Have you ever been burglarized? [Archive]

bluestars87

11-30-2008, 06:22 AM

Because I just was when I was away during the Thanksgiving weekend. Me and my roommates actually. I live on Treasure Island in San Francisco and apparently that day during the time between 1:30pm and 3:00pm there was an invasion of our household. It's really rare that no one is around our house. In total there were four roommates including myself. One had moved out that day earlier. Leaving it to be just us three. And during that specific time period we got our stuff jacked. I guess I was the luckiest one. My buddies got their laptops taken and one also his expensive camera. Some other little things too. The only thing from my room to be missing seems to be my 80GB PS3. I was silently furious. They left the games and movies there. My desktop computer, scanner, printer, and $400 Cannon Powershot is also still here...but I think they didn't take the camera because they just didn't see it. I have the serial number for my PS3, so I plan to turn that into the authorities and update the police report.

There is something that I'm curious about though. I keep wondering whether they had been watching us for quite some time and knew when to strike, or did they just take a chance and no one happened to be home. I'm assuming it's the former. For a while there were four people living in the household. On Thanksgiving Day when everyone is usually in their houses, I wouldn't be confident to burglarize a home. Then again they could have just been armed and went in the house prepared for a confrontation. So perhaps it's a blessing no one was there.

It's a pretty safe neighborhood here in terms of people not getting hurt. Perhaps not so much in the theft department. I believe the person, or people got in through our front window which is usually kept locked and shut, and double locked with a second wooden bar. What we didn't know is that if you leave the main lock unlocked the wooden bar is useless because you can actually open the window from the front of the house by just sliding your hands on it.

I feel like buying a baseball bat now. I'm still quite pissed. Criminals I hear aren't usually that smart in terms of what they do after the crime...as in they come back around the same location. I wouldn't be surprised if the person, or people tried to do this again to our place even with added security. We have some more valuable stuff they might try to take. I would love to get just one good swing at a head or two.

Rear Admiral Grapefruit

11-30-2008, 06:37 AM

I might be paranoid, but i'd be looking at someone closer to you, specifically, your room mate who moved out recently. A burglary in broad day light is pretty unlikely, especially if there's 4 people living there with a random schedule for turning up.

It seems likely, to me anyway, that this could be the ex roommate come back when he knows everyone has gone, brings a friend and just passes everything out your window while they load it into a car and leave.

I don't know how well you know this person, but they have means of doing it, they have a cover story if neighbours ask questions since he's likely been moving his own gear around anyway, he knows what you've got and managed to pick out the most valuable things from each room and flee.

Course, I could be totally wrong on that, but it may be worth asking neighbours if he was around at anytime or if they saw or heard anyone/two/more people entering and leaving your place, if there were any cars/vans outside they recognise as his, or any they'd never seen before.

Also, consider changing your locks, in the event that it either is the ex-roommate or someone affiliated with them.

akitaka

11-30-2008, 06:47 AM

There have been 4 assaults on-campus in broad day-light, and 5 break-ins that I know of, 3 of them at my apartment complex, in the last 3 months. Recently my buddy's acoustic guitar got jacked from his 4Runner in a locked complex meaning that it's likely that there's an inside job, so we're keeping an eye on craigslist as well as any questionable characters living on the property.

One of my neighbors caught the bandits red-handed mid-theft and was punched in the head after trying to confront them in his room. There were three of them.

Another factor that doesn't give comfort to the case is that cops rarely catch theft crooks unless there is a positive ID aside from their faces. Luckily, it seems that not many of these guys are armed with a gun.

Prior to leaving for thanksgiving since the quad would be empty, I hid all the goods in strange places and locked all my roomie's doors from the inside (as we share a key) to make whatever break-in an extended pain in the ass. Luckily nothing as happened since one of our roomies just got back from his trip to Portland, but I was prepared for the worst.

Most burglars do some form of observation, so RAG may not be off by suggesting a familiar face. In any case, there's not a great deal of preventative measures other than keeping entry ways from being easily accessible aside from breakage. Most of the break-ins that I've listed were due to unlocked doors and windows.

