Burglary insurance + security. Do you bother?

[Winston001]

I have a relative who locks every window and takes half a day off work to let a serviceman into her home. No leaving a key out for access.

In fact I know plenty of people (mainly ladies) who are fearful of burglars. I do understand how unsettling the idea of a stranger going through your home can be but is the security paranoia worth it?

In reality, what have you got to steal?

In my case a couple of laptops, DVDs, a big flatscreen...and sod all else.

[Brian d marge]

doesn’t happen here
door unlocked all the time .....had a suzuki bandit stolen once ..but the old bill found it next day ,,,,so I had to pay someone to take it away
Stephen

[carburator]

I have insurance and I have good secuirty.

why because ive worked bloody hard and bugger some lowlife sod who thinks
they are going to get it for nothing.

[hellokitty]

I would be more worried about the place being trashed, or vandalised. I wouldn't mind so much if it was the stuff worth money that can be replaced that was stolen, like TVs and stuff. I have a lot of art done by a friend who has died, and I would be devastated if it got stolen or damaged.
Most importantly, I worry that someone may steal my dog

[unstuck]

Never lock anything, only ever been ripped off once, and I got everything(and more) back. Thinking about what you dont want to happen, increases your chances of it happening. Plus, there are not many people down here who are willing to steal from me.

[Jantar]

We have insurance, and there are locks fitted to both doors. I know we have a key for those locks somewhere, just can't remember where. The last time we ever locked the place up was 3 years ago.

I don't see the point of additional security; if some one wants to break in to a house in a rural area then a lock isn't going to stop them. No neighbours close enough to hear any noise anyway. So I reckon if someone really wants to steal something from our house then lets at least ensure they don't thousands of dollars worth of damage on their way in.

[meteor]

A few comments above are from those in the deep south. Fair enough. That'd be great. I have rellies on farms down there that don't lock their house either, ever. But here in Auckland there's whole suburbs full of ratbags that make the living out of ripping people off. The whole gang drug culture has an undercurrent of theft, burglary, robbery to pay for it so it's an economy in itself. Statistically it will happen, just when? Just got to remember that it's not personal and hopefully minimise the feelings of violation. Security/alarms are a deterrent, it won't stop them if they really want your stuff, but might displace them to do it elsewhere. Insurance... yes I do, same as car insurance etc because the cost to replace it all IF it goes west is a big chunk of coin.

[Bassmatt]

I only ever lock my house up if I am away for 24hrs+. We are supposedly in a higher crime area but have been in the same house for 12 years now with no problems.

[steve_t]

Been burgled a few times - Hamiltron. Insured so, as others said, it's not the losing stuff cos insurance will buy a new laptop and DVD player etc but I really didn't expect to feel so violated. Strange scumbags in the place where you sleep (even if you're not home), going through all your shit is quite psychologically traumatic.

Now I've got a good house alarm and it rings my cell phone if it's triggered. I also have a cheap security camera in my garage which records when it detects motion but is also accessible via the internet. Hopefully, it'll never happen again but I'm not going to make it easy for them if they do decide to break in.

[Edbear]

I would be more worried about the place being trashed, or vandalised. I wouldn't mind so much if it was the stuff worth money that can be replaced that was stolen, like TVs and stuff. I have a lot of art done by a friend who has died, and I would be devastated if it got stolen or damaged.
Most importantly, I worry that someone may steal my dog

You should worry, Daisy is so cute and adorable..!

[Akzle]

A few comments above are from those in the deep south. Fair enough. That'd be great. I have rellies on farms down there that don't lock their house either, ever. But here in Auckland there's whole suburbs full of ratbags that make the living out of ripping people off. The whole gang drug culture has an undercurrent of theft, burglary, robbery to pay for it so it's an economy in itself. Statistically it will happen, just when? Just got to remember that it's not personal and hopefully minimise the feelings of violation. Security/alarms are a deterrent, it won't stop them if they really want your stuff, but might displace them to do it elsewhere. Insurance... yes I do, same as car insurance etc because the cost to replace it all IF it goes west is a big chunk of coin.

what?? don't you have a whole heap of police to keep you safe??

but enough of that.

the only time i'm ever been burgled was when i did lock up my house (this was south auckland >< many years ago.) and we were robbed...
by the damned neighbours! who were known to police, we had 3 eye witnesses (i was at work) and yet.. huh. cops couldn't do shit. we were told "all your stuff's probably been sold on by now (about 5 hours later) so here's a reference number for your insurance company." didn't talk to the neighbours, didn't do shit. top f*ing job.

so i lock my shit when i'm in cities.

so... security = neighbours. insurance = nil. (insurance is expensive, until you need it.)
not too many people come up/down my road so new vehicles get spotted and watched quite closely.
for many years the locals had their keys soldered into tractors and quads etc just to save loosing them. my keys never go too far from the ignition and my door is only locked when i'm away for days (more to keep the neighbours kids out of my guns than against burglars)

[Scuba_Steve]

I used to not have insurance till I gots burgled. Thief got caught thanks to my flatmate chasing after him, then our legal system stepped in... he got a whole 30hrs community service
lost 700$ cash in that, the rest of stuff was recovered.

Most of my stuff is electronic so the value gets dropped as fast as a MP's promise but given that I use them frequently I want them replaced soon as poss if something happens & the insurance obviously covers more than just thief's.
As for security, not so much. Our house is surrounded by others you'd be an idiot to try steal from here, but I am currently playing with ZoneMinder.

[Flip]

Fark me.

I lock and alarm everything.

Last weekend at 0130 hrs sat morning the alarm went off in the workshop-mancave.

I shot down and found the judas door open. Called the rozza who turned up imeadiately. Didn't catch anybody this time. Some little cunt had got the door open and got in.

Home also has a monitored fire and security alarm.

The fucking crims don't care what or who you are they will take anything they can sell.

[neels]

We lock the doors when we're not home, but other than that not a lot of other security measures, after all if someone wants to get in they will.

Kinda glad we have insurance too, otherwise we'd still be sitting in a fucked house in east christchurch wondering what the hell to do next.....

[Haggis2]

Theft of stuff is one thing, but what about months later when pics show up of your toothbrush up said burglars bumhole?