Burglary (top of Goodrich road)

[New Bhoy]

Hi All - just to let you know we came home last night to find out our flat and the one above had been broken into. The f***ers managed to jimmy the lock on the front door then kicked the internal doors in.

Laptops and cameras (with some sentimental photos on them) stolen and other items destroyed.

Happened at the top of Goodrich road - if anyone saw someone with a blue holdall yesterday afternoon (they stole my bag too)- between 12pm and 6pm in the area - could you PM me?

Also - if anyone is offered a panasonic lumix camera - (with the SD card still in it!) can you let me know too.

Bit of a warning to all householders - make sure you have decent locks on your doors and windows and make sure your internal doors are not sh** like ours were....getting new ones today.

[New Bhoy]

Just had the "safer neighbourhood" team round from the police - apparently there have been several other break-ins following the same sort of method of entry in the areas in the past week or so.

[SeanMacGabhann]

sorry to hear about your news NB - it's a real gut-wrench when it happens

There was a similar spate of reports on the forum a couple of months back, following much the same MO (I imagine it's a similar story in burglaries across the country) but I imagine it's ongoing rather than "recent"

[New Bhoy]

yeah I guess so. Absolutely seething about losing my camera - had not had a chance to download the photos from two recent holidays. At least no one was hurt.

[SeanMacGabhann]

It's those irreplaceables that really burn

Good descriptions from you about what they might be carrying tho - best of luck getting them back

And you're right about no-one being hurt - my brother was staying with me when I got done and it happened whilst I was at work. He interrupted the burglar and there was a bit of aggro with a stanley kife. In the end there was no contact and the guy fled but it's grim stuff

[New Bhoy]

fingers crossed someone saw something!

[Nero]

Is the top of Goodrich meaning near Donkey Alley?

[New Bhoy]

Yes - that end

[James Barber]

I'm really sorry to hear about this.

If you live on the parts of Goodrich Road in East Dulwich ward ie. to the west if Dunstan's Road you can ask the East Dulwich Police Safer Neighbourhood Team for a free Selectadnaproperty marking kit. We've provided 1,000 such kits to the local East Dulwich Police which make stealing property utterly pointless.

You'll have been told that once burgled you have a higher chance of a repeat burglary. So please do toughen up your property and tell your neighbours as they are now also at an increased risk of burglary as the burglar will think they know the internal layouts.

[New Bhoy]

thanks James - the safer neighbourhoods team have been round already and gave me the DNA kit (for whats left of my valuables....)

Interestingly the police last night told us there was LESS chance that we would be burgled again.....

[Mark]

Check to see you've still got all the spare keys for your doors and entrances. My friends were burgled and the spare patio door key was subtly removed from a set keys in the kitchen draw. Two months later after they had had everything replaced they were burgled again.

[*Tee*]

very sorry to hear about what happened the exact same thing happened to us and the upstairs flat which was empty at the time. We got a call from our landlord, letting us know we had been broken into, i was mortified as at the time i was in the west end at the time. Whoever it is i think they knew that upstairs was empty, and i was out. I still think someone must have been watching our movements.

i take it,you live in a flat conversion? the burglarys seem to be all of this nature. The looters persume that your own flat door will be weaker than that of the main front door, Which 9 out of 10 is the case including us.Once inside they can close the door, and take any belongings without anyone knowing.I think they also see it as 2 for 1 Bloody thieving B******s

on the plus side you replacing the door to something much stronger, and getting london bars, replacement locks etc, will not see them returning, as they know you are bound to beef up your security. It takes something like this to happen before you realise, its crap i know!

Our flat door, back then was made out of what can only be described as card board, i laugh now, but then it was shocking to deal with. Our door now, is solid and made from one piece of wood. You also need to get a mortice fitted on the main front door, with a thumb turn device on the inside of that door, so that you and your neighbour and get out quickly in emergencies!

hope this helps *Tee*

[James Barber]

Hmmm. We provided the property marking kits in response to research showing the victims home and area around a burglary is more likely to be burgled during the following 3 months. Vacinnating that area with property marking kits has seen a reduction in East Dulwich ward burglaries of 55%. Equally the first 6 months of living at a new address more likely to be burgled.

[helena handbasket]

Being home won't make any difference, we were broken into in the middle of the night, and we have the whole house so they don't always target flats. A few days later the house next door was done, three flats, in daylight. Everything except the location was completely different.

Change all the locks, get a London bar, and make sure the whole neighborhood sees the locksmith's van so word spreads that your house is no longer open for business.

It's just a terrible feeling, I know, and the only good thing for us was that our baby son was still asleep in his room when I realized what happened and ran to find him. Once you have been violated it's very hard to swallow the old "it happens" statements.

[New Bhoy]

thanks everyone. Can I ask a question - whats a "london bar"?

[SeanMacGabhann]

New Bhoy

It's a bar which is pretty much identical to any other bar in London - they all serve reheated Brakes food, don't call themselves gastropubs, but because of the silly prices they charge for this fodder, people often think they are

oh now wait, I see what you meant

What you really want is here

http://www.londonbar.net/

[snowman]

London bar seems to be a really good option but...what if you have an outward opening door like our flat? Is it inherently safer because it cannot be kicked in? or should we be aware of other security devices that could fitted?

[SCSB79]

Sorry to hear about this. We live very close to you so have called the EDSNT for some of the dna stuff and will hopefully have it soon.

[Applespider]

Sorry to hear about this... I was burgled 18 months ago and it is horrid.

Another thing to be sure of is that your mortice lock on the internal flat door has a metal faceplate where the entire body of the bolt's 'home' is embedded into the door frame.

I'd never realised, prior to being burgled, that mine was just the faceplate with the bolt going into the wood of the frame. Result - despite having a London bar, the burglars kicked the door in.

[New Bhoy]

Thanks for all the tips folks - and if anyone did see someone with a Blue holdall please let me know - cheers! A few trips to the DIY stores coming up methinks

[HAL9000]

Multi-bolt locks that throw bolts into the top, sides and bottom of the doorframe afford better security. They are expensive but highly effective, especially if used in addition to conventional door lock(s).

For examples see: http://www.securitech.com/D00-multi-point-locking-alternatives.html (not an endorsement)

[joom]

We had our laptop, camera, flash, ipod, bike lock and wallet stolen in June on Overhill Road. They also took a rucksack to carry the stuff in (the cheek!) We were asleep in the next room which spooked me somewhat. Quite probably the same team. The police said that, more than likely, they would have handed the stuff immediately to someone else, so recovering practically impossible. The wallet was found in the bin with all the cards, so they probably didn't have anyone to pass them onto.

Really sorry to hear your news. Hope you were insured!

[ClareC]

Is there anywhere locally that supply and fit these precautionary measures? I know there is a security firm on LL - does anyone know if they undertake fitting of London Bar's etc / provide general advice on existing security / how to step it up?

[Alabama]

as there's been so many recently - do the police have any evidence to catch the little feckers?

[Mick Mac]

ClareC Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Is there anywhere locally that supply and fit

> these precautionary measures? I know there is a

> security firm on LL - does anyone know if they

> undertake fitting of London Bar's etc / provide

> general advice on existing security / how to step

> it up?

I believe Callow Locksmiths do general security measures, so they should be able to offer advice.

We have a double lock on our door and about a year ago my wife convinced me it was necessary to double lock the door even when we were in, as they can burgle you when you are asleep, they don't care if you are in or not as someone said above. Stay safe.