Has Anyone Else Been Robbed?

[jazzbo]

OP says: Going to move into a high-rise condo shortly, ... while certainly not fool-proof, of all the remedies, this one seems the best ... good luck.

[spha6092]

we lost similar items to OP in April this year, between about 12-3pm on a Sunday, bungalow in a compound of six.

New Nikon camera (still in box), laptop, watch, jewellery, phone, even my partner's Buddhas, etc.

Burglar had failed to force door lock and instead popped a window from the frame. Policeman showed us how easy it was with a small screwdriver - worrying as all six bungalows had same aluminium joinery.Police helpfully suggested it would have been exchanged for yaba or a box of Chang by that evening.

Oh, so sorry to hear this. Sounds like you lost a similar amount of things to us. Our place is easy to break in too, and because I was just subletting until 1 October, it wasn't really up to me to fix the security of the place unfortunately.

Thanks to everyone for their sympathy and feedback and tips. I will certainly be more careful in future. Now I have the unenviable task of having to replace my things, which were not that old, and learning to feel safe again.

Sansai Sam - I live really close to that shop you mention, and hadn't heard about that. Eeek!

[Pikey]

I don't know how feasable this is here but in the UK, people were advised by police to mark their valuable possessions with their postcode with some kind of ultraviolet marker. That way, when the cops busted someone for stolen property, it's owner could be easily traced.

Now here in the dear old LOS, 1) I'm not sure if you can get UV markers and 2) would the cops be interested in doing anything? The only benefit I could see is if you took the precaution and were robbed/burgled, you could trawl the pawn shops yourself armed with a black light looking for your nicked gear.

Cheers,

Pikey.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Pikey

[T_Dog]

We've had two friends have thieves in their house in the middle of the night so we put in a burglar alarm that we activate at night and of course when we are not at home. Keep those bedroom doors locked when you sleep. Home invasion is not a fun thing and it seems to be getting more common in the cities.

[surayu]

I don't know how feasable this is here but in the UK, people were advised by police to mark their valuable possessions with their postcode with some kind of ultraviolet marker. That way, when the cops busted someone for stolen property, it's owner could be easily traced.

Now here in the dear old LOS, 1) I'm not sure if you can get UV markers and 2) would the cops be interested in doing anything? The only benefit I could see is if you took the precaution and were robbed/burgled, you could trawl the pawn shops yourself armed with a black light looking for your nicked gear.

Cheers,

Pikey.

3)While in the UK every household seems to have their own postcode, here in LOS as in many other parts of the world, the postcode correspond to a very wide area (in my country for example correspond to a whole city very often)

4) Do you think the pawn shops owners will be willing to help you in what could potentially result in a profits loss or some hard time anyway?

5)There are some cases where someone has succesfully found his own stuff for sale but had to buy them back, no way out of it, TIT.

if you are living in Stockwell just think of Thailand as a big "Brixton" where everybody's smileing

[jan1van1hooten]

If the thief confronts you and threatens violence, then that is a robbery. If he enters your home when you are not there, that is a burglary.

1. It is important for the rest of us if you put the specific bulding name where the burglary occurred.

These thefts may be inside jobs because there is usually someone who knows you have valuables there. Likely suspects are the cleaning staff, building repair people, and ladies or boys of the night. They will then have partners they contact. Some of these gangs hang out on their motorcycles in places like Thapae Square.

2. Another problem is that building owners will never compensate you for lost items, so security does not matter to them. That is why they will be lax on security and door locks.

3. Building owners want to save money on electricity, so they will turn off all lights in halls and common areas. They won't like it , but a light should always be left on in a hallway near your door and near the street entrance. Other guests with rooms that only have hallway windows will not like it either, but it should be done anyway.

4. with your bag in public places, it should have a strap that can be undone and fixed to a chair or table. Some restaurant chairs will have a closed loop, so the thief will have to steal the chair to get the bag. Other places like Micky D's do not.

Edited August 18, 2010 by jan1van1hooten

[Ulysses G.]

Over the years, many businesses have been burglarized in the Thapae Gate area. Every one of them was entered by breaking a hole through the roof as it is easy to do and difficult to protect against. Entering through the ceiling is very commonplace here.

