Samui Crime Spree

[bigpappa]

Anyone have any information on the latest rash of burglaries on the island? In one week I heard of 4 different people whose homes were robbed on the beaches in Taling Ngam and Lipa Noi, and a bit inland in Nathon & Laem Sor. Some people were caught in Bang Por but the burglaries still persist. Any one else hear of anything?

[carmine]

To be honest i think we'd all be surprised if we had'nt heard of burglaries here. Its open season for the foreseeable future.

Refer back to smokies topic on crime on the island and there you have it.

[Ahinkel1]

Burglaries on island yet Plai Laem not mentioned this time. A bit off thread here , but what is it with that area? The reason that annoys so much is i would like to rent there.

More spates probably due to low season and for the foreseeable till that ends as mentioned before.

[parallaxtech]

When my house was hit several years ago the police explained that at that time of year (March) the schools were out and the kids came over from Suratthani to enjoy their "Thai Christmas." Look at the numerous threads about burglaries -- if you don't have security in place, don't bother to complain when you're cleaned out.

Edited March 10, 2011 by parallaxtech

[carmine]

When my house was hit several years ago the police explained that at that time of year (March) the schools were out and the kids came over from Suratthani to enjoy their "Thai Christmas." Look at the numerous threads about burglaries -- if you don't have security in place, don't bother to complain when you're cleaned out.

So i'm eager to know how you would define "security in place." Pointless to call the BIB because they would'nt be interested, your dogs if you have them as securitywould be poisoned if the thieves really wanted to burgle you., would you be legal using a gun?

I'll bet if you gave the burglar a beating the police would charge you anyway!

Please define security.

[parallaxtech]

So i'm eager to know how you would define "security in place." Pointless to call the BIB because they would'nt be interested, your dogs if you have them as securitywould be poisoned if the thieves really wanted to burgle you., would you be legal using a gun?

I'll bet if you gave the burglar a beating the police would charge you anyway!

Please define security.

====================================================================================================================

Even the best security can be defeated. The idea is to make your residence less easy to penetrate than the others. I have overdone my security: steel grills on the windows, barbed wire, electrified fence, cctv, alarms on all windows and doors, 3 killer guard dogs, and two guards at the front gate (300m away). My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance. It would be difficult to poison all the dogs as they go berserk at the sight of any stranger so at least one would probably be alive to alert us.

I have lived in places like Bogota and San Salvador where security was essential to save your life. My home in the Caribbean has a 3m concrete wall around it with barbed wire on top and two guards with shotguns. Even with that I was robbed -- turned out to be my own guards.

The bottom-line is to do the best you can, but don't be surprised when your place is burgled because you did nothing.

The BIB are useless in my opinion. They never responded to my burglary so I went to the police dept to report it. Surely, if you shot or harmed the burglers you would be charged. If I have a problem I call a friend at the Tourist Police who at least attempts to handle the problem without extorting money from me.

Edited March 10, 2011 by parallaxtech

[BigC]

the best way to not get robbed is not not have anything to steal. Just don't buy anything. or just steal it. that way if your stolen stuff gets stolen u won't feel so bad.

sorry my imput probably does not help but there again neither dopes guards with shot guns , kller dogs 2 meters of conrecete walls or the BIB.

If they can rob banks then house should be a walk in the park.

All the safety depsit boxes are full in samui or so i am told. been waiting fo 5 years for 1.

The best thing for house is a burgler alarm. which alerts the guards on the gate which alert the police which come with guns. Then the CCTC us normally set up all wrong. so they get away anyway.

seriously i have herd of many case where the theives break into throguh the smallest of all windows. Normally the bathroom window. so if u want to leave a boobie trap then u could start there.

Makes me wonder about the size of the gang lol

[islandguy]

One of the houses robbed on the beach in Baan Taling Ngam belonged to people I know. The very next day the police had caught the gang in Bang Por and the victims went over to the station and recovered their phone and camera - but not the cash. Quite surprising to have them caught. There were quite a lot of stolen goods there, they said, so having it happen the next day was coincidence. Still, the police do manage to show results sometimes, so better to report thefts.

Edited March 11, 2011 by islandguy

[BangrakBob]

I'd have to agree with Big C don't keep anything in your house you can't do without.

I know that's easier said than done and it's a probably not always practical but reckon its better than living in a personal prison you could have just as much trouble getting out of than getting it.

at the end of the day they are only objects, if you got your health and are able to enjoy life that's more than most of the world's population have.

[carmine]

I'd have to agree with Big C don't keep anything in your house you can't do without.

I know that's easier said than done and it's a probably not always practical but reckon its better than living in a personal prison you could have just as much trouble getting out of than getting it.

at the end of the day they are only objects, if you got your health and are able to enjoy life that's more than most of the world's population have.

