My First Thai Robbery

[kurtramsbottom]

Apart from getting CCTV my advice would be not to leave valuables in a drawer as that is the 1st place they will look. Get a bolted down safe or consider hiding them. For example, I have heard that burglars won't pay any attention to kids rooms full of toys.

Thanks for the tip

Next time you do a burglary check the kids room!

What are you implying?

[mrtoad]

Apart from getting CCTV my advice would be not to leave valuables in a drawer as that is the 1st place they will look. Get a bolted down safe or consider hiding them. For example, I have heard that burglars won't pay any attention to kids rooms full of toys.

Thanks for the tip

Next time you do a burglary check the kids room!

What are you implying?

if you cant spot it dont worry.

[kurtramsbottom]

Thanks for the tip

Next time you do a burglary check the kids room!

What are you implying?

if you cant spot it dont worry.

Well I can spot it ,but I guess it's ok for you to make unfounded accusations about any TV member you choose.

best check your security on that ivory tower of yours ,I have my eye on it!

[Deacon Bell]

When I first moved here we rented a house in an average Thai moobahn in Nonthaburi. The local boys were playing football in the street outside our house, I came back on my bike and they were all polite to move out of the way and stop their game, so I thought it would be rude to get off my bike after parking it in the drive and walk back to the gate to close it up and lock the two padlocks on it in front of them.

Went in and watched TV in the living room upstairs.

Came back down after an hour or so, the boys had all gone, as had my laptop and wallet from the downstairs living room.

What a fool.

No doubt exactly what they thought.

[Deacon Bell]

When I first went back to my first GF's house in rural Thailand I was shocked that they would take the scooters inside the house at night time.

Isn't this Thailand, where everybody is happy and nice and Buddhist and honest and decent?.....

[RichCor]

If the only thing missing is the Girlfriend's purse (that had the cash), I would suspect one of her 'friends' took the purse while her back was turned (or she was out of the room), or knew an easy way to gain entry into the house.

Ask her if she's had any 'acquaintances' (new or not close friend) over recently that might have seen where she kept the purse, and

if she has any friends who seem to have come into some money and are either happier, in party mode, or suddenly missing.

[benj005]

My grandmother house was broken into when she was sleeping. She let out a terrible scream that startled the burglars and they made a run for it.

Get a pitbull!! Get a pitbull! I'm telling you that you will not have any issue with people trying to get into your house. My buddy had two and they were nasty. Kept both of them in a cage fed them bloody meat all the time. Good watch dogs.

You don't want to wake up in your bed and some nut job is standing over you with a machete.

[Tchooptip]

Isn't that burglary.

Robbery is when someone holds the gun into your face and takes they money..

Or I am wrong with my english?

Burglary is usually stealing from an unoccupied premises or without the knowledge of the occupants . Robbery is stealing from someone or an occupied premises. Using a weapon can be called aggravated robbery or burglary. People cannot be burgled except for a well known saying which I can't quote.

I am a non native English speaker, when I told my friends, OK I spend too much time on TV but its mainly to improve my English, they don't believe me Pffff

[Crazy chef 1]

a few weeks back i also had a young lad checking out my house and i live quiet remote.just

let the pit bulls out and he was gone faster as a fart.

[neverdie]

My former MIL use to keep my old house safe, no one was brave enuf to enter the premises, including me at times.

[kurtramsbottom]

My grandmother house was broken into when she was sleeping. She let out a terrible scream that startled the burglars and they made a run for it.

Get a pitbull!! Get a pitbull! I'm telling you that you will not have any issue with people trying to get into your house. My buddy had two and they were nasty. Kept both of them in a cage fed them bloody meat all the time. Good watch dogs.

You don't want to wake up in your bed and some nut job is standing over you with a machete.

Yeah i'd be terrified of dogs kept in a cage...

Your granny sounds like a better deterrent

[benalibina]

My former MIL use to keep my old house safe, no one was brave enuf to enter the premises, including me at times.

Ahaaaa....that explains it.

[ATF]

It is a horrible feeling, even when not much was done. I had my house broken into, and the guy/gal only raided the fridge and made a meal. Nothing valuable was taken, so someone must really have been down on his/her luck. but the feeling of being violated was significant.

Yet I still hesitate to lock everything when I leave, especially for only a short while My wife insists on it, but the lock we have is hard to manage, so I defer. I am thinking about getting one of the keyless entry ones they have at Homeworks, but I am not sure how effective on locking they are.

Did they eat the Thai food or the Falung food?

[mrtoad]

Thanks for the tip

Next time you do a burglary check the kids room!

What are you implying?

if you cant spot it dont worry.

Well I can spot it ,but I guess it's ok for you to make unfounded accusations about any TV member you choose.

best check your security on that ivory tower of yours ,I have my eye on it!

The security is great, I'll ask the staff to have a look for your sense of humour

[nontabury]

CCTV is useless and provides nothing but a false sense of security.

