Some scumbag just tried to break into..

[consilio]

my Garage!

Luckily I was awake at the time (2:30AM), Heard a loud bang so rushed to the window and a guy was casually walking away from my house.

No sign of him by the time I got outside, but Garage door had been forced open, no damage though and nothing taken so all locked up again.

Hopefully this is just an opportunist checking to see if any garages on the estate have been left open, and decided to give mine a more meaningful push. Either that or someone has clocked the S3 going in there at night!!!!

Called the police just to ask them to keep an eye out if anyone was in the area, they actually came out to see me within about 10mins which was reassuring and much more than expected

Wont be able to sleep now!

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

Something similar(-ish!) happenned to me last Thursday Night.

I was watching a DVD and fell asleep on the couch. I woke up at about 11:15pm and heard what sounded to be a gentle tapping noise on the living room window and through the blinds I saw what appeared to be someone moving about outside on the driveway so I jumped up and ran to the window but there was nobody there. I went upstairs and looked out all the windows to see if anyone was hiding anywhere but saw nobody. I then went out and checked the car was locked and to see if anyone was trying to break into it, but it was locked and there was no signs of anything.

I figured it must just have been the wind and that my being half in a coma was playing tricks on my mind. I was still a bit paranoid about it and kept checking outside to see if anyone was around.

I was outside yesterday sanding and varnishing my front door and the woman who lives next door came out and we were chatting about nothing really when she said "Oh, I'm sorry about the other night". I had no idea what she was on about. She said that she could hear some music or something playing and that it was the same thing over and over and over so she called in to see what it was. I still had no idea what she was on about. She said she thought i was playing the xbox or something and that the noise was the game. I said I wasn't and still couldn't understand what she was on about.

It was only when she said she looked in the window and saw me unconscious on the sofa that she tapped the window and when saw me move she walked away that I finally figured it out. It turns out when I'd fallen asleep the DVD finished playing and went back to the menu loop thing and the music track was looping over and over - and somewhat louder than the movie soundtrack. The funny thing is that she said the rang doorbell three or four times and I didn't when I didn't answer she looked in the window. I didn't even hear the doorbell!! Doesn't bode well for the day that someone is trying to steal the car!

 

[Iggu]

Hopefully this is just an opportunist checking to see if any garages on the estate have been left open, and decided to give mine a more meaningful push. Either that or someone has clocked the S3 going in there at night!!!!

Weird one that Consilio - because he couldn't have nicked it without the key anyway. Which only leaves vandalism, breaking in to the car to get your TomTom or iPod or whatever - or an attempt to burgle your house.

Vandals and TomTom robbing scum wouldn't bother to break into a garage and then the car - they'd just find a car parked on the road surely.

If your house is accessible from your garage I'd suggest this was attempted burglary rather than car theft. I know that's no comfort mate but its the only scenario that makes sense. He was probably disappointed when he saw a car blocking his way through the garage. You'll not see him again I don't reckon - he'll be off to try a different house somewhere else.

 

[PNH80]

I just moved house this weekend a bit further out into the sticks. I lived in the middle of town before and HATED it. I got sick of coming out to the car on a Sunday morning to find a tray of chips dumped on the windscreen or a beer can on the roof.

Anyway, where i'm living now is quite secluded down a lane with no real neighbours to speak of. I have a garage but that'll be used for other things and i'm having a car port on the side of the house instead..... So now my concern is security of the car. I would have thought i'm a good target for any car thief although due to it being SO quiet (you can hear a pin drop at night), i'm sure i'd be aware of any intruders.
Just a bit of a concern in this day in age!

Paul.

 

[motorbikez]

Is your garage an integral one if so fix a couple of shoot bolts either side of door at the bottom(either locating to door frame or into concrete floor) and that will stop any scumbag forcing your door.

Last year my nieghbour had his garage door forced open and they stole his £1200 mountain bike leaving his merc and range rover alone.
When the police came they advised people to do what I have done as above.
One word of advise if your garage is not integral don't put one of those stong arm things outside your garage as it says to scumbags you have something worth stealing get one of those £25 battery alarms as the scum don't like to attract attention to themselves.

 

[Amchlolor]

Seen the latest method of nicking desirable cars?
They forge registration documents, insurance documents and passports.
Then they fly to Germany (or wherever), walk into a local dealer pretending to be distressed tourist who's lost their car keys, use all the fake stuff to obtain another key, then fly back to Britain and calmly 'break' into your car while you sleep.
I have an alarmed garage, but I never use it for the cars.
Whilst the theft of either of our cars would hack me off a bit, when all is said and done it is just a car, we are insured, and we would probably quite enjoy looking for a replacement vehicle anyway.:icon_thumright:
That's not to say I look to get things nicked, but I don't get obsessive about protecting them either.
TBH, I'd rather my car/bike was nicked, rather than vandalised.
That would really hack me off.

 

[Iggu]

TBH, I'd rather my car/bike was nicked, rather than vandalised.
That would really hack me off.

Me too - with GAP insurance, getting it nicked altogether would be much better.

I saw this new method of nicking cars too. You've got to say its ingenious. Did you also see that Cyprus is the hotbed of the automobile criminal underworld ? Weird.

 

[dansansome]

i agree about the stolen/vandalised thing.

i've not long bought my audi, and while i love it and will try and minimise the opprotunity for it to be in undesirable conditions, im also trying hard to treat it for what it is: my car. i use it to do the same things that i used my old escort for, and although im more careful, i try not to put it up on a pedestall (too much )

 

[rickparmar]

Have you thought about getting a cctv system outside your house, am in the middle of sorting a system out just waiting for the parts to arrive

 

[Iggu]

If they wear hoods though (which obviously they will) is cctv going to help at all ?

