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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell you to change your locks

199 replies

Palomb · 05/07/2017 14:01

If you have euro type barrel locks on any of your doors they are not secure. We were burgled last night for my husbands car. The scum that did it snapped the lock on our back door with a tool you can buy on ebay for less than a quid. We were asleep in the room above with the windows wide open and didn't hear a thing.

All out locks are currently being changed to anti snap locks. They are only £40 each. We had no idea lock snapping was even a thing.

Also, while I'm being bossy, if you have more than one car don't have all the keys on one key ring. I have to get all the locks changed on my car and it's going to cost £500+ this is not covered by my insurance. Keep your keys seperate. You can only drive one car at a time.

OP posts:
coursedarlin · 05/07/2017 18:12

When the police visited us regarding the car being stolen they checked the upvc door and told us that we should always lock from the inside and never leave keys in the door as this would invalidate household insurance policies. They also said not to leave any keys in view. They said that people would just smash the window and gain access easily. It just might be worth checking policies

HolaWeenie · 05/07/2017 18:18

Sorry op, absolutely horrible thing to have happen to you, utter scumbags to think they can take something you work hard for.

Thank you for the warning, fortunately we moved home last year and had the locks changed to high security locks and have an alarm which we set at night, but i will let people know about Euro locks.

My sister in law lives one road away and is currently renovating, new doors and alarm were on the list of things to upgrade, but they were burgled before they had the chance, on the cctv from the shop opposite you see a man just shoulder barge their plastic door! There was no resistance whatsoever.

BitOutOfPractice · 05/07/2017 18:24

Thecaputalsunited indeed, the building regs rather contradict each other, particularly with ADQ now in force. No wonder householders are confused.

Angeldt · 05/07/2017 18:31

My friend was burgled , they knew nothing about it until the morning. Two people had got in , one was doing the business downstairs and the other sat on the top of the stairs keeping an eye on them asleep in bed - their 8 year old daughter also on view from her bed. How did they know - he smoked a cigarette whilst sat there !

Justmuddlingalong · 05/07/2017 18:45

I've just measured my lock and ordered a new 3* anti snap one. It's an absolute doddle to measure. Check YouTube if you need help. Also check out the videos of how easy it is to break the euro locks. Chilling.

DonttouchthatLarry · 05/07/2017 18:59

A friend of mine was woken by masked men in her bedroom demanding the keys to her car - there was only her, her young daughter and elderly mother in the house.

I'd rather them take the keys (all ours are hanging on a key rack in the kitchen) than be threatened in my own bed. Cars can be replaced. Not that anyone would want our cars so we're probably safe Wink

Original poster
Palomb · 05/07/2017 19:20

I'm glad to hear that my post has make a few people change their locks. I am so disgusted that millions of people's homes are insecure!!

I'm now having a battle with DH who is eying up similarly high spec cars. I just can't see the pointI can't go through this again. He says he won't changes his life but if we get burgled again for his car I'll worry that I'll hold him responsible!

OP posts:
BlueSunset · 05/07/2017 19:36

I wouldn't give anyone the keys. I have a real bee in my bonnet about people taking things they're not entitled to!

MeanAger · 05/07/2017 19:40

I wouldn't give anyone the keys.

Do you mean if someone broke in and was standing over you with a baseball bat demanding them you wouldn't give them over?

I saw a horrible interview a few year ago on this morning where a man was burned with an electric iron on his back so he would give up the valuables in his house. His wife was there and his granddaughter was in the other bedroom being kept company by one of the other burglars. Horrible. I'd give anyone whatever they wanted to prevent my children going through that.

Original poster
Palomb · 05/07/2017 20:18

I wouldn't give anyone the keys

Of course you would.

OP posts:
Gingerandgivingzerofucks · 05/07/2017 20:30

The police officer actually told us to leave the keys in plain sight as it's better they just get them Than go rooting around the house

I've been told this too. If they can't get the car the first time, they'll keep trying.

I know a police officer who has a lock slip which she uses to access properties when she gets calls for welfare, often older people who have fled out of bed, can't get up or someone has died in the property. She is mostly successful at getting in without damaging locks. She bought it off eBay. Shock

Original poster
Palomb · 05/07/2017 20:41

The police officer that came to mine showed me her piece of plastic she uses to access properties with Yale locks.

Tbh it has completely changed the way I feel about home security. I want to build a machine gun turret.

