burglaries in Forest Hill/East Dulwich areas

[cate]

Jacbuc Wrote:

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> yes, it can call our phone and if we answer but

> are not local we can call on family to go round.

> Also, if we dont answer our phones then our family

> is also on the list of phone numbers that will

> automatically be called.

It seems that burglars could still get in and out during the time it takes someone to arrive there. Would you call the police before or after arriving the property or haven't you thought that far ahead? Why not have it hooked up to the police station?

[Jacbuc]

of course your right - they can get in and out before someone arrives - even if you get hitched up to the police station - the cost of linking into the police is v expensive from my recall and I wasnt at all sure how fast they would get there anyway given our previous experience

[cate]

Would you go into your home or expect a friend to go if you thought a burglary was in progress?

[Jacbuc]

that depends on who I had with me - but at least you have some notice that something is untoward -

[ruffers]

SeaHitz speaks the truth re this whole rapid communication creating worry out of proportion to the facts, and I think all James was doing was suggesting a sense of proportion might be in order. Either that or we start creating "I wasn't burgled / assaulted / looked at in a funny way today" threads for balance.

[James Barber]

I'm really sorry my original post have antagonised people.

My home has also had an attempted burglary two years ago when the front door was kicked in and I managed to chase them away while in the buff. I still feel incredible disquiet and anger about that and sympathy for anybody who goes through having their home violated.

A different thread is helping give advice on how to avoid being victims of crime. I and others have repeatedly suggested things that we can all do. BUT based on reported crime East Dulwich is one of the safest parts of Southwark and hovering around the best quartile for London wards for low crime rates and chances of being victims of crime.

If you know anyone who wants free personal attack alarms, property marking kits, bike locks, motorbike locks then let me know. Equally if anyone wants a crime prevention advice visit our local Police Safer Neighbourhood Team are able and happy ot provide this.

[Nero]

If you have a mortice lock, get another one. I have two, fitted by a locksmith, and feel much more secure than with just one. It might be regarded as overkill, but I read that two locks are a real deterrent to a would-be burglar.

[Penguin68]

It also helps to understand locks - a 7 lever mortice is more secure than a 5 lever mortice (these latter are standard for domestic properties); Banham locks are expensive but have a good reputation (which means they discourage thieves). Hinge bolts (these fix into the side of the door opposite the locks) provide additional security where the entire door may be attacked - as do metal bars to protect the wooden frame into which the locks are normally fitted. Don't fit additional metal grills across the whole door - these can be very dangerous when it comes to fires. Glass door are always vulnerable - particularly single-glazed panels - so a metal grill over glazing (but not otherwise restricting the opening of the door) may be a good idea.

Don't use good locks on the front doors and make do with mickey-mouse fittings at the rear - burglars have been known to gain access to the rear of houses and attack these - often more vulnerable, always less overlooked than street side access.

The police are often very good at giving security advice.

As I have said in other posts - your objective is to make your property sufficiently challenging to move a casual burglar on to someone else; but if it's known you have something tasty (and readily converted into cash) a thief will be prepared to go the extra mile to turn you over.

Thieves who steal 'rubbish' kit (i.e. old TV's, videos etc.) often do it so that you will buy some tasty replacmeents with the insurance - that's why so many people who have been burgled once get burgled again a few months later. It's not just bad luck, it's good burglary planning. That's why even though the security will normally have been upgraded, it's worth the burglar coming back - more effort this time, but also a much surer reward.

[Applespider]

And if you live in a flat, the communal door may be the weakest link. Don't just depend on a Yale=type lock that pulls closed. Get one that you actually have to lock (even if it does open without a key from the inside for fire safety reasons) and encourage people to use it (easier if not too many sharing entrance).

Two mortice locks with a full metal sunk faceplates so the bolt isn't just in the wood of the frame but inside the housing of the lock when it's closed is a good idea too.

I have a neighbour who had one of the ATM alarms that call the police but after a few false alarms, that privilege was suspended. I have one that texts me and a more local keyholder. It tells me which sensor set it off. If it was just an internal one, I'd suspect that something in the flat may have tipped over and it's a false alarm. If I got a door one followed by a motion one, I'd be on the phone to the police while running out of the door of wherever I happened to be!

[James Barber]

At every Dulwich Community Council the local Police Safer Neighbourhood Teams attend to provide updates.

Our next DCC meeting is 10 November at Christchurch (263 Barry Road).

I've asked if all three teams for College, East Dulwich and village wards can provide a surgery before the 7pm meeting and give their updates at the very start of the meeting rather than the normal half way through around 8pm.

So if anyone would like to attend from 6.30-7.30pm they'll have a chance to directly ask officers about issues, obtsain addivce (+freebies crime prevention kit if East Dulwich residents), hear what local Polive are doing and avoid most of the evenings meeting if they wish to.

