Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Helentad · 06/07/2017 17:31

Insurance companies tell you to put keys away which is completely the opposite to what you said police have advised. My parents friends followed insurance instructions and had the keys in two different draws and still had issues getting car replaced when it was stollen during a burglary. Think what the police told you is very wrong and could be very very costly.

AnnabelC · 06/07/2017 17:40

It happened to us. I know exactly how you feel. When I woke up and saw my husbands wallet out of place. I made an excuse. Then I went outside to the car. My handbag was down the drive. No car. I just couldn't believe it. The worst thing the insurance company looked at our bank account to see if a large lump sum had been put in. So we were innocent but had to prove it!

MrsMozart · 06/07/2017 17:41

An excess number of dogs (who'd lick people to death, but all of whom have good barks), and an alarm system, but I'll still have the locks checked, thank you OP. Hope you get over this shit event.

Kezzamo · 06/07/2017 17:43

Also make sure the barrel of your lock is as short as possible. It's the extra bit that sticks out that makes it easier to snap. Some newer door handles have a rivet at the bottom so the facia of the handle can't be removed to expose more of the barrel. Ask the attending officers if they can send the "building out" (crime prevention) officer to offer you an assessment. It's free and with car key burglary a priority in most forces if they still have one then they should be able to come an see you

Slimthistime · 06/07/2017 17:46

OP I am sorry to hear this happened to you. Flowers

course " never leave keys in the door as this would invalidate household insurance policies"

sorry if this is a very stupid question, but presume you mean if the keys are visible? I live in a big block of flats and after a big fire 2 doors down I always leave the keys in the door - I don't want to be looking for them in smoke. However, no one can see that I leave the keys in the door and if they pushed through the lock so the keys fell on the floor, there is not enough room for them to have pushed paper through and get them out from under the door. There's 3 keys and a big key ring.

so I'm guessing you mean visible keys or keys that could be pulled under the door to the outside?

nancy75 · 06/07/2017 17:48

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

My parents were burgled by 4 men carrying machetes and knives wearing boiler suits & balaclavas. They held a knife to my mums throat. Sure you wouldn't give them your car keys?

Norfolkgirl1 · 06/07/2017 17:50

I've not read all the messages, but you can have the alarm sensors changed to make allowances for cats and small dogs. We have done this recently. We always set our alarm on leaving the house and going to bed. You can do a partial set at night which sets the alarm downstairs but allows you walk freely upstairs.
I have been burgled twice many years ago, which is why I have an alarm now, and use it. It is a hard lesson to learn, and I remember the feeling of your home having been soiled by these vile lowlifes.
I hope you can move forward from this. x

TitsalinaBumSquash · 06/07/2017 17:51

My grandparents had my uncles swish car parked on their driveway while he was on holiday, they got burgled and my Nan was held at knife point by one of them while the other made my Grandad get the keys, after destroying the bungalow, my nan and grandad then were in their late 80's the scummy fuckers terrified them half to death. 😡

AdoraBell · 06/07/2017 17:52

Place marking while I find out what locks we have.

OhTheRoses · 06/07/2017 17:57

Thank God we live in fort Knox.

Alarmed
Garage which is alarmed
Security lights front and back
Locked side gates
Windows that are locked at half inch wide
All doors have 5 bar locks a third from bottom and a third from top.
My keys are in my handbag which is always by the bed - keys for front, back and side doors
Oh, and electric gates at front of property with light sensors.

Moguie · 06/07/2017 18:04

We were burgled last year. Lock concerns are a waste if time if you have patio/French doors as they pop them within about 6 seconds very easily. We now have reinforced glass on french doors and antisnap locks on them and the front door and the garage 6 different keys for them. Feel like I have the keys to the town

Someone asked about burglar alarms but I can't find the question now so if you want to know what we have had ( we have cat and dog) then please comment!!!

Norfolkgirl1 · 06/07/2017 18:06

Redjoker - Our alarm is installed by a reputable company - not a DIY job. If you have a small dog, it could be ok with the right sensor. Otherwise, choose a room without a sensor to keep your larger dog in when you go out.

jumpingjules · 06/07/2017 18:10

Sorry to hear about your burglary. Been burgled once but we were out thank God.
Re cats and alarm OP, we have a burglar alarm on at night but beware of them selling you pet sensors. They work great for dogs but as you know our feline friends like to be up high. Pet sensors don't work as cats like to jump!
We lock cats in the utility at night and that room has door and window contact sensors not the eye in the sky thing.

Good luck getting it sorted.