Not a very nice way to live though is it, and not a very good advertisement for Samui.

[H2oDunc]

steel grills on the windows, barbed wire, electrified fence, cctv, alarms on all windows and doors, 3 killer guard dogs, and two guards at the front gate (300m away). My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance. It would be difficult to poison all the dogs as they go berserk at the sight of any stranger so at least one would probably be alive to alert us.

I'm sorry but if I felt I had to do this to my house to live safely I would move.

There is nowhere in Thailand where you need the above in my opinion. As for the " Killer guard dogs " Please don't make me laugh

Yes there has been a spate of burglaries lately but I still feel safer here than I ever did living in the South of London.

[BigC]

the main thing peopl need is a wall round their house. then they need to secure the perimiters. basically some people if they have camera put them in stupid places. The jist is that if u secure the perimiter then nothing can get in or out with out being detected by an alarm or a camera.

It is what the army do. first thing is they build a wall then secure it.

It is the same thing.

Basically if u want to beif up security this is my recomendation.

Build a reasonable hight concrete wall but not too ugly but bigger than head hight so people cannot just hpe over it.

then motion sensor lights on eachwall with infared camera on all 4 walls and alarms wih detors around to back them up. Also a detor on the front door with a cam.

Then if u have a night watchman then he does sweeps every 4 hours unl;ess the alarm goes off. then he contacts the owners who have the option to call the police.

though uonly really need the secutry guard to go around if the alrm goes off but u had better having doing sweeps to keep him awake.

There again if u have a power ct then it is all usless unless u have a back up genoraotor. my point is that if u got burgled then unles u have something very expensive or valuable then it would probably be cheaper just to buy yourslef a new camera and note book and cansel your credit cards and maybe een house inssrence.

[brain150]

maybe better move to Sing Sing then ?

[samuichick]

Anyone know where I can get a security grill made to spec and installed for a window here in Samui? There was a thread a while back on this topic (2009) but info probably out of date now,

[joe84330]

So i'm eager to know how you would define "security in place." Pointless to call the BIB because they would'nt be interested, your dogs if you have them as securitywould be poisoned if the thieves really wanted to burgle you., would you be legal using a gun?

I'll bet if you gave the burglar a beating the police would charge you anyway!

Please define security.

====================================================================================================================

Even the best security can be defeated. The idea is to make your residence less easy to penetrate than the others. I have overdone my security: steel grills on the windows, barbed wire, electrified fence, cctv, alarms on all windows and doors, 3 killer guard dogs, and two guards at the front gate (300m away). My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance. It would be difficult to poison all the dogs as they go berserk at the sight of any stranger so at least one would probably be alive to alert us.

I have lived in places like Bogota and San Salvador where security was essential to save your life. My home in the Caribbean has a 3m concrete wall around it with barbed wire on top and two guards with shotguns. Even with that I was robbed -- turned out to be my own guards.

The bottom-line is to do the best you can, but don't be surprised when your place is burgled because you did nothing.

The BIB are useless in my opinion. They never responded to my burglary so I went to the police dept to report it. Surely, if you shot or harmed the burglers you would be charged. If I have a problem I call a friend at the Tourist Police who at least attempts to handle the problem without extorting money from me.

now i'm not particularly religious but something about a "rich man has as much chance of entering heaven as a camel does passing through the eye of a needle" comes to mind. that's not directed at you parallaxtech , it's just something i think about from time to time when i see a thread like this. it's no wonder i've never been robbed here, i guess i just don't have anything that anybody would want 555.

[carmine]

So i'm eager to know how you would define "security in place." Pointless to call the BIB because they would'nt be interested, your dogs if you have them as securitywould be poisoned if the thieves really wanted to burgle you., would you be legal using a gun?

I'll bet if you gave the burglar a beating the police would charge you anyway!

Please define security.

====================================================================================================================

Even the best security can be defeated. The idea is to make your residence less easy to penetrate than the others. I have overdone my security: steel grills on the windows, barbed wire, electrified fence, cctv, alarms on all windows and doors, 3 killer guard dogs, and two guards at the front gate (300m away). My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance. It would be difficult to poison all the dogs as they go berserk at the sight of any stranger so at least one would probably be alive to alert us.

I have lived in places like Bogota and San Salvador where security was essential to save your life. My home in the Caribbean has a 3m concrete wall around it with barbed wire on top and two guards with shotguns. Even with that I was robbed -- turned out to be my own guards.

The bottom-line is to do the best you can, but don't be surprised when your place is burgled because you did nothing.