OP posts:
PyongyangKipperbang · 05/07/2017 20:42

I wouldn't give anyone the keys. I have a real bee in my bonnet about people taking things they're not entitled to!

So your material possessions are more important to you than say....your childs peace of mind? You would rather have your child scared out of their wits and suffering PTSD for the rest of their lives because you and they are being threatened rather than hand over the keys of your car?

Interesting.

Chickydoo · 05/07/2017 20:43

So sorry to hear
We have been burgled it's horrid & so upsetting.
💐

Original poster
Palomb · 05/07/2017 21:18

It's awful :(

Thank you x

OP posts:
anchor9 · 05/07/2017 21:35

terrifying Sad glad no one was hurt Flowers

WhooooAmI24601 · 05/07/2017 22:08

Our next door neighbours were burgled specifically for their cars a few years back; the burglars knew exactly what they were doing because they didn't touch a single thing while they searched. The owners were so upset by it (it took a long, long time for them to find the keys while they and their young DCs were asleep upstairs) and they ended up selling up shortly afterwards.

The police who visited asking for statements said that they recommend keeping keys easily accessible because far better a burglar finds what they wants and buggers off quickly than spend time searching and waking a family member. I remember recoiling in absolute horror at the thought of one of the DCs finding someone going through our house, so have always stuck with that advice.

BitOutOfPractice · 06/07/2017 05:58

I wouldn't give anyone the keys. I have a real bee in my bonnet about people taking things they're not entitled to!

What a ridiculous statement! Not just the idea that they'd rather be physically or mentally scarred, but the implication that everyone else would merrily and happily hand over their car keys is ludicrous.

thecapitalsunited · 06/07/2017 08:31

BlueSunset, I guarantee that you'd hand over the keys pretty quickly when faced with the possibility of scalding water being poured over your kids. Thieves who steal high end cars are part of organised crime gangs, not your common variety burglar who just wants to get in and out as quickly as possible. If they come to your house for your car, they won't leave until they get it. No matter what.

TabascoToastie · 06/07/2017 11:06

The car thing freaks me out. I don't own a car but there are some two nice cars parked in my driveway (3-story house converted into 3 flats, but it looks like a single-occupancy home).

Lonecatwithkitten · 06/07/2017 15:32

I don't want to piss on your parade, but having had burglars be in and out breaking high security locks and hinges and take £35Ks worth of stuff in under 15 minutes. I was told the police that the only way to prevent the totally determined burglar is to live in a property with no windows and a single high security steel door locked by a high security padlock with anticut padlock guard.

As the police officer pointed out that is no way to live your life

BarbarianMum · 06/07/2017 15:44

The police officer actually told us to leave the keys in plain sight as it's better they just get them Than go rooting around the house

What weve been told is to make sure the keys are out of sight to anyone looking in through the front/back door (eg looking through letterbox) but easily findable to anyone whose already broken in.

Our cars are easily the oldest/cheapest/most beaten up in our street our entire neighbourhood so I doubt anyone would break in to steal them, then again I've known people be burgled for a 10 year old VHS recorder (or maybe that's all they could find).

Sorry this has happened to you OP Flowers

Whatthefoxgoingon · 06/07/2017 15:59

If you have expensive cars, you should definitely be upgrading home security as well. We have cctv, an extensive burglar system with PIRs, indoor security cameras, panic button upstairs, 5 point mortice door lock, a steel reinforced front door and frame that is impossible to kick in by one person.

No home is 100% safe but you can make sure yours is definitely a difficult one to break into.

m0therofdragons · 06/07/2017 16:33

Our next door neighbour is a retired police inspector and, after showing us how easy it is to break into our home said that actually if they want to get in they will and so it makes little difference on the lock type. We put the chain across at night as it makes me feel a bit more secure!

Skittykitty · 06/07/2017 16:38

I wouldn't give anyone the keys. I have a real bee in my bonnet about people taking things they're not entitled to!

If give them the keys, my purse, my PIN number, my jewellery, and the leftovers from the bloody fridge if it got them out of the house and away from my kids without harming anyone.

I was in an armed robbery at work once and the thought if trying to protect any of the stuff didn't even cross my mind. I unlocked the cash register and unlocked the cigarette kiosk and stepped back out of the way while they took their fill of both.

Stuff can be replaced, people can't.