Burgled (afternoon of 14th Dec)

[jimbo1964]

I'm afraid we were the victims of a burglary yesterday afternoon. All of my Nikon camera equipment has been stolen. We've had a temporary repair done to the front door but we will need a new one and I'm waiting to hear from my insurance loss adjuster.

Has anybody used a local company to fit a temporary secure front door? I've just been quoted ?950 from the people who did the emergency repair last night who to be honest seem to be playing the 'don't worry the insurance will pay' card. Until I've spoken to the loss adjuster I don't know if I'll have to bear the cost of this myself and I might not be able to talk to them until tomorrow.

Any advice? I'm a bit stressed.

[Cora]

The locksmiths in Lordship Lane have always been very professional when I've used them - Think they're called Callow something...sorry to sound vague!

[KidKruger]

Sorry to hear about your loss/damage, a real bind.

the chaps telling you 'don't worry the insurance will pay', tell them to do the job on condition you pay them when insurance pays you - seeing as they're so certain..

[jimbo1964]

I've got someone coming round this afternoon who doesn't sound like a charlatan.

[giggirl]

Sorry for your trouble.

Callows on LL are excellent. They might not fit a door but they'll certainly point you to someone local who would.

[Lou]

Sorry to hear you were broken it to...horrible. We used select a door in penge. They were very good, can't totally recall cost, but think it was around the grand mark. This included totally new frame and the most expensive glass & locks.

[sazzle]

Sorry to hear about your burglary.

When i was burgled my insurance company arranged the company to come and fix it, the company they had were very slow at dealing with things and in the end they allowed me to use a local company provided the quote was similar. Defo check with your insurance company how they want you to get things done, but if they offer a company and they are slow to deal with things put some pressure on, and find someone local who can fix it as soon as for you.

Best of luck.

[Dickensman]

1. Measure the door frame top and bottom, and side to side, all in millimetres and draw a rectangle,

The door will need the width of a 50 pence piece deducting on both sides, and top and bottom.

This allows for swelling.

2. Buy the quality door and get it home soonest.

3. Search for a recommended joiner or carpenter and allow a days pay ?120 to ?200 to cut and fit.

Offer an extra forty quid as an inducement to leave his present job to fix your door.

4. Have a deadlock fitted about 18 inches from the floor as this prevents them from booting the door in.

5. Have a second lock, a quality yale type lock fitted at around shoulder level.

6. Have a chain fitted, and a spy hole.

7. The burglars frequently return to give it another go, so what you have fitted had better look awesome enough to leave it alone and do your neighbours place instead.

[Gimme]

You can get an excellent quality door for ?400 quid (or less) and as Dickensman says, a tradesman will fit it for a couple of hundred quid (or less). The ?950 you were quoted for a temporary door is as much of a robbery as the burglary was.

[Applespider]

Very sorry to hear about the burglary; it's a horrible feeling to come home and realise you've been done over.

I'll third Callows as a locksmith; my insurance company arranged for the door to have the locks changed and by default, also changed my door on them. Get two good mortice deadlocks on it (top and bottom) to make it harder to kick in as well as your Yale and make sure you use them even when just nipping out.

Best of luck; if you've got receipts or proof of ownership (even the EXIF data from pics you took with your Nikon help) then loss adjusters can be pretty reasonable so try not to stress too much.

[James Barber]

After having our front door kicked in we improved the locks to Banham and installed London and Manchester bars down the side and funny nobbly things at the hinge side.

If you live in East Dulwich ward you can have free property marking kit. Great deterrent to buglars.

[TJ]

The London Door Company make great doors & very secure.

[Lying Toad]

The Toad agrees with Lou, 'Select a Door' in Penge, opp the police station. Just a terrible thing to happen, it's an abusive invasion of your property and life - so I'm extremely sorry for you.

There is alot of good advice above, but I would also stress to chubb the door at night, and keep your keys out of sight but accessible incase you need to exit quickly. This is perhaps the most terrifying type of burglary, and the really professional ones will just take one or two things and close the door behind so you don't know anything has happened.

TLT

[jimbo1964]

Thanks everyone. We're getting London Door Co in Penge to do it. And they are fitting this week so we'll feel a lot better about it. I think we'll also get an ADT alarm system.

As far as the camera system goes I have all the boxes and serial numbers and like you say I can prove from the metadata that I've been using that system for years. Hopefully the loss adjuster will be reasonable.

[edresi10]

Where did this happen Jimbo?

[concita]

hi,

sorry to hear about your burglary.When it happened to us our insurers recommended Evander Glass and Locks. They do everything in case of criminal breaks in from doors, to lock, laminate windows, safe and alarms. This is their number 01634 297 020.

they are very reasonable as well. In our case the insurance paid for the broken window glass panel.

best wishes and try not to let this ruin your xmas.

[cyberplanes]

Jimbo, If you quote SE magazines to the London Door company you get a 10% discount - see page 27 of the SE21 december issue www.semagazines.co.uk

[jimbo1964]

Thanks everyone. Evander did come from the insurance co to shore up the temporary repair. London Door Company were amazing. They made the fastest custom door they've ever done. Measured it on Wednesday afternoon and fitted it on Saturday. The fitter was lovely and he and his mate worked for eight hours in the horrible conditions on Saturday. I'd recommend them to anyone, a really good company. We're all alarmed up now too so feeling a lot better.