The BIB are useless in my opinion. They never responded to my burglary so I went to the police dept to report it. Surely, if you shot or harmed the burglers you would be charged. If I have a problem I call a friend at the Tourist Police who at least attempts to handle the problem without extorting money from me.

now i'm not particularly religious but something about a "rich man has as much chance of entering heaven as a camel does passing through the eye of a needle" comes to mind. that's not directed at you parallaxtech , it's just something i think about from time to time when i see a thread like this. it's no wonder i've never been robbed here, i guess i just don't have anything that anybody would want 555.

So, theres no point in having nice possessions when living on Samui because it just means you'll probably get burgled.

This, in my view, says an aweful lot about the general state of the island. Lawless and the days of being a tropical paradise are long gone. Great place for a thief mindyou.

[H2oDunc]

Anyone know where I can get a security grill made to spec and installed for a window here in Samui? There was a thread a while back on this topic (2009) but info probably out of date now,

Just measure up the window and drive round till you see one of the many stainless steel gate workshops or metal shops that are littered round the island. They will soon knock you one up and fit it as well if needed.

The house has been fine as I think the dogs keep them away but theroad up to the house has been targeted lately. They have stolen around 1.5 km's of telephone cable over the last week or so. The BIB have been up to have a look and TOT are not in the slightest bothered by it as they have yet to come and put the cable that is left off the floor and back on the electricity poles were at least it is a bit more of an effort to steal.

[ESB7]

====================================================================================================================

Even the best security can be defeated. The idea is to make your residence less easy to penetrate than the others. I have overdone my security: steel grills on the windows, barbed wire, electrified fence, cctv, alarms on all windows and doors, 3 killer guard dogs, and two guards at the front gate (300m away). My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance. It would be difficult to poison all the dogs as they go berserk at the sight of any stranger so at least one would probably be alive to alert us.

I have lived in places like Bogota and San Salvador where security was essential to save your life. My home in the Caribbean has a 3m concrete wall around it with barbed wire on top and two guards with shotguns. Even with that I was robbed -- turned out to be my own guards.

The bottom-line is to do the best you can, but don't be surprised when your place is burgled because you did nothing.

The BIB are useless in my opinion. They never responded to my burglary so I went to the police dept to report it. Surely, if you shot or harmed the burglers you would be charged. If I have a problem I call a friend at the Tourist Police who at least attempts to handle the problem without extorting money from me.

Great description of living in paradise

[joe84330]

So i'm eager to know how you would define "security in place." Pointless to call the BIB because they would'nt be interested, your dogs if you have them as securitywould be poisoned if the thieves really wanted to burgle you., would you be legal using a gun?

I'll bet if you gave the burglar a beating the police would charge you anyway!

Please define security.

====================================================================================================================

Even the best security can be defeated. The idea is to make your residence less easy to penetrate than the others. I have overdone my security: steel grills on the windows, barbed wire, electrified fence, cctv, alarms on all windows and doors, 3 killer guard dogs, and two guards at the front gate (300m away). My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance. It would be difficult to poison all the dogs as they go berserk at the sight of any stranger so at least one would probably be alive to alert us.

I have lived in places like Bogota and San Salvador where security was essential to save your life. My home in the Caribbean has a 3m concrete wall around it with barbed wire on top and two guards with shotguns. Even with that I was robbed -- turned out to be my own guards.

The bottom-line is to do the best you can, but don't be surprised when your place is burgled because you did nothing.

The BIB are useless in my opinion. They never responded to my burglary so I went to the police dept to report it. Surely, if you shot or harmed the burglers you would be charged. If I have a problem I call a friend at the Tourist Police who at least attempts to handle the problem without extorting money from me.

now i'm not particularly religious but something about a "rich man has as much chance of entering heaven as a camel does passing through the eye of a needle" comes to mind. that's not directed at you parallaxtech , it's just something i think about from time to time when i see a thread like this. it's no wonder i've never been robbed here, i guess i just don't have anything that anybody would want 555.

So, theres no point in having nice possessions when living on Samui because it just means you'll probably get burgled.

This, in my view, says an aweful lot about the general state of the island. Lawless and the days of being a tropical paradise are long gone. Great place for a thief mindyou.

i don't generally partake in the "it happens everywhere else" responses on these types of threads but this does happen literally everywhere else. been walking around j'burg with a gold chain or a camera lately? hell you don't even need a gold chain or a camera, fact of the matter is if you are nearly anywhere in south africa you will become a statistic. just wait until brazil hosts the olympics, there will be so many dam_n predators there that it's mind boggling.

hasn't changed my perception of samui though because i don't really care for conspicuous consumption and sleep quite well with my screened windows open to the sea breeze. .

