To no the lock my door?

[FutureMrsRanj]

Imagine this has been done to death but have just seen another thread where the op is being to,d to lock her door, is this normal? In the day? I don't think I know any door lockers but maybe I should start in case of burglars, I did wonder when reading a thread this evening as DC were asleep upstairs and I don't think I would hear from sitting room if someone quietly wandered in through front door, ddog would either greet them enthusiastically or carry on snoring

Our local police say 'remember to lock your door every time you leave the house, even just to the back garden'.
That implies to me that they don't expect us to be locked in at all times while we're in the house.

Why does it depend where you live? Are some areas unburglable?

Good point, museumum! Does anyones local police advise them to always lock the front door no matter what, unless you are actually walking through it?

Nobody answered me about children playing outside either. Are they all locked out while you are indoors, or are they not allowed out?

Why does it depend where you live? Are some areas unburglable?

Some are, yes. And some are far less likely than others, and some have other security measures that mean a locked door doesn't make a difference either way, etc etc.....

West Yorkshire Police's advice on door locking:

www.westyorkshire.police.uk/help-advice/crime-prevention/your-home/sneak

including the statement 'There may be many occasions when it is deemed ‘OK’ to leave the door unlocked, you’re just nipping round to the neighbours for five minutes, you’re hanging out the washing, doing a bit of gardening, sat in the front room watching TV or popping to the shop. It should never be ‘OK’ to leave a door unlocked and getting into the habit of locking doors and windows is extremely important'. It also says that about 20-25% of burglaries were through unlocked doors or windows.

I don't know what type of area they were thinking about when writing the advice, but it is a large diverse county that includes all areas from rough inner city, extremely naice suburbs, rural and fairly remote farming country and very wealthy rural areas.

BarbaraofSeville, in fairness I don't think a burglar who didn't know our area would have much luck. There is a neighbourhood watch in the village with an e-mail database so everyone would know really quickly if there was a stranger wandering around.

I can see any approaching vehicle from my kitchen sink. They would then have to park, open the garden gate and walk the last 40 yards to the house (as I have to when I lug my shopping home). And they would get accosted by a big bouncy dog hoping for a treat. Once they got to the house I can't imagine what they would want to steal. We don't have up-to-date electronics or designer clothes that could be sold on ebay and it was hard enough getting the furniture into the house, so it would be just as hard to get it out again.

I think I would find living somewhere that required me to be more security conscious really hard.

Well they are saying going to the shops and leaving it unlocked and sitting in your living room watching tv.....which would sound pretty odd to someone whose front door opened into their living room!

But advice that is designed to cover every and all situation isn't actually going to be relevant to all, by its nature.

Again, I'm not saying that people should not lock their doors, that the advice is bad, or that people are doing anything wrong. Only that its uneccessary to call people fools or stupid for not doing so, if they have told you that in their circumstances they feel there is no need.

It's a bit like saying that if you don't want a baby, use contraception. Good advice, well said, put it on a leaflet. But if I've had a hysterectomy there is no need to call me an idiot for not using contraception, is there?

Well they are saying going to the shops and leaving it unlocked and sitting in your living room watching tv
...is the analogous in risk, that was meant to say.

By some peoples reaoning we would never open our windows either then? I am sure that many burglars get in through windows at night/when people are out.

Mine is never locked unless needed to be for work or at night/when out.

Its not a prison!

Posted too soon
So we shouldnt open our windows when we are in 'in case a burglar gets in'?

I lock both my front and side doors all the time, I can't see either from the sitting room so who knows who could wander in. I live in the countryside and feel safe but you just never know

I don't know anybody who locks their doors when they are in! (unless in bed) I'm sat now with the back Dior actually wide open (I like fresh air) and the front door is unlocked!

"if your were burgled, one of the first questions is about how they obtained access.
If it is not forced entry, because they just walked in, the claim may not be processed in the way you would like!"

This ^^

My insurance policy states:

"We will not cover loss or damage by theft, unless someone has broken into or out of a building by using force and violence or deception to get in"

We are with Aviva BTW. It doesn't say whether the house has to be occupied, but it looks like if force or deception wasn't used then we wouldn't have a valid claim.

We don't always lock the door when we are in if we are downstairs within sight or sound of the door, but if we are in the garden or upstairs it always gets locked. DD is 16 so doesn't go out to play, and she has her own key anyway.

I never lock my doors when I'm in. Even if I have a nap.
It also doesn't invalidate my insurance.

All I know is that there are sneak in burglars operating in our area (I personally know people who have had cars, electronics or jewellry stolen by this method) and what people do is walk along a road trying doors until they find one that opens.

Therefore, by making sure our door is locked, it is much less likely to be me that is a victim of this sort of crime.

Home invasions are rather common in my area. It's hard to steal a car without the keys, so they simply barge in, threaten the homeowners, sometimes injuries occur, and take the keys. Also they raid the homes for jewellery. A house 5 or 6 doors down was invaded last January. A knife held to a 7 year old's throat. Homeowners have been beaten severely.

Yes, I always lock the door.

It does negate your insurance policy. Go have a read. If entry is gained through open windows and unlocked doors, no payout.

It comes down to statistics doesn't it? In London, Leeds or any urban area I'd lock doors when inside in the day as the statistical probability of an intruder is higher. As I live in a rural area where any kind of intruder would be front page news I only lock the doors (and they don't lock automatically) when I go to bed or am going out, even then we are a bit slack probably. Never lock the car doors either, drives me mad when London visitors do as I break my fingernails! I am so grateful to live without the fear of crime. I've lived in both environments so it's something I really appreciate.

We are shamefully bad at this! We live in the arsehole of nowhere and frequently forget even on the school run frequently greeted by whatsapps from neighbour with I put such and such in your fridge or (indeed removed such and such from your cake tin). Mind you somewhere in the depth of their pickup they do actually have a key if required. We do actually lock up at night and on longer trips

It does negate your insurance policy. Go have a read. If entry is gained through open windows and unlocked doors, no payout

It may negate your insurance policy, that does not extend to ALL.

Have you rung yours to clarify Narky? Please can you tell us who they are as I imagine we'd all like to avoid the probable super high premiums!

My sister used to work in insurance - she practically fell off her chair laughing at the idea that anyone would get a successful claim if someone's been able to simply walk in through an unlocked door...

I can't imagine not locking my door! I don't exactly live in the ghetto ether

My front door locks automatically, but it wouldn't occur to me to lock it if it didn't. My back door is always unlocked occasionally even when I leave the house. I live in a rural village in a very low crime area. Dh rarely bothers to lock his car.

You need a key to open my door at work and at home so no i don't. My boss does. I've noticed when I arrive at work the door is always locked and I know her husband leaves early.