. The only thing you can steal are crab pots and guns, and try to take the guns
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  #10  
Old 12/19/2007, 03:37 PM
Lordhelmet Lordhelmet is offline
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my bro in law is CHP. i have to be carefull if i stop by at night. he will shoot first.
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  #11  
Old 12/19/2007, 03:46 PM
GreshamH GreshamH is offline
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But you would just be injured due to guns not killing people...now if he threw Chuck Norris at you, well then, I'd be scared
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  #12  
Old 12/19/2007, 05:27 PM
waxy waxy is offline
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Form a neighborhood watch, just let eachother know if there is anything unusual going on. Or if you are out for a bit, let them know to check your mail? Adjust the garbage thats sitting out in front?
Empty Car lots? Night lights are still on around the house?

Little things like those burglars notice and figure that theres no one home.
  #13  
Old 12/19/2007, 06:05 PM
corals b 4 bills corals b 4 bills is offline
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I'm in pretty good shape myself, my wife is a retired CHP officer carries a badge and can carry a consealed weapon (becareful if you see a bulge in her purse), I come home two or three times a day, my retired mother inlaw lives in the house DIRECTLY across the street from me (you determine if that's a plus), my neighbor on my left is a stay at home mom, my right a retired couple, front right-retired widow, front left is a retired couple where the guy was a cop & I know 4 other retired or stay at home moms on the same block............................................Hey wait a minute! I live in an old folks home!
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  #14  
Old 12/19/2007, 06:16 PM
GreshamH GreshamH is offline
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Sounds like it
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  #15  
Old 12/19/2007, 09:55 PM
Vincerama2 Vincerama2 is offline
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My next door neighbour was some kind of scumbag. His wife left him and he squatted in the house next door. He dumpster dove to the point where the yard was FULL of "treasures". Since my driveway is next to his house, and the gate to his backyard...creepy people would park in front of my house and then walk ACROSS my driveway into his backyard...at 2AM, 3AM, etc. My wife (very foolishly) confronted one person one morning and they said "Uh, we're friends of Billy's"... coming buy at 6AM?

One problem was that the house had no light above the garage door and so slimebags could sneak back there (I think he was selling drugs). I bought automatic porch lights... or "security lights" (they are those spotlight kind of lights, not the nice porch lights) and installed them (lots of wiring!)...but by that time all the neighbours had complained to the house owner (it was the only rental on the street). And she evicted him, but he squatted for 4 months. Now a divroced woman and her two kids live there. The owner hauled two DUMPSTERS full of Billy's "treasures" off, and paid landscapers to make it nice. I spoke to other neighbours and confirmed that Billy was dealing drugs, and that for months, undercover cops had been staking out his place! Pretty creepy!

The automatic porch/security lights are pretty good at keep skulkers from feeling safe, and are really easy to install, if you already have a porch light installed. The cockroaches scurry when the lights come on!

V
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  #16  
Old 12/20/2007, 12:23 AM
dots dots is offline
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I was a little concerned the other night when I bought a new camera and they placed it in a CLEAR bag. Isn't there an increase of robberies in front of business this time of year as well?
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  #17  
Old 12/20/2007, 12:43 AM
corals b 4 bills corals b 4 bills is offline
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Vincerama2:
Where about's in San Mateo do you live? sounds like Kehoe, Deleware, or off of shoreveiw. My sister lives in one of those areas and I can bearly visit at times. Doesn't sound like much fun.
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  #18  
Old 12/20/2007, 01:14 AM
jellygeee jellygeee is offline
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Hi Vince,

I have a similar automatic porch light as well. It works like a charm.

One thing I might add is to insert a small long piece of wood/rod in your window or door rails, that way they can't be opened from the outside (unless someone breaks the glass; which is when you need to install those sensors).
  #19  
Old 12/20/2007, 01:54 AM
Vincerama2 Vincerama2 is offline
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Actually, I live in a very nice part of San Mateo, just south of Hillsdale mall, at the border of Belmont. The problem was that my next door neighbour rented her house out to this guy and his family. That guy Billy, lost his job 2 years ago and had been unemployed for that long. His wife worked at Oracle, so that wasn't so bad. But Billy is a real loser. I guess he got into drugs badly. The guy was like 45 years old, had 2 teen age daughters. Anyway, at some point his wife packed up the kids and moved back to Florida or something and Billy was left with no employment, no source of income except dumpster diving and he squatted in the house next door. I think he wasn't always messed up, but things just got out of his control.. In the end he was PARKING HIS TRUCK ON THE LAWN.

Nobody in the neighbourhood liked him, and he kept bad company. But now he's finally gone.

All my other neighbours are families, so it's actually a really nice place to live. Not the scummy parts of San Mateo! But it just takes one bad egg to really take down the street.

V
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  #20  
Old 12/20/2007, 01:57 AM
Vincerama2 Vincerama2 is offline
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Oh yeah, and everyone needs a 4 D cell Maglite by the side of their bed!

And the aquarium lights on their timers is good for keeping the place lit and "lived in"!!

V
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  #21  
Old 12/20/2007, 02:20 AM
corals b 4 bills corals b 4 bills is offline
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Yea that's too bad, you might not want to tell that story to too many people because then they ask "where do you live", I know your area it's very nice and very clean. Were neighbors! lets have a reefer play day! I'm on top of the hill Ralston by 280/92.
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