Keep your blinds closed, leave some lights on while you're out at night, and don't leave the goody goods out in the open.

ryobreak

11-30-2008, 06:49 AM

Seems like whoever took your PS3 had that as his(her) primary and only objective. That generally implies that the person who stole it knew you had a PS3.

bluestars87

11-30-2008, 07:54 AM

Seems like whoever took your PS3 had that as his(her) primary and only objective. That generally implies that the person who stole it knew you had a PS3.
No...I left it out in the open for them to take. Everything was either not as expensive and or heavy to move. My desktop could have been taken, but that would have taken some time. They didn't really have any interest in my scanner or printer. And I think my camera wasn't taken because they just didn't see it.

My buddy has a huge HDTV in his room, but that wasn't taken. These guys were definitely in a hurry.

If this happens again confrontation might not be such a good idea....well if there is more than one person. Since they could be armed. I'd probably call the police who could be at my place in a minute tops. The Island is really small. For some reason I could see myself taking my chances though. Especially if it means protecting my roommates.

SlickWilly440

11-30-2008, 08:21 AM

I live on Treasure Island in San Francisco and apparently that day during the time between 1:30pm and 3:00pm there was an invasion of our household.

I just google mapped Treasure Island, SanFrancisco, and man was I shocked....that island is small!

Do you have insurance? Was your house the only one that got robbed? Would it be obvious that no one was home b/c the cars that are usually parked outside your house were gone at the time of the robbery?

bluestars87

11-30-2008, 08:27 AM

I just google mapped Treasure Island, SanFrancisco, and man was I shocked....that island is small!

Do you have insurance? Was your house the only one that got robbed?
I don't have renter's insurance and neither do any of my roommates. We haven't lived here that long and I personally can't have any. I'm a broke college student with enough things to pay for.

Plekto

11-30-2008, 08:34 AM

japanat

11-30-2008, 08:49 AM

I would have to agree: either your ex-roommate or a friend of one of you who know that you all would be gone. Even normal robbers often watch properties for a while (at least, the successful ones), and if people know that you're all college students, then Thanksgiving becomes a prime time.

Everything they took could be easily sold at a college, so watch the college paper for such things being offered for sale, as well as CraigsList or EBay, etc.

h2orowe

11-30-2008, 09:02 AM

Hope it's not your roommate, bluestars. Although, it does sound likely. If I were you, I'd talk to your other roommates about it. As for your PS3, that's a bummer. :( If anyone stole my PS3, I'd take a steel rod to their knee caps and leave them in the desert.

bluestars87

11-30-2008, 09:08 AM

Considering that the roommate moved out the pervious day, they are the prime suspect.

If someone breaks in, they will do damage getting in, first of all - if there's no broken anything, someone had a key or picked the lock(extremely hard to do, btw - unlike in the movies).

A real thief would take watches, jewelery, money, Ipods, or anything small. And the drawers would be all turned inside-out. Everything would have been gone through.

But what you describe is an inside job or close to it. Only a few specific things were stolen. And someone either knew what they were looking for or grabbed 1-2 items quickly(which again makes no sense).
He moved out that day. And the window seems to be the only logical way to have gotten in. Granted, he may have had a key still. Some clothes were turned inside out. Not mine, but my roommate's were all on the staircase. Doesn't seem like the kind of guy at all that would do such a thing. He's moving to New York. He has his own laptop...better than my roommates. And he didn't know I had a PS3 as far as I can remember. However I wouldn't be all that surprised with these kinds of things.

stsparky

11-30-2008, 05:32 PM

Bluestar?

Fill out a Police report. Call 1-800-829-1040 this monday and ask for a Taxpayer's Services specialist about the theft and loss form. You should be able to write off your losses for the cost of replacing them.

Talk to your roommates about making the place more secure.