MadameJosephine · 06/07/2017 18:18

I was burgled earlier this year, all they took was my handbag and car keys. In fact it took about half an hour of 'where the hell have I put my bag?' before I finally realised and rang the police. Thankfully I don't think the thieves could figure out how to drive my electric car soit was still on the drive. My insurance company arranged for it to be taken away and have the locks changed immediately and I didn't even have to pay the excess

rightwhine · 06/07/2017 18:31

Will get DH to check.
Thanks for the heads up

ssd · 06/07/2017 18:39

scary

how do you check the size of your lock?

Lovingit81 · 06/07/2017 18:48

Totally agree with leaving the keys in sight. Why would you give a shit about the cost when your families life could be at risk? Plus how would the insurance companies know where you hid the keys??? We had it happen years back. Car was eventually found and returned to us! God knows what it had been taken for but it was a very fast car. Got a much more sensible one now Grin

WeAllHaveWings · 06/07/2017 18:49
Justmuddlingalong · 06/07/2017 18:56

Locks changed today. Thanks again OP.

user1469987506 · 06/07/2017 19:03

Also please do not keep your house keys and car keys on same key ring...insane. They get your car...they have access to your house prob from all the details in your handbag. And if you lose your car keys you can't get home....if you do get home you can't get in!!!!

Tweez · 06/07/2017 19:07

So sorry to hear about your burglary Op, it is awful and I know how you feel. We've been burgled three times in our last house. The first time we never had an alarm, they crowbarred open French doors. Took loads of stuff including my Mum's jewellery ( she gave it to me before passing away) I cried for a week. Second time, bikes from shed, it was padlocked, but the bast£&ads simply unscrewed the hinges on the door itself and removed it that way during the night...third was attempted, while son was at home, who scared them off...and WE HAD AN ALARM ON FULL VIEW. If we had been out, it would have gone off, but it seems it didn't deter them and I can't get over that. We moved. I hated the house and it never felt the same after the first burglary. I never knew about anti snap locks, the police never mentioned that, so thank you very much for this.

CuteDogs · 06/07/2017 19:14

@moguie I'm interested to know what type of alarm you have?

Guiseley64 · 06/07/2017 19:29

My Son is a Locksmith (a very good one I might boast). Can I warn people about phoning locksmiths. I live in Leeds and if you were to pick up the yellow pages and dial for a locksmith, you will probably reach a middle man who will take the work and bind you to a contract. They contact a locksmith and contract them to do the work. The locksmith will get £25 - £30 for the work but you'll be charged a couple of hundred pounds by the middle man (per lock).
Get yourself the number of a good, honest Locksmith. One that will only charge for the lock and his time. Oh and while I'm at it these new anti-bump locks with the flat dimpled keys are not un-pickable. My Son picks them with a pick and something cheap attached (he doesn't use a pick-gun).
A couple of years ago my elderly parents asked to have their home security checked by the Police who recommended they change to ABS locks. It cost a fortune and my Son picked them!
Car thieves have robbed his van 3 times at Morrisons car parks and stolen his picks. The Police do nothing and Morrisons have no car park CCTV. Lots of Locksmiths get targeted.

manicmij · 06/07/2017 19:34

Had our locks changed on new build as we knew about "lock bumping". Great advantage is that one key fits all the locks.Don't think I would leave car keys in view of letter box as used by thieves to fish keys out for car etc.

user1476641978 · 06/07/2017 19:54

OP, so sorry to hear this but glad you and DH are physically OK. Just awful.
Re the alarm - We have cats too and you can get sensors etc that take into account pets - even if you had ones that only picked up doors/opening and closing. Also our alarm can be managed via an app which is really handy as if it does go off you can switch it off via your phone if you were confident it was the cat e.g. 'Zone 6, Kitchen' (our cat very occasionally gets on the fridge) defo worth looking into - maybe just don't connect it to the police to start (ours isn't linked to them) if you are worried about cats and see how it goes.
As someone has touched on above - auto theft is usually a professional job and they would have been watching/looking for the car. DH one series BMW was stolen a few years ago and it was found months later being used in burglaries in north London - they'd stolen a ton of 3 litre, one series BMWs (nippy but nothing to look twice at) they were all prosecuted. when it was stolen we found the car lock on the floor and they had carved it out and stopped the car alarm from sounding. As you said also - police told us to leave keys in sight as you don't want to find them whilst they are searching for the keys in your home! But in our case they didn't even need the keys. Defo professionals. All the best OP they are massive dirty cunt bags x