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Original poster

Will dh's £90K car make us a target for crime?

232 replies

idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 00:26

Have changed my name for this to avoid accusations of being ostentatious.

Dh has a £90K sports care. There is a waiting list of 12-18 months....

I hadn't considered this before but a friend has suggested that we step up our security at our house (we are semi rural - not many neighbours) eg CCTV, and our alarm should be linked to a rapid response security firm rather than a just a simple auditory alarm (as per now). He suggested that dh might be followed in his car and our house targetted (with car theft in mind). The miscreants then might, seeing that our house looks 'promising', be tempted to break in rather than just filch the vehicle.

Has he watched to many police dramas or does he have a point?

(Feeling all sort of nervous and vulnerable atm, not helped by a murder in the village yesterday - aggravated burglary)

OP posts:
Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:00

Also, this is not the sort of thing I can discuss with my RL friends for obvious reasons

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Soprana · 07/09/2008 01:01

shouldn't you have thought about that before you bought it?

Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:02

lol hatwoman, I'm not fussed about the car - it's dh's choice....and I don't begrudge him his foibles. Both the R8 and Aston Martins leave me cold

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BitOfFun · 07/09/2008 01:02

I sort of see why you get the hump after changing your name, but you've got to get the irony of effectively saying "I hate inverted snobs, they are so common "

My DP loves the R8 btw - I just paid loadsa money for a track day in one for him - maybe I could make you an offer

Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:02

I didn't buy it - dh did.

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Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:03

I didn't say common , I said 'low'! (meaning below the belt / unpleasant / craven etc)

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hatwoman · 07/09/2008 01:03

not when Pierce Brosnan's driving surely

Soprana · 07/09/2008 01:04

just for the record, I'm not too keen on inverted snobs either...

Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:04

I'm from a staunch northern working class background I'll have you know! [righteous indignation emoticon ]

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Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:05

But you are one Soprano - how else would you explain your chippy comment?

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Soprana · 07/09/2008 01:06

eh? what's that got to do with the price of cars?

Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:08

Anyway 'talking' this through, I realise that I am probably responding to the aggravated burglary on my doorstep, and what I should be doing is repeating the Crimewatch mantra...How does it go? - "Remember folks, these crimes are very rare. Sleep easy..."

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Original poster
idratherbeincognito · 07/09/2008 01:12

Eh?

are you referring to my post of 1:04? I wasn't addressing you, I was answering BitofFun and her (jokey) remark about me suggesting something was common

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Anifrangapani · 07/09/2008 01:13

Mkae sure the insurance is up to date and hand the keys over when they come knocking.

Actually this reminds me of a photo my dad took in Hong Kong of a Fararri parked outside a really nasty looking apartment block. Image is everything and a homelife can be concealed.

Having said that I would buy a nice sports car and live in a HA house if I could get away with it.

Soprana · 07/09/2008 01:16

:O

thingamajig · 07/09/2008 01:18

Since you are worried and "doing something", ie getting a new alarm system, is relatively simple, I think you should get a new alarm. I'm slightly surprised that you home insurance doesnt require it anyway, my parents live in a nice house in a rural area too and they had to get one after a break in. If you have a dh who likes expensive toys its prbably not a bad idea anyway.

Earlybird · 07/09/2008 01:24

Is the car parked in a garage, or visible when at home? Better if not visible, I would think.

I'd up the security as your friend suggests just to be extra safe, and then let dh enjoy the car.

ninedragons · 07/09/2008 06:12

Have you got a dog?

Our village got burgled repeatedly until our neighbours bought an Alsatian, to whom we and some of our other neighbours gave free run of our gardens. The little crime wave stopped instantly.

I can see why you're worried. I probably should go back and name-change before all the Mumnunists come out wailing about their cars that cost four shillings and sixpence, but my brother is selling our insanely fast sports car for us in Australia and I am terrified that someone is going to answer the advert and turn up with a gun. It couldn't be a better getaway car (unless it had four doors, but other than that it's perfect).

Motion-sensitive flood lights and back-to-base alarms are probably a good idea anyway if you are fairly remote. But if they come knocking for the keys, hand them over and claim on your insurance.

filthymindedvixen · 07/09/2008 06:51

lol at Mumnunists - is that your expression ninedragons?

ninedragons · 07/09/2008 06:56

Yes, that's how I think of those people who turn up on the "Should I buy this 750,000 house?" threads with nothing to add except emoticons

filthymindedvixen · 07/09/2008 06:58

i may nick it...the phrase that, not the car!

bookswapper · 07/09/2008 07:00

we were burgled when we had sports car in driveway... a slip in....I am convinced it was because we attracted attention...neighbour had one too...felt a lot safer when we sold it

colacubes · 07/09/2008 07:05

Yes you should get better security, dont even think that it wont happen to you, cause if you have a super car, it wont be the young no hopers that will come for it, it will be the proffesionals, and they will have known about it when it was on order, not by walking past the house.

Cameras, lights, gravel on the drive, theifs hate that to noisy, alarms, signs, dogs, if you can spend 90k on a car, then they will second guess what you have in the house, plus the car, or just the car will be a good catch anyway.

you may think I am being over the top, but believe me if they come they dont come with smiles, I would do my damndest to make them go else where, make it a bloody hard job and they will think twice.

BouncingTurtle · 07/09/2008 07:21

PMSL @ Mumunists!

I think if you are going to spend £90K you ought to spend some on security. And make sure it is locked in a garage, if you have one. I think colacubes suggestions (especially the gravel!) are good ones.
It'll help lower your insurance premiums, anyway and tbh, the aggravated burglary in the 'hood would have freaked me out as well!

DH would say that the R8 is ugly. He lusts after a DB9! Me, I'm happy with my little Getz

LazyLinePainterJane · 07/09/2008 07:37

You should leave your keys by the front door. IF someone comes looking for the car, let them have the keys and be done. If someone breaks in for your house, then they might see the car keys and be happy with that, looking no further. You don't want them up in your bedroom rifling for your car keys.....