SlickWilly440

11-30-2008, 06:30 PM

If someone breaks in, they will do damage getting in, first of all - if there's no broken anything, someone had a key or picked the lock(extremely hard to do, btw - unlike in the movies).

Picking locks are real easy to do once you get used to it (which doesn't take long to get used to), especially the not so expensive locks. Also if you know how to make bump keys, also not that hard to do, you have unlock a door in less than a 5 seconds.

You realize how vulnerable the locks are one you learn how to pick them.

qwert

11-30-2008, 06:40 PM

Thanksgiving morning my car was broken into. Only the back window was broken. There was nothing to take and my alarm may have scared the perpetrator away before he could investigate further.

SlickWilly440

11-30-2008, 07:10 PM

Only the back window was broken.

Why would the robber try to open the car by breaking the back window? I'd me much easier to break a side window to get into the car.

Story sounds fishy...:watson:

I've heard that if you take a small nail and gently tap the side windows, the whole thing will crack and and shatter without setting of the car alarm.

MurphBurger

11-30-2008, 07:24 PM

yup almost a month ago...house was broken into and the new tv and my PS3 and Wii were all stolen, also a week before my dad was carjacked in the driveway October was not a fun month

belladonna

11-30-2008, 07:42 PM

yup almost a month ago...house was broken into and the new tv and my PS3 and Wii were all stolen, also a week before my dad was carjacked in the driveway October was not a fun month
yeah that was a really difficult time for us... but at least we got the car back, and we are all safe

bluestars87

11-30-2008, 07:45 PM

Mastiker

11-30-2008, 08:02 PM

Several times. I've lost thousands of dollars worth of belongings - and at the time, I lived in a good neighborhood. We were literally the only house being robbed. My brother had a drug problem and would either steal from us or let in his drug buddies to take things from our house.

It uh... it wasn't a fun time in our house.

h2orowe

11-30-2008, 08:04 PM

the new tv and my PS3 and Wii
WHY DO THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO TAKE THE GOOD STUFF?!

haterllnation

11-30-2008, 09:18 PM

Why would the robber try to open the car by breaking the back window? I'd me much easier to break a side window to get into the car.

Story sounds fishy...:watson:

Sometimes, people say back window and mean the back passenger windows. :watson: Also, criminals aren't always the brightest. It also could have just been vandalism (as nothing was taken).

Kannon

11-30-2008, 09:22 PM

I was thinking vandalism, too. Plenty of movies and stories out there of grab *large random heavy object* and doing drivebys tossing them into the rear window of vehicles. Dazed & Confused = bowling balls. If there was no object left in the vehicle, could've been someone driving by with a baseball bat, took a swing, damage, drive away, rinse, repeat.

OliveButtercup

12-01-2008, 05:07 AM

This happened on Treasure Island? interesting//I always thought that was a safe yuppie place

SlickWilly440

12-01-2008, 05:52 AM

I was burglarized once.

I was upset at first, but then relieved b/c I realized that my material possessions were holding me back from understanding that long term happiness will never be found through material possession.

Only the feeling of temporary happiness comes from owning something, followed by the sudden boredom of said object; resulting in the purchase of something else in the hope of happiness, knowing that the same thing results. Before you know it you have a collection of objects that are not used anymore, and you have an attachment to those objects, which discourages one from getting rid of them.

Then you realized this pattern of getting something new is not only subjected to you, but to everyone else. The idea of getting something new and improved causing objects to be old and unused, which creates a pile of wasted both to you and the environment.

The problem being that people can't be satisfied for long terms with what they have and that businesses can't stay in business without creating something new and improved that people want to buy; this continuous cycle of use and waste, which will one day lead to something horrible.

Then realizing that people cannot be satisfied and wondering what this whole point of progress of new and improved means as if there is some ultimate goal, and then realizing that it's all about self preservation of life. Then wondering what the ultimate goal of self preservation of life means when looking throughout geological history that a giant meteors have hit earth several times in the past, destroying most of the life on Earth.

