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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think this is nuts? Police breaking/entering into homes?

102 replies

RoseRedder · 11/11/2013 11:05

Firstly this is on the BBC website so I'm guessing this must true/truish?

It says

*Police enter homes as break-in warning

6 November 2013 Last updated at 21:53 GMT

South Yorkshire Police have adopted an unusual tactic to help warn people about the risks of burglary - by breaking in to homes themselves.

Officers attempt to enter unlocked houses, and leave a balloon to alert the residents about the ease of their entrance.

Joe Inwood reports.*

This can't be right can it? Does this mean the police can now enter your home without a warrant if they can get in somehow?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24842680

OP posts:
YoureBeingASillyBilly · 11/11/2013 23:14

Lets hope the fire brigade dont start setting 'pretend' fires in our homes to teach us a lesson!

RoseRedder · 11/11/2013 23:15

but if you leave your door or windows unlocked when your in the house, when your are in the house surely thats up to you.

My backdoor is always opn for the children running in and out, when I am in the house.

The problem lies with the burgarlers not the people being burgarled

OP posts:
Dahlen · 11/11/2013 23:17

It's not always necessary to have a warrant to enter someone's home, but there have to be grounds is my understanding of police powers of entry.

That issue aside, the cynic in me says that if any of the Chief Constables endorsing this are reading MN right now, the practise will soon stop as they forsee the potential cost of being sued for someone's anaphylactic shock reaction. Wink

Some constabularies have a cardboard calling card - sometimes shaped like a footprint or something - with a message along the lines of "if we can leave this footprint here, a burglar could too."

I don't disagree with that in principle. If it's uncomfortable to think of the police entering your home uninvited, think about how much more uninviting it would be if a burglar or violent offender did.

But I agree that people have every right to leave their doors and windows unlocked if that's what they choose to do. And while it makes them more vulnerable to opportunistic crime, that in no way lessens the culpability of the offender.

FortyDoorsToNowhere · 11/11/2013 23:18

I know how to keep my home safe, all keys are put in the top draw, all important paperwork is kept in the safe. Doors and windows locked when nobody is in.

I like my windows open and I like keeping my side door open ( if there was a fire in the kitchen I don't want to spend precious minutes opening the door)

It seem patronising

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 11/11/2013 23:20

I agree forty

RoseRedder · 11/11/2013 23:20

and everyone should feel safe in there own home with the police actually doing something like preventing and catching burgarlers rather than posting balloons through someone's back door.

They should follow it up with actually meeting the homeowner and discussing security

But it's all a bit blaming the victim rather than the criminal

OP posts:
LimitedEditionLady · 11/11/2013 23:29

I can see why people are uneasy with it but is it not preventative measures by reminding people to lock doors etc?The amount of times for instance my gran leaves the door ajar because she is expecting me ( in not a good area but she is oblivious to bad) and leaves her keys in the door without thinking wait a minute anyone could come in here is scary.my oh will fall asleep downstairs at night without locking up and it scares me.I think its good and it will have a better impact than a leaflet through the letterbox or a ad in the paper.obviously noone is telling anyone they have to do that but surely most people would rather prevent a crime happening to them than suffer afterthought?

LimitedEditionLady · 11/11/2013 23:32

I dont think we should see this as blaming the victim,of course noone would say that theyre to blame,noone who leaves a doir or eindow unlocked is asking a burglar to enter i think the police are trying to lessen the chance by saying these are the steps you COULD take.

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 11/11/2013 23:35

Btw- someone said upthread about keys/handbags in the hall. I leave mine there intentionally because i think if someone's after my purse or car then i want them in and out of my house as quick as possible and not risk my dcs being terrified by a stranger coming into their room looking for keys or money.

SouthernComforts · 11/11/2013 23:38

... And then the burglar walks down the street looking for houses with a plastic sack of breath bobbing around by the door and in they go..

ChippingInLovesAutumn · 11/11/2013 23:38

This would piss me off hugely. We live in a reasonably nice area. We have lived here for 4 years (and many years ago for 9 years). I don't lock my front door - when the weather is mild enough (as it still is this month so far) it is wide open, along with the windows, pretty much whenever I am home, until I go to bed. I live here, it is my home, I get to decide if the door is open or closed. A policeman entering my home 'to prove a point' would piss me off - well intentioned or not.

I don't need 'reminding' to lock doors and live as if I am in Downtown LA!

YoureBeingASillyBilly · 11/11/2013 23:41

Good point southern. Switched on burglars will easily work out what officers are in balloon duty on any given day and follow from a 'safe' distance.

RoseRedder · 11/11/2013 23:49

just thinking about it though. Could they not just put an uninflated balloon through the letter box of a locked door then blow it up from the outside and tie it and then the police balloon will be there? Freaking everyone out

Overthinking , much stopping watching CSI/Criminal Minds

OP posts:
KungFuBustle · 12/11/2013 00:02

This would worry me. My dog is protective, if I answer and let you in he'll lick you to bits. Heaven help you if you come in unannounced (as idiot delivery guy did a month back wrong bloody house too).

