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Original poster

PLEASE be careful

90 replies

nailpolish · 15/12/2004 10:40

i recently heard this story and it really made me think twice.

dont know if its true, never saw it in the papers or anything.

a mother in lanarkshire lives with her dad and her toddler. the mum went shopping and so her dad was looking after the 2 year old. the dad said to toddler 'grandads going upstairs for a shower i wont be long' and he did. when he came down there was no sign of the toddler, he looked out the window and a man was running down the street with toddler under his arm. he managed to stop them and called the police.

turned out the man who had snatched the child was a convicted paedophile who had chanced by the house and seen the toddler in the house on her own and just walked in and picked her up.

i now lock my door at all times and its really frightened me. its sad though cos i used to leave the door unlocked so friends and family could just come in and out.

OP posts:
spacedonkey · 15/12/2004 11:24

lisalisa, that's why I think it sounds like an urban myth

mistletoe · 15/12/2004 11:26

LisaLisa

our front door has an ordinary handle. If we didn't lock it with a key, it could be opened just like any other door.

Keep meaning to get a chubb lock fitted, but just don't get round to it (dh bloody useless at diy, would need to get a man in, IYKWIM)

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:28

lisalisa thats precisely what happened.

what dont you understand?

it was apparently the back door, obviously unlocked!

also, round here most doors have just a normal lock and key, no chubb or anything, with a handle in and outside. you must have a modern house/door

OP posts:
spacedonkey · 15/12/2004 11:35

np, really, this sort of thing is extremely rare. Doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful - of course, we should all be careful and vigilant with our children. I remember when my children were toddlers, I used to get very emotional about such things - my dd was the same age as James Bulger. But it is really important to try and keep the apparent danger in perspective, otherwise it has a negative impact on the life you should be enjoying without fear!

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:42

sm, what do you think i should do

try and be happy and leave the backdoor unlocked so that my house can be a sociable house and f and f can come in and out, like the way i like it

or

take note of stories like this and listen to dh and leave the backdoor locked just to be on the safe side?

OP posts:
spacedonkey · 15/12/2004 11:43

Get extra keys cut for f & f so they can let themselves in, that's what I would do!

mistletoe · 15/12/2004 11:44

sorry if I sound dim, but who (or what) are f & f?

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:45

i used to leave a key under the plant pot but dh had a stroke when i told him (!) so i might get some cut

its not the same though

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:45

friends and family, mistletoe!

OP posts:
spacedonkey · 15/12/2004 11:48

I know it's not the same, but there aren't many people who leave their doors unlocked these days, and at least that way f & f have the freedom to come and go, and you have peace of mind that a random criminal isn't going to walk into your house ...

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:49

in the summer we leave the door open!!!

ill get some keys cut, i have keys for all their houses i suppose

OP posts:
mistletoe · 15/12/2004 11:50

Oh, I am dim...

When we moved in here, the previous owners gave us the keys. There were 28 back door keys, they'ed collected from all the family members who had held one.

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:50

omg! 28!

OP posts:
IwigitcouldbeXmaseveryday · 15/12/2004 11:56

Message deleted

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 11:57

wig you are so wise

OP posts:
spacedonkey · 15/12/2004 11:58

Eloquently put as always, wig.

np, I leave my front door open in the summer too. And I live in a crime-ridden city!

Obviously if you have a toddler/small child, you don't leave them unattended. And if your door is open you hang about just in case an opportunistic thief is lurking.

lisalisa · 15/12/2004 12:09

Message withdrawn

mistletoe · 15/12/2004 12:15

Lisalisa

I grew up in the countryside, and still can't get used to the idea of being 'locked in my own home'.

We never locked the house during the day when we were in, and as a teenager, if I went out at night, my parents just left the back door unlocked until I came home.

I think it's sad that you feel threatened in your own home.

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 12:20

mistletoe - i am the same as you

lisalisa - i dont think i have ever seen a front door without a handle to turn and open the door to walk in, tbh!

OP posts:
lockets · 15/12/2004 12:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

ZCMUM · 15/12/2004 12:34

I always keep my door locked now since last christmas, I was in on my own with DS and DD wrapping xmas presents, when drunk man barged in, apparently getting chased by some men who wanted to beat him up and needed help, it was very scarry and not the type of thing that happens in my quiet neighbourhood!He was harmless enough but I kept my phone in hand with 999 ready to call and put my kids up in their room. You just think what could have been!

hatterselfamerrymerrychristmas · 15/12/2004 12:48

my front door doesn't have a handle - I can't not lock it iyswim. a related but different issue is that one day a two year old will suss how to open the door themselves. (and probably when you;re in the shower) That's a far more likely risk

SenoraPostrophe · 15/12/2004 12:57

urban myth, definitely.

Please everybody stop being so paranoid about peadophiles. There are greater dangers to our children, and, frankly, this kind of excessive fear is one of them.

(eg. child lost. can't ask anyone for help as can't talk to strangers.)

Original poster
nailpolish · 15/12/2004 12:58

zc you must have been terrified

how awful

OP posts:
ZCMUM · 15/12/2004 13:13

Yeah it kind of ruined the christmas spirit! I also felt stupid and was too embarrassed to tell anyone that I hadnt kept my family safe! You can't spend your whole life terrified something might happen but you can take precautions to keep safe!

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