Have you been burgled? How safe do you feel?

[jkinbkk]

I have witnessed an increase in burglaries over the past 6 months.

First someone entered our shop lot through a back door, went upstairs and stole my girlfriend handbag.

That is all they took, but it was early evening as we had dinner outside the front of the lot. That takes some nerve!

Then 2 months later our neighbour had his shop lot broken into about midnight and all his laptops, mobiles and cameras taken. He runs a pawnshop.

Now weekly we hear of other such troubles in close proximity to where we live.

I live in Maha Sarakham on a main street. Not in the sticks.

This leads me to believe that almost everyone has experienced a burglary during there time in Thailand....would that be correct?

Vote on the poll

Edited March 27, 2014 by Crossy

[namdocmai]

If you answer NO to the first question then what do you have to choose at the 2nd question. If i leave it open the server wouldn't accept my opinion.

I have always lived behind security in Thailand. Never was anything burgled but i know of neighbours who have been burgled. Even when there were 5-6 people in the house and even at the home of a policeman who carries a gun.

My house is extra protected though.

[chiang mai]

Burgled twice in Phuket, both times in the night whilst sleeping and incredibly access was gained via a second floor window that I was convinced was inaccessible! The BiB came to out , looked at the window from a distance of six feet and declared it a professional job as there was no finger prints.

[wym]

Most of my incidents - all of them minor wrt property loss, none I consider involving any potential danger - have been a direct result of my having invited very poor petty criminals into my home.

I am in much greater fear of deadly violence when visiting back home, or any of the dozen cities I've lived in around the world, Bangkok is by far the safest in that regard.

Road safety and STDs are much greater risks in the Kingdom.

[thailiketoo]

Riding song taus in the rain in Pattaya can be a real challenge. They use a two old lady system. They even cut the wire on my phone one time. Now I try never to ride alone and wait for an uncrowded one. I also have my wallet chained to my belt and my phone is not an expensive one and can be easily replaced and re programmed.

[wym]

Topic is burglary.

[wolf5370]

I was across the road (literally) at 7-11 for just 10 minutes. One of my daughters came with me, the other (14 year old) was in her bedroom. They stole a Blackberry smart phone, an iPad and a laptop (all in the same downstairs room). Obviously a crime of opportunity as there was a lot of other stuff in that room alone and was not taken - just snatch and grab.

Only crime I have had perpetrated against me here - in the UK I was burgled 3 times in the same year - once my pregnant wife was in the house (she chased the little guttershite off - Thai mother protection mode) - once when the house was being refurbished and empty, and they took off and stole light switches, plug sockets and light fitting (all old cheap plastic ones - new ones hadn't been put in yet!). IMO much safer here that back home in so far as burglary goes!

[Sayonarax]

Never, because our security guards don't sleep on the job.

Anyone stupid enough to jump our fences will be met with an ass whooping.

[OZEMADE]

About 7 yrs ago. Away for 1 hour and was burgled. Left the house to purchase a Birthday present, wife came home and thought I was playing a joke clothes on the floor etc. So in actual fact between the time I left and the wife discovering the burglary it took them 15 minutes.

We know who it was but cant prove it, the Pest Exterminators came the day before and sprayed in and around the house (Casing the rooms) next day all gone. They knew exactly where to look as they saw the day before.

The wife saw the Pest man a week later walking towards her, he spotted her and turned around and ran off in the other direction.

Thai man in same street was burgled for a large TV, I caught them on CCTV, he reported it. Turned out to be a Security Guard in another village that took the gear with his mate and the bike used was from his girlfriend that worked in a bar in Pattaya.

[DP25]

You're poll is broken. If you select never been burgled, in question number two, you MUST select in which manner you were burgled, even if you were never burgled! It won't let you submit your results if you don't. Your results are going to be broken because most people who have never been burgled will not complete the poll. I just selected an answer to number 2 at random, even though I've never really been burgled.

[infinity11]

Number one topic and concern with living in Thailand if not close to number one.

One reason why owning and/or living in a house or on the ground floor is completely unattractive.

I am thinking about installing a dead bolt on my f door as one simple precaution.

When I go away i sometimes stash or hide valuables somewhere else or with someone else.

Other precautions greatly appreciated.

In regards to THIS topic i rarely if ever feel completely safe.

Thanks for posting.

[CharlieH]

Poll broken.

Never had a problem or heard of anyone around my village having a problem.

[wym]

Other precautions greatly appreciated.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/713404-renting-a-house-in-bangkok/?p=7603353

If this is your greatest worry you're either living a very boring life here, or have so far gotten off very lightly.

If you really want to keep such costly valuables in your home then you should find full-time help very affordable.

[wolf5370]

I have a good safe in my home - imported from the UK - I live next door to a police station (small manned office) and 24 hour security both between the police station and me and directly across the road, next to a big 24hr busy 7-11 - didn't stop us being burgled. Now everything of real value that I can, I put in the safe (keys stay with me). When we go out, removable hard drives and tablets go in the safe and mobiles that are not coming with us too.