[Richbrown]

GF place has had 3 attempted break in's and the 6 houses next to her have also had some 'successful' robberies and break in's. My GF lives right next to Suan Kaew central mall. It's a nice quiet area for the most part. The mesh around the windows had been cut in an attempt to open locks.

Litterally the man next door told us this morning his bike got stolen. It was kept behind a huge metal locked gate in his drive.

advice would be to lock every door at all times. Double lock them. lock all the outside gates. We are thinking about hiring a security gaurd for the 5-6 houses in the area. Can split the cost and I think everyone would feel safer.

[heybruce]

I assume a condo is more secure than a house for the simple reason that it is much more difficult for a burglar to carry away the loot without the risk of being seen. In spite of this it's a good idea to check out the security at the condo; if they have video cameras set up that save what they record for a period of time that should improve your odds. 24-hour guards aren't that useful, most of them sleep through the night shift. And of course get a condo that has a good solid door attached to a good solid frame and with one or two high quality locks. A small safe is also a good idea, I have one that is big enough for my laptop, other small electronics and valuables, and of course my passport and other important documents. It weighs about 100 kg and would take some hard work with a sledge hammer to break into. It wouldn't stop a determined professional, but it would make his job harder.

Also be careful with valuables you carry with you. Two weeks ago a Thai friend of mine had a laptop literally stolen from in front of her while she was at an outdoor cafe watching videos on it with a child in her lap. A loser on a motorbike stopped near her table, grabbed the computer and drove off with it. With a small child on her lap it took her a few seconds to get up and give chase, and by then it was too late. She cried for help of course and some of the people nearby tried to help, but the laptop was gone. Some of these thieves are very brazen, or perhaps to drug-addled to be discrete. She reported it and the police filed a report, but I've never heard of the police recovering stolen property.

[mcgriffith]

My condolances to the OP re: the loss of property.

I was ripped off once in the US bigtime. A storage space with 24 hour security, CCTV, etc.

How the thieves managed to steal a 1300 lb safe in broad daylight, along with myriad other possesions, I'll never know.

If it is any consolation, the Orange County Sheriff's Department (California) expended about the same effort as the BIB in solving the crime. I got a phone call; detective took my report over the phone. And that was it.

It wasn't so much the 20K or so of monetary loss. It was the feeling of being violated.

There has to be a special place in hel_l for these cockroaches.

[monkfish]

If possible, get a dog. Far more intelligent than the most sophisticated electronic alarm systems, arguably cheaper and a lot more fun.

Ours isn't a small dog, but he would run from a cat if cornered. The thing is, he's got some serious bass in his bark and that keeps all strangers at far more than arms length.

I'd feel a lot less comfortable leaving the house without him there.

Totally agree, our dog woke us up in the middle of the night about a year ago, really annoyed at something, he never usually barks in the night unless someone is around, this night he was really going for it near our gate. Then the neighbours dog started and so on down the street. The only house on the street without a dog was robbed 4 days later, maybe a coincedence or maybe someone walking the street finding the easiest target.

Thieves can, will take out a dog in a matter of minutes. They took out all the dogs on our street probably to avoid the above mentioned problem.

[Pikey]

If possible, get a dog. Far more intelligent than the most sophisticated electronic alarm systems, arguably cheaper and a lot more fun.

Ours isn't a small dog, but he would run from a cat if cornered. The thing is, he's got some serious bass in his bark and that keeps all strangers at far more than arms length.

I'd feel a lot less comfortable leaving the house without him there.

Totally agree, our dog woke us up in the middle of the night about a year ago, really annoyed at something, he never usually barks in the night unless someone is around, this night he was really going for it near our gate. Then the neighbours dog started and so on down the street. The only house on the street without a dog was robbed 4 days later, maybe a coincedence or maybe someone walking the street finding the easiest target.

Thieves can, will take out a dog in a matter of minutes. They took out all the dogs on our street probably to avoid the above mentioned problem.

Can you throw in a couple of specifics please Monkfish so as us dog owners might be able to pre-empt such a thing?

Cheers,

Pikey.

[kcore]

Hmmm, wasn't sure about the legality of it here but I'd rather my wife have it and run the risk of being prosecuted for using it than other unthinkable outcomes.... Actually, I thought that like the hand held stun guns, they were legal in the house for defence but you couldn't carry them with you outside?