For starters thieves do not care, because police would not be running crazy looking for private house robber.

If you have not noticed, many happy to rob EVEN leaving their ID cards behinds.

Secondly, CCTV is easily avoidable by wearing a cap or a mask , in case thief is actually worried.

Thirdly, CCTV is easily removed or damaged, a stone or a stick to turn the camera or simply to break it off, unless you put it really high up, in which case face of a thief would not be recognizable.

If anything, motion sensor alarm with sms notification. The downside of that is that if anything moves, even with wind, you get sms and would be running home for nothing.

I had one of those installed and after 2 weeks ripped it out as it was driving me insane.a fly would set off sensor and off i go running. 10-20 times per day.

You are correct, we recently were the victim of a burglary, all the CCTV did, was provide us with the exact time of the crime and very good photo's of the burglar and yes he had covered his face, therefore no way to recognise him. We then installed infrared censors, and when the burglar came again the system informed us by our Mobile, and we contacted the police, however before they arrived he flipped the main electric switch cutting of the siren and the cctv, before proceeding upstairs to be finally deterred by a magnetic sensor on one of the doors that was powered by a separate power source( battery) this re-activated the siren. At this stage

He must have thought what the hell next, so he fled just before the police arrived. Since this event no further attempt has been made. I now think the best system is to install a system that relies on more than one type of alarm, use infrared and install on all windows and doors the magnetic sensors and of course have the system connected to your mobile.

P.s "Yes" dogs can be the best deterrent, unless the burglar is very ruthless and resorts to throwing the dog some poisoned meat.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Neeranam]

Yep, not nice. My house got broken into in the UK, never felt the same after.

CCTV setup is fairly cheap, and you should be able to access it remotely as well. Did that with my property in Bangkok after some scum broke in there.

Yep CCTV is the way to go with an auto dialing alarm system. The alarm will call you anywhere in the World if you have roaming and the CCTV is accessible from anywhere that has internet. About 40-50k depending on your setup.

Mine was 12,000 for 2 cameras that I can see online. Then I got an additional 2 cameras for 2,000 each.

[daveAustin]

Isn't this Thailand, where everybody is happy and nice and Buddhist and honest and decent?

Oh aye, and everyone is 'smiling' too.

[mrtoad]

Yep, not nice. My house got broken into in the UK, never felt the same after.

CCTV setup is fairly cheap, and you should be able to access it remotely as well. Did that with my property in Bangkok after some scum broke in there.

Yep CCTV is the way to go with an auto dialing alarm system. The alarm will call you anywhere in the World if you have roaming and the CCTV is accessible from anywhere that has internet. About 40-50k depending on your setup.

Mine was 12,000 for 2 cameras that I can see online. Then I got an additional 2 cameras for 2,000 each.

It's certainly worth having as it is a partial deterrent. The other bit, is making sure you have good locks on doors and windows. When the house got done in Bangkok, I still suspect that it was someone that knew the house, or had been in it. It was just too dodgy, jewellery, watches and my daughters laptop.

[mrtoad]

Isn't this Thailand, where everybody is happy and nice and Buddhist and honest and decent?

Oh aye, and everyone is 'smiling' too.

Where most houses have bars on the windows. That should tell you something

[thaiguy878]

Thanks everyone for the advice, I hope you all stay safe and keep your valuables locked up. Now back to happy living

[Urloc]

I think CCTVs and sensors and all that crap are pretty much useless. The best thing you can do is having a good safe built-in the wall. They can come inside just to be able to find out they can't reach the valuables.

[krisb]

Time to get a couple of yappy dogs, or a yappy little one and a big mean looking dog.

Those screws on your windows can be spot welded so no unscrewing them easily. Ask a local motorbike mechanic to help with that, they always have welders if you don't already know someone.

Having cctv that link to your phone these days are great also.

Yep it times like this when you let your guard down you realise having more security never hurts.

[krisb]

I think CCTVs and sensors and all that crap are pretty much useless. The best thing you can do is having a good safe built-in the wall. They can come inside just to be able to find out they can't reach the valuables.

I disagree. Having cctv linked to a phone app at least shows if someone is in your house. Burglars have been caught in the act with this technology cause the owner even from the otherside of the world can see them and ring the cops.

Yes the camera can be smashed, but thats why theres micro cameras. No ones gonna see them.

[Neeranam]

Yep, not nice. My house got broken into in the UK, never felt the same after.

CCTV setup is fairly cheap, and you should be able to access it remotely as well. Did that with my property in Bangkok after some scum broke in there.

Yep CCTV is the way to go with an auto dialing alarm system. The alarm will call you anywhere in the World if you have roaming and the CCTV is accessible from anywhere that has internet. About 40-50k depending on your setup.

Mine was 12,000 for 2 cameras that I can see online. Then I got an additional 2 cameras for 2,000 each.