[thailiketoo]

I have a good safe in my home - imported from the UK - I live next door to a police station (small manned office) and 24 hour security both between the police station and me and directly across the road, next to a big 24hr busy 7-11 - didn't stop us being burgled. Now everything of real value that I can, I put in the safe (keys stay with me). When we go out, removable hard drives and tablets go in the safe and mobiles that are not coming with us too.

Me too.

[Neeranam]

Burglary is a big problem in Khon Kaen city. Mostly by drug addicts. I got steel bars put on all my windows and doors. I have 3 dogs outside(guard dogs) and 2 inside(watch dogs) so don't feel the need for an alarm. 7 dogs in one house nearby were killed last month. I have 4 CCTV camera covering all the house and most of the garden, which has sensor lights. Also, I can't leave my car out on the street at night. Have a local policeman check on the house too.

[transam]

Burglary is a big problem in Khon Kaen city. Mostly by drug addicts. I got steel bars put on all my windows and doors. I have 3 dogs outside(guard dogs) and 2 inside(watch dogs) so don't feel the need for an alarm. 7 dogs in one house nearby were killed last month. I have 4 CCTV camera covering all the house and most of the garden, which has sensor lights. Also, I can't leave my car out on the street at night. Have a local policeman check on the house too.

Think I would move, sounds like farangland at your place.............

[i claudius]

Burgled a few years ago ,as were all the houses close ,we disturbed him,later he was caught and is now in prison. all our neighbours now have dogs ,you only have to sneeze and they all start f----ing barking.

[duanebigsby]

Never been ripped off in Thailand so I can't complete the poll like others complained. feel far more secure here than the rip-off city of Vancouver. I'm in Chiang Rai which is small city though.

[iang]

A couple of giant German Shepherds roaming around seems to keep the rif-raf away & at bay! Gentle souls that they are, their bark's enough to persuade anyone to try somewhere else that's easier!

[sirocco]

The first time, I was nearly a victim of theft in my street, 20h by a couple of young Thais motorcycle. That nightI have was lucky.

1 month later, between 8 am and 9 am 30, a couple of young Thais always motorcycle, entered my house, stolen my computer, hand bags, with papers and money. I think he had to monitor me and knowing that at this hour, I was at the beach.

After this flight, I mentioned around me in Hua Hin and several farangs were victims of robbery or by pulling necklaces around the necks of women, or the bags either in their home, so that they were present. .

[Hedghog]

Never had a problem.

Lived on Koh Samui,in Rayong and Phitsanulok.

I can't remember the last time I locked the house.

[NoshowJones]

A couple of giant German Shepherds roaming around seems to keep the rif-raf away & at bay! Gentle souls that they are, their bark's enough to persuade anyone to try somewhere else that's easier!

If anybody really wants to break into your property, dogs won't stop them, they will just throw poisoned meat at them.

[jkinbkk]

Mods are you able to fix the Poll errors?

[ChrisKC]

When I lived in Lamphun 3 years ago I was burgled twice, both occasions during the day around lunchtime while I was away for less than an hour! It was obvious they were waiting for me to leave in my car before entering my house round the back where they sawed the iron bars from the bathroom window, not much more than an area of 1 square foot, They stole a laptop, a camera and my external disks on which I was careful to back up all my important files.

That was the first time.

I decided to lock the room that contained my new laptop so if they came again they would be out of luck. Six months later they broke the steel back door down plus the door of the room containing my valuables. They took the lot.

Actually, I had borrowed the money from a friend to buy my new computer and I was paying them back monthly so I hadn't even finished paying for it. Then I was without a computer for six months - I couldn't afford a new one.

The police came around on both occasions but that was it!

I lived in England for more than 50 years in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, London and was never burgled!

Now I take precautions in my house that I can't make public here but I will say this: if any Thai person tries to burgle me again he will think he has been <deleted> by a train!!

[somchaismith]

The scum got up on the townhouse roof, removed tiles and drilled a hole through the ceiling. Though, they miscalculated the strength of the concrete ceiling and took off, leaving only a centimeter hole all the way through it.

[maximillian]

Poll broken.

Never had a problem or heard of anyone around my village having a problem.

Same to me. Lived on Samui, in a neighbourhood without fences, dogs or guards. Left many things outside.

Never anything went missing.

My neighbour wasn't quite so lucky a couple of years ago. Not much damage, though.

Now I live on the mainland not far from Samui. Free accessible house, no guards, no dog.

Keep my bicycles and kayak outside. Infact, I'm getting a little careless.

[ggt]

Much more prevalent...is the daily price gouging and short changing...adds up over time...seems to be part of the business culture...

[Crossy]

A bit late I know, but I've added a 'Never had a problem' to question 2 as the poll requires all three answers.

[stoli]

Sorry. It did not specify whether you were in Thailand when it happened. Lived in Hollywood. Packed my large van in the middle of the day in my driveway for a weekend camping trip. If you just drove by, you could see that I was leaving for the weekend. Stupid of me. They stole everything of value at night. Used the bedspreads from all of the beds to carry it all, plus the TV's.