Then realizing that there is no ultimate goal has left me lost.......:gloomy:

So being burglarized isn't all that bad when you focus on the positive things...whatever that may be.

h2orowe

12-01-2008, 06:18 AM

cool story bro

Urameshi YuSooKey

12-01-2008, 06:33 AM

I prefer the term 'burgled'.

stsparky

12-01-2008, 06:46 AM

We already filled out a police report. Taxpayer's Service specialist?
Yes, a representative may not know about the right form and publication.

MurphBurger

12-01-2008, 06:54 AM

I prefer the term 'burgled'.

Speaking of...I have been ham-burgled before and it made me sad and hungrier

SlickWilly440

12-01-2008, 09:33 PM

Speaking of...I have been ham-burgled before and it made me sad and hungrier

I'm sure the person who stole your hamburger was sadder and hungrier than you and resorted to the act of food theft.

TommyA

12-02-2008, 01:04 AM

No. But I have had a cousin/s permanently borrow my CD case with about 1000 CDs, without my permission, behind my back, at a Christmas party, at my house...

Family...

Plekto

12-02-2008, 02:08 AM

Rear Admiral Grapefruit

12-02-2008, 02:20 AM

Oh, family is easy. (evil grin)

Ask for it back. Then play the shame card at your next gathering. Nothing overt, just in passing like "So when are you going to be finished with my music collection?".

Yeah, that sounds like the right thing to do, especially if they borrowed your balls as well as the music case.

Just phone em up, tell em you're on your way around to pick up your music and they should make sure it's all in there packed away for when you arrive.

h2orowe

12-02-2008, 02:42 AM

Tell them that if they don't, you'll bat them in the knee. Then add something half cheesy, half intimidating like: "They don't call me the Louisville Slugger for nothing."

TommyA

12-02-2008, 02:44 AM

I live in Japan, they, in California. It was about 8 years ago, and I have moved on...

My family and I don't exactly get along well. Wait, not at all!

qwert

12-02-2008, 07:02 AM

haterllnation is correct. It was the back passenger window. The perpetrator broke a small triangular window so as to reach through and pull the car door lock, but this triggers the alarm, which may have scared him off. Probably broke the small triangular window as it may be easier or make less noise/mess.

vasca

12-03-2008, 05:35 AM

My house has never been burglarized, but there's usually someone at home and since most of our stuff is in boxes piled everywhere like a real mess because we're (apparently) moving, even if a guy broke in they'd have to open over 200 boxes apart to find something worth stealing. The computers are locked in the office which is in a seperate building that needs a key to open. You could always break the windows though but the building looks so shabby looking you'd doubt there's anything worth to steal in it.

However, I had 2 neighbors that got their houses sacked over the years and ironically their houses look very locked up and it would be insanely hard to clim over the garage wall to break in. One of the houses has this really nasty German Shepard and yet they still managed to get in and steal a car, amazing. This other house is of the wife of a military dude and they seem pretty well-off, I've heard the house has been sacked more than once when they take advantage that the husband is off on some military dudties. I heard the guys sneaked in while the wife and kids were sleeping and stole stuff.

Pretty interesting, because my neighborhood for being a major metropolitan city is very safe. I can walk alone at 3 am to the Oxxo and never worry about some mugger hiding somewhere because the streets are lit and there's cops everywhere.

To the OP: change your locks. I don't like those dainty locks that have chains in American houses, any idiot can break them. Mexican locks on the other hand, our house has this nice lock that has this thick aluminium bar, only a really strong guy could break the door open with that lock in place (of course, American houses are made out of dainty plywood instead of cement, so even if you had a good lock you could simply punch a hole out of the wall and get in).

If you plan on leaving town, one thing some smart people I know that go on vacations a lot like to do this: they install special lightbulbs that turn on at specific times after dark so it makes people think there's someone home.