Incidentally, I was going to take some to my 17 year old daughter on my recent annual UK visit. I even had it bunged in the suitcase when a mate suggested I Google the legality of it in the UK. Well, it's classed the same as a bloody firearm so needless to say, it stayed here. Young Miss Pikey is actually pretty handy at karate but I just hope she never has to resort to it.

Cheers,

Pikey.

In some counties, if robbers violate your space (ie: enter your home), it is considered perfectly within ones rights to blow them away. What would be the out come of that if a farrang in thialand decided to protect himself in this way.

[Soulwy]

Sorry to hear they got you too... They stole my bag from my bike near Wat Yed Jod with all the valuables I had (April).Literally everything.

I felt very vaulnerable after it happened, but people around me were very helpful, even the policeman of the policebox. However it left me some bruises...

Your topic is a good reminder for me that safety comes first when it comes to renting a house. I have to forget about this quiet little house in the middle of nowhere...

Chok dii, good luck with picking up the pieces...

[moe666]

Sorry to hear about your loss of security. The things taken can be replaced but that loss of security is hard to get back. I moved into a house in 1993 and was broken into every year for 5 years. You finally just shrug your shoulders and say ho hum. No matter what measures I took they always found a way around and it was the same person every time. In the states most break ins occur within 1 mile of the residence of the thief.

Good luck

[rich54321]

Do people claim there are no thefts - even if reported there is no way that the boys in brown could tare themselves away from the street corners they find themselves on, cashing in on the no helmet on the head rule pay 200 baht.!!!!!

[spha6092]

Gosh I'm a little overwhelmed by all the stories along with the useful tips and wealth of experience and support otherwise. Thanks so much. I honestly wish I had read all of this before when I was looking for a place to live when I first arrived in CM but I haven't seen anyone post about burglary and only heard about bag snatching from various associates which I'm always conscious of.

I don't have much experience with picking houses and thinking about security and I actually have no idea if the new condo I'm moving into has great security on the front door. I will double check pronto and sort it out before moving in. I assume Hillside 4 is pretty okay on the whole though?

Now that the shock has worn off and I'm recovering, I've been reevaluating a lot of things and some good will come out of this. One thing is I've decided to downgrade my possessions so that I don't have so much valuable stuff lying around worth stealing. And I will learn to back up my files regularly! And keep the back up away from the apartment in my office if possible.

Thanks again everyone, it's really helped to hear from everyone about this.

[getgoin]

Robbed by Thais or the good group of foreigners that live here? Lots of different losers. Keep the door locked and watch yourself.

[MAZ3]

I was robbed twice,first in a hotel in BKk(they left the fire doors open)he started on the top and worked his way down and the police were useless.

But the second time was in my small apartment block and the Thai owners son caught one of them,beat the shit out of him and broke his arm,got all my stuff back and his dad then called the cops and the little toad got a year in prison!.

This was done to make sure all the other toe-rags knew what would happen to them if they came back.

A nice piece of rough justice:ph34r:

[Ulysses G.]

Robbed by Thais or the good group of foreigners that live here? Lots of different losers. Keep the door locked and watch yourself.

Good point from getgoin. Too true.

[monkeyofdoom]

I had an attempted burglary at my house a month ago. Came home to find marks around the doors and windows, but they didn't make it in. Police were useless as usual. I pointed out the fingerprints on the glass and they said that it is only useful if they have a suspect to compare it to. I guess a fingerprint system would be too much to expect.

I bought a DIY alarm system with some motion detectors for about 5000 baht. Works great, and calls my mobile if the alarm goes off (as well as sounding the loud siren). The alarm can be purchased at Amorn Electronics at the Big C mall. Could easily be installed in a condo, which I plan to do when I move out of this house.

[T_Dog]

I was robbed twice,first in a hotel in BKk(they left the fire doors open)he started on the top and worked his way down and the police were useless.

But the second time was in my small apartment block and the Thai owners son caught one of them,beat the shit out of him and broke his arm,got all my stuff back and his dad then called the cops and the little toad got a year in prison!.

This was done to make sure all the other toe-rags knew what would happen to them if they came back.