[Boo]

we always rented thai style houses, our last was an indoor/outdoor house in banrak, the 2 bedrooms were the only rooms with locks, everything else was open to anyone who wanted to come take it. so kitchen (all appliances) sofa, washing machine was all there not under lock & key. we didn't have anything other than standard tesco bought padlocks on the doors & never had any issue but anyone looking through the windows tot he locked rooms would have seen nothing of value as it was always put away in a cupboard. Out of sight & it doesn't become a temptation. Living in a mc-mansion with a brand new car & all the latest toys is nice if it is in your price range but you have to understand that you are living in the same community as people with virtually nothing.

In your own country you would probably live in a like for like neighbourhood, in samui the rich & poor live side by side. It's no wonder that those that have, become a target for those that haven't. Of course people with local style houses get targetted but that is usually down to opportunists & lack of basic security (padlocks, grilled windows etc)

If I had a large expensive house in samui I would install a hidden floor safe & store all items of real value in it, buy a very loud alarm to scare off all but the most determined & finally have an airtight insurance policy to cover any losses.

There is a reason most thai's with their own property have someone on site at all times. I don't think my mil's house has ever been left empty at any time day or night since they built it 20 years ago, the best deterrent is an 24/7 occupied house.

[maccaroni man]

we always rented thai style houses, our last was an indoor/outdoor house in banrak, the 2 bedrooms were the only rooms with locks, everything else was open to anyone who wanted to come take it. so kitchen (all appliances) sofa, washing machine was all there not under lock & key. we didn't have anything other than standard tesco bought padlocks on the doors & never had any issue but anyone looking through the windows tot he locked rooms would have seen nothing of value as it was always put away in a cupboard. Out of sight & it doesn't become a temptation. Living in a mc-mansion with a brand new car & all the latest toys is nice if it is in your price range but you have to understand that you are living in the same community as people with virtually nothing.

In your own country you would probably live in a like for like neighbourhood, in samui the rich & poor live side by side. It's no wonder that those that have, become a target for those that haven't. Of course people with local style houses get targetted but that is usually down to opportunists & lack of basic security (padlocks, grilled windows etc)

If I had a large expensive house in samui I would install a hidden floor safe & store all items of real value in it, buy a very loud alarm to scare off all but the most determined & finally have an airtight insurance policy to cover any losses.

There is a reason most thai's with their own property have someone on site at all times. I don't think my mil's house has ever been left empty at any time day or night since they built it 20 years ago, the best deterrent is an 24/7 occupied house.

spot on

[samuijimmy]

Anyone know where I can get a security grill made to spec and installed for a window here in Samui? There was a thread a while back on this topic (2009) but info probably out of date now,

There is a welding shop, near the bridge in Maenam, roughly Soi 1 ....Across the road from the blank white Billboard sign....& Mini mart, but the Maenam side of the bridge, so on the sea side...of the ring road...

They did mine... Usually an older guy & wife there.... His son & helper do most of actual call outs for stuff like this... English not great, but do a good job...

I think any welding place you see "can do" ...

[careless]

Wow, the only security we have used is to shut the wood door and lock it half the time we forgot to do that....

[Tracer Round]

ESB7:

My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance.

Poor dog. Good thing you don't live in a country that has any idea of humane treatment of animals....

[parallaxtech]

ESB7:

My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance.

Poor dog. Good thing you don't live in a country that has any idea of humane treatment of animals....

=======================================================================================================================

A 10m rope lead is acceptable in any country -- good thing a brain is not required to be a member of TV.

[limbos]

ESB7:

My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance.

Poor dog. Good thing you don't live in a country that has any idea of humane treatment of animals....

There's me thinking that nailing them to entrance gate is an option.

[joe84330]

ESB7:

My dogs are at three different locations on my property and one is roped to the front entrance.

Poor dog. Good thing you don't live in a country that has any idea of humane treatment of animals....

There's me thinking that nailing them to entrance gate is an option.

nailing burglars to the entrance gate would be a tremendous help. the concept seemed to work pretty well for vlad the impaler against the turks.

[NALAK]

for what its worth i live 12k outside Pattaya, a lot of ex pats here and burgleries are common, usually in gated communities with gaurds. my point is its not just a Samui problem its all over where farangs are.

still we all have those money trees in the garden to replace it, or so Thai's think

Edited April 23, 2011 by NALAK

[BigC]

cctv and alrams and el;ectric gate and strong lights. then a 32 hr power cut. I would put the kettle on the let the burglers in but i have no electric. what else can i do. Oh yes release the hounds

[smokie36]

cctv and alrams and el;ectric gate and strong lights. then a 32 hr power cut. I would put the kettle on the let the burglers in but i have no electric. what else can i do. Oh yes release the hounds

Sit on the roof wearing your John Wayne outfit complete with sheriff badge....and fire off a few warning shots every once in a while.

No one messes with a crazy farang...not even in this wild west town....