I don't know if it's a thing done in your area (probably not), but installing bars on windows is something commonplace in my city so even if someone could break the window, they wouldn't be able to get in. Chances are this is just a one timer thing and it will never happen again. I'd suspect of your ex roomate. How convinient he moved out and suddenly a few weeks later a lot of stuff is missing. If it wasn't exactly him, someone that knew him probably did it because the stupid burglar didn't even take everything that could have been worth stealing.

bluestars87

12-04-2008, 08:46 PM

*******s tried to jack us yet again. This time we were prepared. This morning at around 11:00am I woke up to the sound of some commotion and yelling with our new installed alarms going off. I rushed downstairs and one of my roommates said we need to call 911. The guys were in the backyard and tried to get through the window. My roommate saw two guys outside and started yelling at them and that's also the same time the window alarm went off. They got away unfortunately. Two black kids around my age. It's most likely the same guys that jacked us Thanksgiving day. Had I been up earlier I could have maybe caught them. I knew those guys would be back soon. Robbers usually make the stupid mistake of returning to the scene of the crime. Wouldn't be surprised if they tried it yet again a third time. My roommate could have caught them with his video camera, but he had so much adrenaline running he basically forgot. I'll definitely have a bat next time.

So it definitely wasn't our old roommate that moved out that day.

SlickWilly440

12-04-2008, 10:23 PM

bluestars87

12-04-2008, 10:29 PM

^
So basically you and your roommates got a professionally installed home security system after you got robbed?

You might have actually caught the guys if you didn't get one installed b/c then the alarm wouldn't have gone off, scaring them away
But what if we weren't home again? And there was no alarm to stop them? Then we'd have more stuff missing if they got in the house.

And no it wasn't a professionally installed security system. Just several alarms we got from a department store.

SlickWilly440

12-04-2008, 10:37 PM

But what if we weren't home again? And there was no alarm to stop them? Then we'd have more stuff missing if they got in the house.

Oh, so you care more about the stuff rather than enacting revenge on those who broke into your house. I thought you were mad about the act of them breaking in more than what was lost.

bluestars87

12-04-2008, 10:48 PM

Oh, so you care more about the stuff rather than enacting revenge on those who broke into your house. I thought you were mad about the act of them breaking in more than what was lost.
Hindsight is 20/20 you know. Very easy to say all the couldas, shouldas, and wouldas now that I've told you the story. However, suppose my scenario happens? And you were in my place? Let's say you weren't at home and your place was robbed yet again? I bet you'd be singing a different tune than the one you're singing now and feel pretty stupid. By your logic you're assuming that we're at the house all the time. Which isn't true. There is someone usually here, but there are times when there aren't people here as well.

SlickWilly440

12-04-2008, 11:18 PM

Two black kids around my age. Wouldn't be surprised if they tried it yet again a third time. My roommate could have caught them with his video camera, but he had so much adrenaline running he basically forgot. I'll definitely have a bat next time.

So it definitely wasn't our old roommate that moved out that day.

They were probably coming back to steal that video camera your roommate could have used to capture them on.

How do you know it wasn't your old roommate, you just describe the burglars two black kids, how do you know that one of them couldn't have been him?

Let's say you weren't at home and your place was robbed yet again? I bet you'd be singing a different tune than the one you're singing now and feel pretty stupid.

I'll probably feel relieved that I have less stuff to worry about taking care of. But then again, I'll probably be disappointed in what the burglars didn't take.

stsparky

12-04-2008, 11:56 PM

... I'll definitely have a bat next time. ...
Be careful about upping the ante.

bluestars87

12-05-2008, 09:27 AM

They were probably coming back to steal that video camera your roommate could have used to capture them on.

How do you know it wasn't your old roommate, you just describe the burglars two black kids, how do you know that one of them couldn't have been him?
Because my old roommate isn't black.

I'll probably feel relieved that I have less stuff to worry about taking care of. But then again, I'll probably be disappointed in what the burglars didn't take.
Might as well throw everything in your house out right now then. Then you wouldn't have anything, including things you frequently use, regardless if you value you them or not, to worry about.

SlickWilly440

12-05-2008, 09:37 AM

Might as well throw everything in your house out right now then. Then you wouldn't have anything, including things you frequently use, regardless if you value you them or not, to worry about.

