Had a break in last night - security advice needed

[onedayatatime73]

Someone bashed down our front door last night. Came in and ran out. It was terrifying as was sat in the living room watching tv with the police. The door lock is broken (and we didn't have the dead lock on).

Am now researching security options aside from new lock on door. Anyone have those ring.com bells? I can't work out what they actually do. Do I need my phone with me at all times for it to be useful?

First of all - how frightening and I’m glad you are ok.

We live in quite an isolated spot. This is what we have: a really sturdy solid oak front door. You can get a composite or upvc one which would also be impossible to kick in. Two locks. Both mortice locks.

Lighting. No one can approach without being lit up! PIR lights do this.

Windows all double glazed with security locks on the catches. We have a safe. We have a burglar alarm althoigh this won’t help if you are at home unless you have a panic button fitted.

Get advice from an alarm company if you need to. My main concern would be getting a very solid front door, lighting, and secure windows. This wasn’t a “professional” job. It was opportunist and probably looking for drug money. Make it very difficult for them so they don’t choose your house. Good luck.

You were say watching TV with the police? And they didn't arrest the person who smashed down the door?

Anyway yes I have a ring doorbell. It videos different levels of disturbance. Shortly after we got it, they replaced a streetlight which means we get relatively good videos even at night.

A door bell and video doesn’t help much if the burglar’s face is covered. A new lock is not enough either. You need a new door with two locks.

That must have been terrifying.

Any security measures really only serve to make breaking into your home a less attractive proposition. If you live somewhere remote security lighting can be more of a help to a thief than a hindrance.

You need good, strong doors and locks, locks on the windows and an alarm system. You can have a zoned alarm you can set so it goes off if the exterior doors or ground floor windows are opened, i.e. you can have the alarm on whilst you are in. An alarm can be linked to a monitoring centre. Good quality CCTV is less expensive than it used to be and is worth looking into getting.

OP, do the police often come round to your house to watch the Telly?

A decent composite door with multipoint locking system and hinge bolts should reduce likelihood of a door being kicked in.

Lights are advised by many security firms and the police. If everything is as secure as it can be, lighting up people usually puts them off. I don’t advocate lighting on its own without other measures.

You were watching tv with the police?? Why?

Yeh I don't get the police watching TV with you waiting for the door to be kicked in.

I know the police get a lot of stick but ......

Have you had a crime scene officer round and what advice have they given you?

I had a Burglary in Oct 2017... I wasn't hope but it was the middle of the day. You are my sympathises.

I do have a ring door bell. I like it.

It can be set up to alert if someone is near and has amazing coverage. So it chimes my phone of it senses someone. And it rings if they ring the bell. It also offers live options. I can talk to the people too and they talk back.

So in your case you would be aware they were there before they got to the door. You could have spoken to them and told them the police are on their way.

They are pricy and do need long charge times (but you can buy a solar trickle feeder, we don't have this yet) ... there can be delays of you're not in a good coverage area. Plus you pay extra for some features, I can't remember, think it's for storing the footage think it costs £25 a year. Also a door bell i their house is extra again.

Overall I do like it, it helps me feel safer. I am able to ask the postman to leave parcels are various places. I know when someone is approaching. So I do like it, I haven't seen any good alternatives and I would recommend it.

We have solar motion sensor lights outside. They are really good, fairly cheap from amazon and have lasted around 5 years so far with no decrease in light quality. We mainly bought so they go on when we walk up driveway as no street lighting, but they work very well to alert us when anyone approaches house (guests not burgulars luckily so far). Lighting can often be a deterent to those oppotunist types.

Sorry my original post made little sense. I've been flustered all day and went to work - dp at home sorting out door. We were watching tv with the kids last night (not police!). Although we called police afterwards. Weren't much help. Just took a few details. Dp has since seen the cctv footage (from office block over the road) and it was a bunch of teenagers - one ran at our door got in and ran out again. They all then ran off.

So we're getting a new lock and a grille thing to go over the glass in the door, and a light that flood lights front drive. Will look into alarms now. The whole experience was so frightening and upsetting.

@StrawberryTraveller do you have a link for your lights?

The solar lights are by the brand 'Mpow' - I think the new versions may be even better as cover a larger field of light. You can have them on constant, dim or motion sensor mode. We have only ever used the motion sensor mode

I'd suggest you also look at getting a metal London Bar on the doorframe. It means that the doorframe does not split and allow the lock to be kicked off. Fairly inexpensive and works well, I've always had them on my outer doors.