AIBU to leave the house unlocked when my husband is out late?

[PurpleLovecats]

AIBU to go to bed and leave the house unlocked?

I always do this when DH is out late, figure the dog will bark if anyone enters but my friend is horrified!

My cousin was burgled during the day when she was at the back of the house. Two big dogs they did bark but by the time they got from back to front (kitchen door was closed so she had to go open it) the burglar had taken her bag and keys from the front hallway.

Im the same my husband goes out every thursday night and i leave the door unlocked for him, we live in a nice, quiet area. Also have a dog that would let me know..

But a “nice quiet area” is ideal for a thief - nobody to disturb their work or to come to your rescue!
All three of our burglaries were in “nice quiet” areas!

FFS please wise up!!

Tell the knobhead to take a key with him like a normal functional adult.

Don't let his laziness compromise your security.

Also, if you're completely sure you're in the right why bother posting on aibu?

This is one of those things that you can probably 'get away' with doing your entire life without an issue, but I just couldn't. I live practically in the middle of nowhere down a lane where most people probably don't know there's even a house. No-one would hear me scream, etc. I do have two very vocal dogs that might scare off a casual burglar, but if a fully committed ill-intentioned person comes in, the barking won't do much good. They'd probably just kill my poor dogs and get down to whatever nefarious purpose brought them here. The dogs might buy me a couple of startled minutes. At least if the door's locked I'd hope to have a bit more warning.

So no, for my peace of mind, I don't leave the door unlocked. DH carries a key when he leaves home, as do I. It's just a matter of changing your habits and remembering to carry a key (or having one well hidden outside, if that's an option where you live), but if you aren't bothered that's entirely up to you, of course.

I mean my front door can't be opened without a key so the act of shutting it would lock it to a degree. Then you just put the double lock on when you go out/to bed for extra security.

I would never leave a door that was openable from the outside unlocked at any point in the day. It would invalidate your insurance and you'd look like an absolute mug explaining how you were burgled with no forced entry?

Why wouldn't it. The house is occupied

Ok chill everyone!

I am alive and well.

our house is in a residential road, low crime. Very dilapidated looking so really not a house a burglar would choose.
I honestly don’t think anyone would enter if they heard the dog bark, she sounds quite threatening.

But I’ll bear all your comments in mind.

OMG! Did you hear them when you were WFH? I wonder if they knew you were in? Several homes got burgled down the street from us in the middle of the day recently. All of the residents were out - I (perhaps naively) thought that by WFH, our home is safer!

I think you’re being astonishingly naive about this, sorry OP! Your dog might wake you but by this time a strange person with no morals is already in your home! Aren’t you concerned they might hurt you?

We live in a relatively low crime area but every so often there will be a spate of random people trying doors. Just not worth the risk!

A house that looks "dilapidated" would take less effort to get into.
No judgement on the condition of your house My point is the importance of securing it where you can.

our house is in a residential road, low crime

I live in a low crime rate area, but it isn't a no crime rate area.

A common crime round here is breaking in to steal car keys - not something I want to risk.

So you also leave car keys near the front door? Asking for a sort of friend

No I don't and I am very clear with DH he needs to take a key.

I had someone open up my door and walk into my house once! He was steaming drunk and had got the wrong house. I have a dog, and it alerted me but I would rather he didn’t get in! It shook me up! I know someone else who caught someone on their ring doorbell trying the door in the evening. Always keep my doors locked now even during the day! DH and DC are trusted with their own keys!

My DS always forgot his key, I used to lock up and throw a spare key down the side of the house behind a tub. You must remember to take the key out of the back of the door or he’ll wake you up at 4am… no idea how I know this 🤣

And if two violent men entered house while her and her husband were awake? What then?

It's harder for violent men to get in if they lock the door...

OP, we do this too, in fact our house is unlocked pretty much 24/7 because we are a family of ADHDs who forget/lose keys etc all the time.

I felt ok about it when we had a dog but trying hard to be better now he has passed away.

I always presumed a burglar would choose an easy target with no dog because they want to get in and out as quick and quiet as possible.

Of course. But people are bringing up the tact her husband is out.

So what difference does it make if he's out or not?

I just forget sometimes. We are also behind a 6ft secure perimeter which would have to be breached first….then the dogs. The 24 security cameras around the house and land also may put people off. It’s not an active choice to not lock up but I’m not overly concerned when anyone forgets.

not too long ago, a number of houses in our quiet little village were entered because many people habitually kept doors unlocked and the gang of burglars did exactly what you said. Walked up to front door in the middle of the night, checked for unlocked doors and grabbed what they could from downstairs without even waking up the people.

@T34ch3r DH was WFH and thought the banging noise was me - rather than three men kicking the back door down.
I was also wfh that day & had just taken 10 mins to pop out at lunch; they must have been watching and broke in just as I had left.
DH came out of his upstairs office, saw one coming upstairs & they both shouted (as you would!).
The 2nd man came out of a bedroom, thankfully empty handed (no visible valuables). The 3rd was downstairs, neatly packing various electronics away; he was able to take a small amount only.
All 3 ran out & as they did grabbed DH’s keys (kept by the front door!) as they left, and stole his car.
So yeah, I’m a fan of hiding valuables including keys!

My parents who live very rurally do this, my husband who grew up in the city is horrified even by it being unlocked in the day when everyone is home.

Personally wouldn’t do it on a residential street at any time, more remotely I would leave it unlocked until I went to bed

I don't actually hide car keys. If someone breaks in in the middle of the night, I would prefer they would grab the car keys and took off with that, as opposed to coming upstairs looking for valuables.