I was referring to things that aren't frequently used and just take up space.

So did you guys call 911 after the second break-in? How did that go?

bluestars87

12-05-2008, 09:48 AM

I was referring to things that aren't frequently used and just take up space.

So did you guys call 911 after the second break-in? How did that go?
You sound like you have a choice of what's going to be taken out of your household.

Anyways yes we did call the police. Nothing too much came of it because the culprits escaped. And they won't dust for fingerprints because they weren't "inside the house". Honestly I didn't expect much assistance from the police.

Gorlam

12-05-2008, 03:43 PM

You sound like you have a choice of what's going to be taken out of your household.

Anyways yes we did call the police. Nothing too much came of it because the culprits escaped. And they won't dust for fingerprints because they weren't "inside the house". Honestly I didn't expect much assistance from the police.

Even with fingerprints is still a crap shoot.

stsparky

12-05-2008, 04:19 PM

... they won't dust for fingerprints because they weren't "inside the house". Honestly I didn't expect much assistance from the police.
But they were in earlier!? You did file a police report on the first break in - right?

bluestars87

12-06-2008, 12:55 AM

But they were in earlier!? You did file a police report on the first break in - right?
Yes we did. I'll try telling my roommate to make that point to the police again.

Jehu

12-06-2008, 01:28 AM

Kannon

12-06-2008, 01:34 AM

Haha, read that last part as "eating your crotch"...

Yeah either way, dogs are an entertaining security system.

Gorlam

12-08-2008, 03:59 PM

Big dogs are the best security system, hands down. Plus, they can actually kind of protect you if someone manages to sneak in.

Of course, you don't have to worry about automated security systems shitting in your living room or eating your couch...

Unless a dog is trained to attack humans, it wont. At most it will bark at them until they enter the home, then it will stand around looking confused as fuck.

xtine

12-08-2008, 06:09 PM

Unless a dog is trained to attack humans, it wont. At most it will bark at them until they enter the home, then it will stand around looking confused as fuck.

You can have the nicest friendliest rottweiler or pitbull roaming in the yard, but to the potential suspect he will be scared. A lot of barking is also bad, as it will cause noise and reaction to the scene of the crime.

qwert

12-08-2008, 06:27 PM

Plekto

12-08-2008, 06:28 PM

Yeah - the thing is that they don't KNOW if your big dog is trained to take their head off or not. Also, if the dog sees you being physically attacked by an intruder, it's about 90% likely to go off on the person.(unless it's a wuss breed like a Pug or similar)

Either way, there's a reason women who have a big dog when they walk around town don't get attacked - and homes with one usually are left alone for easier pickings.

qwert

12-08-2008, 06:31 PM

Plekto

12-08-2008, 08:10 PM

Getting rid of the dog is often harder than it seems. Certainly harder than going to a house without one.(basically you need a gun and guns make a lot of noise)

haterllnation

12-08-2008, 09:01 PM

Don't mind the dog, beware of owner.

All you need is a rott and a revolver. :)

Trump

12-08-2008, 11:21 PM

ah, but the intelligent ones realize that you need a dog bc you are weak. Thus, eliminate the dog, and the pickings are the easiest.

Small woman, lives alone, has a dog she feels will take care of her...perfect.

What the hell kind of twisted ... wrong... logic is that? That's like saying you drive because you can't walk. How often are you shocked when someone gets out of the car walks a few steps?

Some people just like dogs, and that does not mean they are weak. (and no, I don't have a dog, I just think that was a retarded things to say).

Jehu

12-09-2008, 12:29 AM

^ or it just encourages the burglar to kill the dog first and then you are screwed because you are relying on your dog to take care of him. In addition, the idea is to scare the burglar away rather than to merely deter. A dog barking at night is a normal thing and might not be enough to scare the burglar away. Thus you will at some point have to confront the burglar. It would be much better to have an alarm system such that everyone understands to mean that something bad is happening at the least.

