Burglary today (on Dunstans Road)

[Broyal]

Got burgled today on Dunstans Road. Door smashed in and laptops and money stolen. Have seen a few mentions of similar burglaries so posting to posting to let everyone know. I was out for an hour and twenty minutes and several neighbours were home. Stay vigilant and make sure you lock everything!

[James Barber]

Hi Broyal,

I'm really sorry to hear you suffered from a burglary.

If you need a free property marking kit contact me.

You might like to undertake this online survey about how protected your home is - I found it really useful and fixing things / upgrading house protection has been keeping me busy - https://goo.gl/gGG3BT

[Sue]

Thanks James, I just did the survey, it was useful.

[IlonaM]

Yes, very useful survey. Have passed it on to other friends and family.

[mynamehere]

I've also done the survey and passed it on. Thanks!

[Broyal]

Hi James,

Thank you for your message and the survey. Really useful. I have the Smart Water marking pen having registered a while back. Now looking to get new doors installed. Have been in my property without so much as an attempted break-in over 26 years. I hope this is a one-off!

[PeckhamRose]

Back to Broyal's opening post, I am so sorry to read this but a point you made about the neighbours were home, bega the question did they not hear anything? Did they call police etc? I hope the police act promptly. Best wishes to you.

[James Barber]

Hi Broyal,

i hate to be negative but burglars have a propensity to repeat - not just the same victim but neighbours as well.

The latter as they think neighbours typically very similar home layout and goods. Former because you'll get replacement stuff.

if you have a wooden door frame I would suggest you get a Manchester and London bar and those bolts things that stick out from the door on hinge side that made it so much hard to break door down. Ensure you have good windows locks or bolts for sash windows.

Please do tell your neighbours - they are at risk now. And ideally they'd be 'inoculated' from this by knowing.

[Shamos]

Dear Broyal,

Sorry to hear what has happened. I will be doing the survay, as my sons bike was stolen earlier this week

Sham

[Lcpt]

We've just had our house broken into a few hours ago, around the corner in St aidans Road. They also kicked the door down

[James Barber]

I really can't emphasis that to fully understand how to protect your home better this survey is the bees knees and it only takes 5 minutes - https://goo.gl/gGG3BT

Hi Lcpt,

This is terrible.

When we had this happen to us it took some time to get over it. In the mean time we installed a Manchester bar and a London bar protecting re enforcing the wooden door frame. We also added bolts projecting from the door on the hinge side. That then meant the back door needed to be looked at and window locks.

I hate to be miserable about this but burglars have a tendency to repeat on the same victims and their neighbours. So you need to upgrade your home security and tell all your neighbours so they also act to avoid becoming victims. The Met call this cocooning. The research I've read is to treat burglaries esp. as infectious diseases that we need to inoculate through home security upgrades against.

[Angharad_L]

That's all very well unless you rent and can't do any upgrades...