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Original poster

ring doorbell recomendation - burglars coming repeatedly to same house

29 replies

ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:18

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask for advice about burglers?

Dparents living a small village that is being targeted by burglars at the moment.

The burglars have visited several houses and each time they break the french windows, nip into the kitchen, fail to steal anything at all, and then run away. They are large, well built, well fed looking men.

In one house they cased the house one month, then broke in the next month, then came back again two weeks later, each time failing to steal anything. They did take a set of car keys but then threw them in a hedge, when they found that they were not for a valuable car. (All footage on ring doorbell)

They've now visited my parents' house and smashed their window and taken nothing.

I wondered if anybody might know what this is about? Also if you have any recommendation of how to choose and install a ring security camera or doorbell?

I don't know much about it and I looked on the website and there seem to be dozens of options.

Thanks!

OP posts:
NetballHoop · 04/02/2025 14:21

That sounds terrifying.

We bought a Eufy one which doesn't need a paid subscription. I think the Ring ones do need a sub.

It wouldn't be any help if someone tried to break in via the French windows at the back though.

Redglitter · 04/02/2025 14:24

I'd get a hard wired one if its for your parents, saves faffing about changing the battery. I've got a Ring doorbell at the front door and a Ring camera at the back door. Subscription is the one downside but I live alone so I think its worth it

ThisIsMyYearToFindMyself · 04/02/2025 14:24

Sounds very odd. Are they looking for (and failing to find) something specific?

myplace · 04/02/2025 14:26

Has anyone been trying to buy the houses or the land?

Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:27

@ThisIsMyYearToFindMyself Yes I think they want a specific car.

I wonder if they are stealing to order and the man has the car they want.

My parents don't have anything interesting, unless you count a large supply of kitkats.

OP posts:
Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:27

@myplace no, I don't think so.

OP posts:
Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:27

Is it possible to have an outdoor security camera without having a bright spotlight on it?

OP posts:
Yiayoula · 04/02/2025 14:31

Redglitter · 04/02/2025 14:24

I'd get a hard wired one if its for your parents, saves faffing about changing the battery. I've got a Ring doorbell at the front door and a Ring camera at the back door. Subscription is the one downside but I live alone so I think its worth it

Us too, @Redglitter - the hard wired version is definitely worth it .

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 04/02/2025 14:32

Are the police acting on the footage they already have? Because if not, what's the point in getting more?

BurglarAndSwag · 04/02/2025 14:33

Hmmm, Kitkats, you say...🤔

Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:34

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat yes they are. One guy has already been picked up, but the others are still coming back for more. We're wondering how to stop that because my parents really don't want more unexpected visitors.

I've seen people on MN talking about ring cameras and I'm wondering if I should try to convince my parents to get one, and which it would be. They take a lot of persuading for stuff like that, and I know nothing about it.

OP posts:
Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:35

@BurglarAndSwag nice name change. Kitkats are very nice, certainly.

OP posts:
Preoo · 04/02/2025 14:36

I love my eufy, I used to have a ring doorbell but when it died switched over to eufy as no subscription to keep the video, as its just on an sd card.

Sodthesystem · 04/02/2025 14:36

Big sign on the lawn - 'burglars will be shot'.

Or 'beware the dog' if you want to be nice.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 04/02/2025 14:37

ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:34

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat yes they are. One guy has already been picked up, but the others are still coming back for more. We're wondering how to stop that because my parents really don't want more unexpected visitors.

I've seen people on MN talking about ring cameras and I'm wondering if I should try to convince my parents to get one, and which it would be. They take a lot of persuading for stuff like that, and I know nothing about it.

I'd have thought a large and aggressive dog might be more worthy as a purchase than a Ring doorbell then. Co incidentally, I've got a barky, aggressive terrier I could rent you...

Invisablepanic · 04/02/2025 14:39

Depends on how much you want to spend. We have a Verisure system, with a doorbell camera, door and window sensors and a living room camera. All linked to a control centre that gets notified if anything trips, they contact us and we confirm a code word but if we didn't they are supposed to contact the police. It's £40 per month,which I'm happy to pay, it has massively reduced my anxiety around burglary (I had a horrible experience as a teen with burglary).

I can't remember how much it was to set up, maybe £2-300?

Boredlass · 04/02/2025 14:42

I wouldn’t get one that depends on WiFi. My neighbours house keeps getting broken into and they use a WiFi blocker. I have security where this doesn’t matter but police don’t care and won’t do a thing anyway despite having their faces clearly on screen and in the act. I just use mine as a deterrent and hope they don’t bother with me

Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 14:44

Gosh! I had no idea that wifi blockers were a thing. The burglars had balaclavas on so their faces didn't show either. Very complicated.

I don't think a dog is on the cards really. I think that would be more trouble than the burglars. Oddly the do have a "beware of the dog" sign, but no actual dog.

OP posts:
Cookerhood · 04/02/2025 14:44

I would get a local security firm to put up proper CCTV.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 04/02/2025 15:15

I don't think I understand. Other people have CCTV or Ring doorbells etc, but they are still being broken into. The miscreants are covering their faces so they can't be identified. The police seem to be having limited success with prosecution despite video being obtained. Why would your parents getting a Ring doorbell prevent them from being broken into? I'd have thought some kind of security doors that can't be easily smashed through would be a better use of money? Am I missing something?

Original poster
ByJimeny · 04/02/2025 15:26

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat the police are using the video footage and have already picked up one of the criminals. I was thinking that if my parents got a camera too, it might help.

I'm not sure really what to do, but it's the only thing I can think of.

In reality, probably the insurance company will be really slow and they will have no proper door for a week, which is not that useful. I'd be getting on to a good window company and getting the doors replaced with something really strong, but DF prefers to wait for the insurance company.

When we got burgled some years ago we got our doors replaced with new ones that have box girders in them to make them hard to break through, We've never been bothered by burglers since then.

But then we don't have so many kitkats...

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 04/02/2025 15:30

Definitely get a hard wired Ring and outside lights, preferably with motion trigger. Do you parents have a dog? They can make a lot of noise.

CombatBarbie · 04/02/2025 15:44

Hmmmm wonder if we are in same area (SW Scotland) as we are having very similar incidents. Started early dec although they don't seem to be retargetting same houses.

In any case, due to something else I have the ring doorbell and two internal cameras. One in kitchen and one on top stairs but looking down.

Invisablepanic · 04/02/2025 15:53

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 04/02/2025 15:15

I don't think I understand. Other people have CCTV or Ring doorbells etc, but they are still being broken into. The miscreants are covering their faces so they can't be identified. The police seem to be having limited success with prosecution despite video being obtained. Why would your parents getting a Ring doorbell prevent them from being broken into? I'd have thought some kind of security doors that can't be easily smashed through would be a better use of money? Am I missing something?

That's why I went for a system with door and window sensors (sets off a noisy alarm and contacts a centre), I don't overly see the point of just cameras either.

Not quite the same but we have an issue in our local area with a group of young kids, not going into houses but sheds and cars and generally being a nuisance/stealing bikes. So many people have good pictures of the main boy, who looks about 13, I don't understand why the police haven't been to all the highschools in the area (there's not that many) and figured out who he is. There's reports every few days on FB so quite prolific, surely you would think it would be worth some effort?

Velmy · 04/02/2025 16:01

They're absolutely after car keys, and doorbell cameras won't deter them sadly.