If a burglar is going to kill your dog, then an alarm system isn't going to be any more effective. Sure, an alarm might tell the police that you're being robbed, but unless you're next door to the station, the invader's certainly going to get to you first.

The point of a dog is to alert you with enough of a warning for you to run away or defend yourself. Furthermore, dogs are far more versatile in their ability to detect an intruder; they can see and hear things outside of a window, and a burglar might be able to disable/bypass your alarm silently. I find it impossible to sneak into my own home without the dog barking at some point.

Does anyone know how much automated alarm systems cost, for the install and the monthly service fees?

stsparky

12-09-2008, 12:43 AM

Upping the ante can finish with you hurt. I suggest the below:
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/images/41079.jpg

xtine

12-09-2008, 12:46 AM

Also, if there is a house with a dog, and a house *without* a dog, the burglar will choose the path of least resistance. Therefore, no dog. Most theft crimes are planned hit and runs, who takes their time? If they were so cunning and masterplanning why not rob a store or bank with better payoff instead?

qwert

12-09-2008, 01:36 AM

xtine

12-09-2008, 02:14 AM

I would think a criminal would watch a house for a while before robbing it. I assumed this to be a given, but apparently people believe these things to be, for the most part, random. This is how they know the best time to rob a place. I would think a robber could at least get his hands on some sort of tranquilizer to take out the dog first. Perhaps even feed him a treat laced with a prescription drug.

I do agree, however, and I was thinking of mentioning this is my previous post, that if the robber decided to randomly select a house to rob that night and had no idea what he was up against, that a dog would be of great benefit.

Why even bother to deal with a dog when you can just select the house that does not? Do you even know how burglars work? You should watch this show that aired in 2005 called "It Takes A Thief." It spotlighted vulnerable houses and had former burglars try their hand at them. I don't think any of the episodes had houses with dogs in them.

If you'd like to argue for the sake of arguing what *you* would do if you had to burglar a house with a dog sure that would work, I suppose.

qwert

12-09-2008, 02:23 AM

My argument was that any intelligent criminal would not base his entire robbery on one factor, such as a dog. I went even further to clarify that if there was a weak human being living alone who, through observance, was found to rely upon a dog for security, then, after elimination of the dog, could possibly be the easiest hit.

I agree though that most criminals are pretty dumb, especially the ones that have already been caught. The good ones you don't hear about because people don't like to hear about bad guys winning or break their fantasy that Lacy, I mean the family dog, will save them.

Plekto

12-09-2008, 04:03 AM

People with dogs for protection also tend to have alarms or guns because they take security seriously. Compare that to the idiots who leave their back door unlocked... I knew of a few in my neighborhood where I grew up - they just never locked anything. It always amazed me how I'd watch their house or feed their pets when they were out of town and their back doors wouldn't even be locked while out of town.

Criminals almost by definition are lazy and opportunistic. They will always go for the place with the most hidden places/easiest to hide their actions and least resistance if possible. It's a lot like that joke about the two guys who are being chased by a lion. You don't have to win - you just have to be faster than the other guy.

Honestly, though, on that show "It takes a thief", they have mentioned dogs a few times and the consensus is dogs scare the crap out of them because they are a huge unknown. Even in a normal rigged scenario like on these shows, the dog could do literally anything and they'd end up in the hospital if they guess wrong or get unlucky.

And who the hell actually has tranquilizer darts? The police track everyone who buys them anyways and they are nearly impossible to get(let alone the gun) for the average criminal. I suppose they could make their own, but that's kind of silly. They could poison the dog, but there are huge legal penalties for using poison in a crime, IIRC. It's 20X easier to just find a rube with a door that you can jimmy open in 5 seconds while they are at work.

japanat

12-09-2008, 04:06 AM

Any criminal with half a brain* will avoid a house with a dog, unless the payoff makes it worth it. Sure, if I had your key and knew that you had lots of small, easily transportable electronics, I might say "Here, doggy, doggy!" But why introduce another factor which you can't control, such as a yapping mutt who might alert the neighbors, when a petless house is that much easier?