A nice piece of rough justice:ph34r:

Like Mr. Burns says, "Exxx-czell-ant!"

[realthaideal]

I've just got a fairly nice rental, but reading all of this, though my place just looks avg for the neighborhood, I've gone ahead n purchased better locks including a deadbolt as per Ollylama's suggestion. We have some cops in the neighborhood, but still you never know who will or won't see anything. Generally safe here, but I figure better quality locks will add to the steps if a break in were attempted. Funny thing, going to Home Pro to price some of the locks n bolts, I found some 500 locks n handles that were on sale down to 299B - sold ! And then a deadbolt for another 600. Not much to spend 1,200 B on a little peace of mind. Oh and then pricing the cheap piece of crap ones on my house currently, found out they're 2 for 99B ! No wonder the keys got rusty and they take so much coaxing to lock right. Should've done this a year ago ! A little paranoia's a good thing.

[T_Dog]

I've just got a fairly nice rental, but reading all of this, though my place just looks avg for the neighborhood, I've gone ahead n purchased better locks including a deadbolt as per Ollylama's suggestion. We have some cops in the neighborhood, but still you never know who will or won't see anything. Generally safe here, but I figure better quality locks will add to the steps if a break in were attempted. Funny thing, going to Home Pro to price some of the locks n bolts, I found some 500 locks n handles that were on sale down to 299B - sold ! And then a deadbolt for another 600. Not much to spend 1,200 B on a little peace of mind. Oh and then pricing the cheap piece of crap ones on my house currently, found out they're 2 for 99B ! No wonder the keys got rusty and they take so much coaxing to lock right. Should've done this a year ago ! A little paranoia's a good thing.

That's a good investment! Put in a loud burglar alarm too, as that is also a good deterrent. I built one that triggered an air horn back in Iowa and when I got broken into, the punk couldn't handle the sound level and split with nothing. The whole neighborhood was out in force by the time I got home. (Just too bad no one caught him and broke his arm!) I had wireless alarms in my car that put two guys in jail as well so it pays to protect yourself. Starting with good locks is a good thing to do.

Edited August 22, 2010 by T_Dog

[ableguy]

Hi living in Hua Hin and was robbed in May this year, cleaned out, police arrived stayed 2 minutes and said go police station and make a report.

Here is the kicker, i had an alarm system installed as i like to travel at a cost of 24,000 baht. Have since been told by police they will only respond to the alarm going off if i am in the house when it goes and it has to be me who phones the cops. So if I am away from the house and the alarm is triggered saY 1am in the morning and my neighbour calls the cops, they will not turn out, Dont know if I am more pissed off with the cops or the guy that sold me the system and by the way I installed the system after the break in.

[ableguy]

OP says: Going to move into a high-rise condo shortly, ... while certainly not fool-proof, of all the remedies, this one seems the best ... good luck.

dont fall out the window with hands tied behind your back, it will be classed as suicide.

[frenchfarangjomtien]

Sorry for what happened, and even if i can understand what you feel, an "awful crime" crime is in my opinion when life is involved or when kids are suffering, not when material things are stolen...

[spha6092]

Sorry for what happened, and even if i can understand what you feel, an "awful crime" crime is in my opinion when life is involved or when kids are suffering, not when material things are stolen...

With all due respect, I think I am allowed to say that this was an "awful" crime, even if it was 'just' 100,000THB worth of stuff that was stolen. The word "awful" is just an adjective that seems appropriate here, I am not saying that the burglary has completely shattered me, but I am a young woman in my 20s, having just moved here less than six months ago, and have spent most of my life living with my immediate family in a very safe home in Australia that has never been violated. When I have children, my perspective on what's awful or not will change, but so far this is the worst crime that I have been a victim of. Especially as I now realise that the guy/s were in the house at the same time as I was, and that when I left they had already stolen some cash and my phone. I have found it very hard to sleep since this happened last week.

[amexpat]

OP says: Going to move into a high-rise condo shortly, ... while certainly not fool-proof, of all the remedies, this one seems the best ... good luck.

dont fall out the window with hands tied behind your back, it will be classed as suicide.

Wasn't this supposed to be posted on a Pattaya monger board?

[Chiangmai1st]

The best way is to keep dogs I have 4 no one comes near and they are good company

better than any alarm