It's certainly worth having as it is a partial deterrent. The other bit, is making sure you have good locks on doors and windows. When the house got done in Bangkok, I still suspect that it was someone that knew the house, or had been in it. It was just too dodgy, jewellery, watches and my daughters laptop.

Pretty essential where I live. Last year when I bought the house and moved in all we had was dogs as security. I got steel bars on all the windows and sliding doors. One morning, I noticed that the half the bolts in one of the windows were undone, so it's important to grind/cut the heads of the screws or bolts. I live in Khon Kaen city, where crime is rife, mainly due t drug addiction. Now I feel safe with dogs outside and inside, locked doors, cameras and steel bars. Of course if we go away and someone really wants in they could but we would have them on CCTV.

[Neeranam]

I think CCTVs and sensors and all that crap are pretty much useless. The best thing you can do is having a good safe built-in the wall. They can come inside just to be able to find out they can't reach the valuables.

I can't keep my daughters inside a safe.

[nontabury]

Yep, not nice. My house got broken into in the UK, never felt the same after.

CCTV setup is fairly cheap, and you should be able to access it remotely as well. Did that with my property in Bangkok after some scum broke in there.

Yep CCTV is the way to go with an auto dialing alarm system. The alarm will call you anywhere in the World if you have roaming and the CCTV is accessible from anywhere that has internet. About 40-50k depending on your setup.

Mine was 12,000 for 2 cameras that I can see online. Then I got an additional 2 cameras for 2,000 each.

It's certainly worth having as it is a partial deterrent. The other bit, is making sure you have good locks on doors and windows. When the house got done in Bangkok, I still suspect that it was someone that knew the house, or had been in it. It was just too dodgy, jewellery, watches and my daughters laptop.

Pretty essential where I live. Last year when I bought the house and moved in all we had was dogs as security. I got steel bars on all the windows and sliding doors. One morning, I noticed that the half the bolts in one of the windows were undone, so it's important to grind/cut the heads of the screws or bolts. I live in Khon Kaen city, where crime is rife, mainly due t drug addiction. Now I feel safe with dogs outside and inside, locked doors, cameras and steel bars. Of course if we go away and someone really wants in they could but we would have them on CCTV.

A CCTV shows a picture, only thing that it can help is to show the exact time of the break ing

The picture itself is of no use if the burglar puts on a mask. As for fitting steel bars on doors and windows, I think those houses that have these bars do not look nice, and I cannot imagine that they would appeal to a prospective purchaser if you wanted to sell the house.

Far better to fix magnetic catches to the windows and doors, thus stopping or at least making any intruder think twice, these magnets will of course activate your siren and your telephone, where ever you are in the world.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[rak sa_ngop]

Happened to me one time living in a house (not Thailand but in SE Asia).

Once they have successfully burgled you once, they will immediately think of your place the next time they need money. Its a bit like lending money to somebody. You will be the first person they will think of when they need to borrow more.

My burglar turned out to be a local 'non too bright' local kid.

[neverdie]

My former MIL use to keep my old house safe, no one was brave enuf to enter the premises, including me at times.

Ahaaaa....that explains it.

Glad you think so. I am sure she's still haunting houses, I could point her in ur direction if u want.

My current MIL is wonderful.

[phazey]

I'll agree when we had our robbery, it was an utter ball ache. Turned out we had some painters in, and one of them set up and entry into a living room window. Sod only targeted our bet room (the one with the pictures of a fearing) and took some pretty sentimental stuff, along with laptops/ handheld games etc. Strangely left the most expensive thing there, some handbag. Obviously no taste.

Now this is where it's ratted me. MIL keeps the family fortune "someone hidden in the house" - i've been lobbying to have her put it in the bank, but she does not trust those. There's now rarely a time when the house is empty, and when there is, it's a bit of gaffing around as the wife now insists on packing all valuables into the back of the car (so what if we crash etc??) They also had those awful spikes put up on the garden perimeter, so now i'm considering changing my address to "1 Stalag 19, Bangkok"

[thaibeachlovers]

Yep, not nice. My house got broken into in the UK, never felt the same after.

CCTV setup is fairly cheap, and you should be able to access it remotely as well. Did that with my property in Bangkok after some scum broke in there.

Our outside storeroom was burgled and my bike was stolen a while back.

My mrs was going to sell her gold to put in a security camera set up, so I paid the 15,000 as a one off. IMO they are basically a waste of money unless you are looking at it via internet all the time. Any fool will wear a mask and disable the cameras. However it makes her feel secure, so..................

What is of more use, IMO, is putting in physical security. I erected a high steel fence topped with barbed wire and installed decent hasps and good padlocks on the doors, bars on the windows. Big chain cemented into the garage floor for the motorbikes.

I know that any security can be broken, but the opportunistic thief is going to be put off, and to look at our house, no one is thinking we are rich to be making the big effort.