*Many criminals - at least those you hear of, as mentioned above - have very little sense. Especially if you live in a high-drug area.

Trump

12-09-2008, 05:13 PM

Seriously, how are you going to tranquilize or sedate a dog barking at you from inside a house while you are on the outside? It isn't even about the dog attacking the burglar, it is about the dog making enough noise to make other people notice the burglar. If you are breaking the law, the last thing you want to do is draw attention to yourself.

In this world there are enough people, good robbery targets, who do not own dogs that those with who do own dogs simply aren't worth the risk.

Charrington

12-16-2008, 03:06 AM

Why even bother to deal with a dog when you can just select the house that does not? Do you even know how burglars work? You should watch this show that aired in 2005 called "It Takes A Thief." It spotlighted vulnerable houses and had former burglars try their hand at them. I don't think any of the episodes had houses with dogs in them.

If you'd like to argue for the sake of arguing what *you* would do if you had to burglar a house with a dog sure that would work, I suppose.

I remember an episode where the guy did break into a house with a dog. He threw some food or something across the yard, jumped the fence and ran into the house. Don't ask me how I know, but I know the only burglar that will be dissuaded by a dog is some incompetent running around without planning anything, afraid the dog will alert the owners of the house. Do you investigate when you hear your neighbors dog barking? I don't, I only rarely look outside when my own dogs bark. Any professional will watch the target house, establish the routine of the inhabitants and then go in regardless of the pets.

Dogs are far from a deciding factor or even a deterrent. If you were walking down the street and a dog tried to attack you would you run away or would you just kick it in the head? I'd kick it in the head. And that's assuming the dog in the house even tries to attack the burglar and doesn't just sit there and act confused when the person walks in. A flashing red or blue light that looks like it might be an alarm is a thousand times more effective than a dog, as well as locking all of your doors and windows and not making it obvious you have stuff worth stealing.

SlickWilly440

12-16-2008, 03:17 AM

^
Words from a professional home invader.

Charrington

12-16-2008, 05:03 AM

^
Words from a professional home invader.

Not so much, I've just happened to meet more than a few in my travels.

qwert

12-16-2008, 05:33 AM

For certain, a dog that was trained to attack people, such as a police dog, might be of some benefit, but I doubt the general citizen has the ability to control such animals. This is why I frown upon pit bulls. If someone were to own a pit bull, it would be trained to NOT "red line" or "berserk" on random people passing by. Unless you are a redneck asshole who could care less for their neighbors.

Normal house dogs are just pets. Not a security device. Seriously, I used to jump fences as a kid into neighbor's backyards who had dogs. No big deal. No one really pays much attention. Throw a treat spiked with vicodin and you're good to go.

edit: So, I'm watching a murder show on Tru TV and two of three girls were stabbed to death during the night. They had a dog who apparently barked at the intruder, but that was it. Just enough barking to wake the girls so they could be stabbed while awake.

As I said before, enough to perhaps deter, but not enough to scare them away.

stsparky

12-25-2008, 06:05 PM

http://picayune.uclick.com/comics/tiny/2008/tiny081225.gif

Normally I'd post this elsewhere ... it fits here.

Kyletherealninja

12-26-2008, 01:37 AM

ED-209 FTW.

Stephy

12-26-2008, 07:48 PM

You can have the nicest friendliest rottweiler or pitbull roaming in the yard, but to the potential suspect he will be scared. A lot of barking is also bad, as it will cause noise and reaction to the scene of the crime.

My baby, who was a very friendly pit, scared off an intruder pretty quickly with her aggressive sounding barking in the night when someone tried to break in through our basement, many years ago.

Ha, you would think the "BEWARE OF PITBULL" sign in front of the house would have told them to go away. -.-;

Plekto

12-27-2008, 07:29 PM

Nice RoboCop reference! :)

Gorlam

01-02-2009, 05:49 PM