 

[bacardi]

If they wear hoods though (which obviously they will) is cctv going to help at all ?

Very valid point - I moved my camera's from the top of the house to head height to sort this out -

 

[consilio]

Cheers guys. Finally got to sleep at 4:30AM (not ideal on a school night), when it starts to get pretty light outside so felt more comfortable.

I'm thinking of getting both CCTV and a a cheapo alarm.

If he comes back tonight he'll have a rolling pin embedded in his head

 

[kettle]

my mate did the same thing when someone tried it with his car.
he ended up falling asleep on the sofa with metal bar in his hand!!!

 

[S3 LTN]

Rich hopefully he didnt see the S3.. but dont risk it my advice would be get a Tracker... Peace of mind plus cheaper insurance too.

A mate of mine had his house burgled... even though he had CCTV installed at the property... if someones wearing a hooded top you cannot make out.... which is what happened with him. Pointless!

 

[jamiekip]

I'm gutted for you mate- so frustrating whe this sort of thing happens.

I remember years ago, my brother was a pretty successful downhill Mtn Biker and had about £10k's worth of GT bikes in the garage. The feckers broke in to my mums car, pushed it up the drive, then my dads car and pushed that away from the garage door to try and pry open the bottom corner of the garge door and get access.
Fortunately we'd fitted dead bols across the top and bottom corners and into the sides of the garage door frame, which was reinforced. They ended up settignt he alarm off.

Chances are in your case, they're not after the car, they're after some easier pickings, like mtn bike or something. Or, they may simply be checking what is alarmed and what isn't.

With regards to the whole GAP and Tracker debate.
It still boggles my mind why some people are so against a tracker and are only pro GAP.
If a thief takes your motor and you never see it again and you get a full payout to replace - well done you! But the thing is they know you will replace it. And if you had a nice car that time, chanes are you'll get a nice car again.
So, by the law of averages, they'll pay a visit again in 6 months time to see what you have.
So, yeah, fine you get a top pay out and you get a new car, but there is nothing in that mentality that sorts out the bigger problem.
At least with a tracker, if they break in to your house, or car jack or even put your car on a flatbed lorry without you knowing (i've heard of this happening!), you can call the tracker company and police and stand a chance of bringing these c0cks to justice.

I have both tracker and GAP on my car - and I like the fact that should the worst case scenario ever happen, they can take it - it's just not worth losing sleep over. Should they be caught, at least I can be happy in the knowledge that I've saved another 50... maybe 100 cars getting stolen by a career criminal.
I do think that they incentive for having a tracker is not big enough though!!!
I just think GAP mentality is an "I'm alright Jack" approach to the problem.

Just my thoughts on the matter

 

[S3 LTN]

My thoughts exactly Jamie. Tracker!

 

[Iggu]

I'm gutted for you mate- so frustrating whe this sort of thing happens.

I remember years ago, my brother was a pretty successful downhill Mtn Biker and had about £10k's worth of GT bikes in the garage. The feckers broke in to my mums car, pushed it up the drive, then my dads car and pushed that away from the garage door to try and pry open the bottom corner of the garge door and get access.
Fortunately we'd fitted dead bols across the top and bottom corners and into the sides of the garage door frame, which was reinforced. They ended up settignt he alarm off.

Chances are in your case, they're not after the car, they're after some easier pickings, like mtn bike or something. Or, they may simply be checking what is alarmed and what isn't.

With regards to the whole GAP and Tracker debate.
It still boggles my mind why some people are so against a tracker and are only pro GAP.
If a thief takes your motor and you never see it again and you get a full payout to replace - well done you! But the thing is they know you will replace it. And if you had a nice car that time, chanes are you'll get a nice car again.
So, by the law of averages, they'll pay a visit again in 6 months time to see what you have.
So, yeah, fine you get a top pay out and you get a new car, but there is nothing in that mentality that sorts out the bigger problem.
At least with a tracker, if they break in to your house, or car jack or even put your car on a flatbed lorry without you knowing (i've heard of this happening!), you can call the tracker company and police and stand a chance of bringing these c0cks to justice.

I have both tracker and GAP on my car - and I like the fact that should the worst case scenario ever happen, they can take it - it's just not worth losing sleep over. Should they be caught, at least I can be happy in the knowledge that I've saved another 50... maybe 100 cars getting stolen by a career criminal.
I do think that they incentive for having a tracker is not big enough though!!!
I just think GAP mentality is an "I'm alright Jack" approach to the problem.

Just my thoughts on the matter

Excellent points. Just off to price up a tracker.

 

[newbiecrg]

Well for my I don't want a tracker by the simple fact that I would not want the car back if it was stolen.....

Even if found... I would sell it/trade it... for me it was the end of it... so if someone stoles mine I would prefer never to find it... and get the insurance payout topped up with GAP.

Pedro

 

[JamS3]

Seen the latest method of nicking desirable cars?
They forge registration documents, insurance documents and passports.
Then they fly to Germany (or wherever), walk into a local dealer pretending to be distressed tourist who's lost their car keys, use all the fake stuff to obtain another key, then fly back to Britain and calmly 'break' into your car while you sleep.
I have an alarmed garage, but I never use it for the cars.
Whilst the theft of either of our cars would hack me off a bit, when all is said and done it is just a car, we are insured, and we would probably quite enjoy looking for a replacement vehicle anyway.:icon_thumright:
That's not to say I look to get things nicked, but I don't get obsessive about protecting them either.
TBH, I'd rather my car/bike was nicked, rather than vandalised.
That would really hack me off.

You watched that car crime programme last week didn't you.....

 

[Amchlolor]

With regard to CCTV, we've got an all-singing-all-dancing digital colour system at our work.
You'd still struggle to identify your own mother on it.
I'd definitely do down the tracker route, if my D3 were my own.