[james84]

That sounds like a good idea, thanks James.

[concita]

We need action, non freebies.

[concita]

We have double door at the front f the house a porch, locked up with 7 security locks and the front door. Burglars do not use the front doors, they use the back doors and windows on the garden side where they are not seen.

Our back doors and gardens were well secure and the breakage itself would have set the alarm. Our neighbours heard the alar and even went to see from the fence, but the broken panel was a lateral one and not very visible so they thought it was a fault and did not call the police. Burglars are getting very skilled at breaking alarm systems and any other security equipment sold on the UK market. Only if they are punished severely, the trend can go down.

[concita]

No the alarm was not connected to the police station but we have had a good neighbours network in the area and if someone alarm went off, neighbours would check, especially those ones who had our keys. However, on the day, they were out to work. The type of alarm you have, we were told is only for business, We were told that police comes to your rescue/alarm call only if it is for business.

[concita]

Also do not forget that the process of dealing with the insurers in the case of a burglar is very painful. At the end they almost see you as the crook, not the one who has performed the burglary.

[cate]

concita Wrote:

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> No the alarm was not connected to the police

> station but we have had a good neighbours network

> in the area and if someone alarm went off,

> neighbours would check, especially those ones who

> had our keys. However, on the day, they were out

> to work. The type of alarm you have, we were told

> is only for business, We were told that police

> comes to your rescue/alarm call only if it is for

> business.

Who told you that type of alarm is only for business? I inherited it from the previous owner of the house. You pay the alarm company a certain sum every year which includes servicing and it includes a hook-up to the police who also get a portion of the money.

To reply on your neighbours calling the police couldn't possibly work all the time as happened in your case. Why would you reply on neighbours who are out at work to monitor your alarm? I think that most people assume if an alarm goes off it means good citizens would all rush to their phones. But things like cats can set off sensors, which is what mine did in a previous house. There is a house alarm in my street that goes off quite often and lasts for over half an hour sometime. No one ever rushes to turn it off. I think people generally presume that having a burglar alarm puts potential burglars off and that they wouldn't dare break in. I wonder if any crime prevention officer could confirm that there are more break-ins now with places with alarms or perhaps it was always so.

[James Barber]

Hi concita,

I'm not sure what more as a local councillor in East Dulwich ward I can do.

I'm open to suggestions.

I attend Police panels, I talk to our local Police and have ensured we have ample crime prevention items.

The actual Police numbers and how they patrol is down to the Metropolitan Police which is controlled by the Metropolitan Police Authority/Mayor of London.

[concita]

I understand you and I am glad you are very committed,James, but the government needs to change the laws to protect ordinary citizens, not criminals. It seems that they get away with murder. All the loops must be closed. Gangs known to police in the area, must be monitored.The laws are at the moment too soft toward criminals.There shoudl be zero tolerance.

[concita]

Some of our neighbours. No I do not expect my neighbours to monitor my alarm system. We look after each other house if someone is away for some reason or another. If the alarm goes off, the neighbours who has the keys, check that nothign is suspicious or call the police in case there is a problem. I have looked after other people house when they were on holidays, ensure the post was put away from the front porch, their dustbins moved. Unfortunately on the day my burglary happened, the neighbours did not do all that.

[cate]

Concita,

I understand what you are saying. The post and dustbin thing is very important. I do it for other people if they ask and I ask them to do it for me. If your neighbours are out at work all week then what will you do from now on should your alarm go off again?

[concita]

We will be updating the alarm system with cctv camera at front and back and maybe put guard bars at the back. We will connect the alarm to police station. It will cost us a fortune. We were thinking to put roller shutters as they do on the continent, if we are allowed, but to what pro? All the precious staff has now gone. Overseas people still get robbed.

However nothing will stop these scumbags to break in and ruin your life. In my case, there might be women as well in the group breaking in. They took everything which was nice and apart expensive items of great sentimental value, also women belts, empty women handbags, women pursues, religious medals etc. Men are not that selective. They just go for the most expensive things they know they can fence/dispose quickly.

It was because they were disturbed by some neighbours running in the drive and checking the top windows, that they rushed the job and ran away as quick as possible, otherwise my whole house would have been thrashed and soiled.

[cate]

Concita,

I saw what you posted on the other thread about having to pay for metal to secure your window. That should be covered through your insurance.

[concita]

It has, in fact, but we lost the excess on it, so it is still an insult.

[concita]

If anybody has noticed anything suspicious in the upper side of Lordship Lane, close to Horniman/Underhill, Wood Vale,Langton Rise ie. people running with a small piece of furniture in their hands, between 30 September and 10th october 2010, please advise the crime management department at lewisham police station. If you have found a piece of furniture thrown into your back garden in the area, please advise police.

Thank you

Concita

[sb]

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