I'd hate to think a policeman was bitten by or attacked by someone for a frippery like this. Yes, unlocked doors and windows easier then locked. Doesn't mean I don't want fresh air, or that I have to lock the door when my DS plays out.

BackOnlyBriefly · 12/11/2013 00:02

I'm with those saying that you have a right to leave a door unlocked or window open if you want to. If they came in my place to give me unwanted advice I'd make some suggestions for things they might like to do.

LimitedEditionLady · 12/11/2013 07:16

Is it really something to get annoyed about though?they arent saying theyll arrest people for leaving a door open theyre trying to advise people on security to reduce crime.surely thats their duty?

pouffepants · 12/11/2013 07:43

I never lock anything. I'm not a fan of anything that hypes up the already overinflated fear of crime tbh. And victim blames in the process. I think it's the equivalent of telling people it's their fault for leaving themselves vulnerable by dressing 'inappropriately'.

I've not locked my car or house for 18 years, day or night. I have lived on various council estates in SE during this time. For 5 years on the worst renowned one in the area. Where are these burglaries? I've never known anyone to be broken into. And I'm a delivery driver with loads of regular customers who just ask me to pop things inside their door, so clearly they never lock up either.

wanderings · 12/11/2013 07:59

I'm very much on the police's side here; it's a case of they're damned if they do, and damned if they don't. Invasion of privacy by the police? I'd want them telling me about gaps in my defences! Invasion by burglary is ten times bigger.

It's very easy to take the view "burglary will never happen to me". Until it does.

Someone who grew up in a "nice" area where everyone leaves their doors open who then moves to a rougher area is in for a shock. In the habit of visiting the village newsagents on your bike for a paper? In a different area, that bike would be gone in thirty seconds.

Leaflet delivery people? Apart from the fact that many of us despise junk through our doors, it wouldn't surprise me at all if some of them also have the duty of quietly trying door handles on their rounds, noting which ones open easily.

Some professional thieves tour "nice" areas; firstly because that's where the money is, and secondly because they know everyone thinks "crime never happens here". Some of them sit in parked cars, to observe people's habits and routines.

Cars used to be stolen a lot, because it was easy to "hotwire" them if you knew how. Nowadays, it's much harder, so there is less car theft these days. If we all made it harder for burglars, there would be less of that, too.

Yes, it's sad that we have to be so defensive, and in an ideal world, people would respect each other's property. The police are demonised all the time for many things, yet here they are actually trying to help.

Strumpetron · 12/11/2013 08:19

I never lock anything. I'm not a fan of anything that hypes up the already overinflated fear of crime tbh. And victim blames in the process. I think it's the equivalent of telling people it's their fault for leaving themselves vulnerable by dressing 'inappropriately'.

Shine a light. Have you got house/content insurance? It most certainly won't be covered if you're not locking doors. And can't believe you've compared it to rape victims.

It's not victim blaming it's expecting people to take necessary precautions when they are able to, to protect themselves their families and their possessions. It's silly not to do so just because you think you shouldn't have to. No you shouldn't have to, there's a lot of things we shouldn't have to do but there you go, it's for our own safety.

pouffepants · 12/11/2013 08:19

Would you be as happy about them going around pointing out 'inappropriate' clothing? That is deemed less safe.

pouffepants · 12/11/2013 08:20

No insurance, there'd be no point.

LittleMissCrankyPants · 12/11/2013 08:24

They've been going around our area trying car doors at night, it they're open they're knocking on doors to let people know how easily they could have had stuff stolen.

pouffepants · 12/11/2013 08:25

Of course rape is more serious. But it's comparable in terms of restricting lives just to avoid crime.

The more people that avoid going out at night, the more dangerous it is for others who have to since they're more vulnerable alone. It's the same with letting kids out to play. If there were groups of kids everywhere then they'd look out for each other. Now even if you try to resist societal changes, it means you have to let your kids walk alone to further off places to find others who might be allowed out, thus making them more vulnerable, purely because others are trying to avoid all risk. (Which is understandable, but annoying)

hyenafunk · 12/11/2013 08:26

I like this idea actually. I'm very safety conscious and have told DH off so many times for leaving the front door unlocked. He thinks it's fine because we're obviously in and they wouldn't burgle a house where people were in Hmm.

I think this would be a nice wake up call for a lot of people. Despite the campaigns to make people lock doors/windows, keep valuables out of sight, not leave keys near or in the door etc so many people still do it. Maybe it takes a shock like this to make people realise.

Takver · 12/11/2013 08:30

I think they'd get laughed at if they did it here - or people would assume they were bored and offer them a cuppa Grin

But then I live in an area where - more than once - when my dps were house hunting they were told that the door would be left open and they were welcome to go in and look around the property if the owner wasn't in!

And re. insurance - it is still well worth having insurance because of the risk of fire / flood / etc even in a very low crime area.

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