For the love of all that's good and decent, PLEASE lock your doors when you're home.

[Tyke]

So let me get this straight if I go out and bed some guys wife he is responsible because he didn't take appropriate precautions in preventing it? As Jose said the perp is responsible but the victim should take appropriate precautions. That doesn't mean I need to run concertina wire, a mine field laser guided automated mini guns etc...

Fort Box?

 

[RHJJ]

An ounce of prevention. They were stealing from cars in my neighborhood, the ones that were locked were not touched. I went to get in my cellar last year and had a problem getting in the door, then I noticed foot prints on the door, thankfully I made the door and frame almost theft proof. Make it easy for a criminal they will take advantage.

 

[Carnea]

I live in a very populated area, 15 minutes from a major city, and I am amazed at the amount of people here locally who do not lock their house doors.

 

[30Mauser]

To this day it amazes me that every time my kids randomly need something from my ex's (their mom's) house, we can just swing by and they bound up the steps and right through the door.

So you can see just one example of why we get along MUCH better since our divorce 10 years ago.

 

[ToddDubya]

I'm gonna go prop my back door open now, so the cats can come and go at will.

A neighbor mentioned she does this for her dogs, especially while she's away. My takeaway was "Phew, an easier target." Granted, they have dogs there, but not tough ones.

 

[Rate_of_Twist]

It simply means that they share some measure of responsibility for a tragedy that was NEEDLESS of they had simply taken basic security precautions.

.

IMHO I agree with everything you just said except this line...... While I fully expect to get bashed for saying so. I DONT think the homeowner has any "responsibility" for there own deaths in this case, just as I dont believe someone trespassing on private property has the right hold the land owner financially "responsible" for injuries or damages that they assume when they were breaking the law in the 1st place.

 

[In God We Trust]

IMHO I agree with everything you just said except this line...... While I fully expect to get bashed for saying so. I DONT think the homeowner has any "responsibility" for there own deaths in this case, just as I dont believe someone trespassing on private property has the right hold the land owner financially "responsible" for injuries or damages that they assume when they were breaking the law in the 1st place.

I disagree, but I do hate to say so. It is complacency that causes people to be comfortable despite seeing violence on the news every day. If life were fair, nobody would have to take any precautions against predators, but life is not fair. Locking a door is such a simple act. It only takes a second and it should be a habit. Such a simple thing can mean the difference between life and death.

 

[OfficerObie59]

The bottom line is locking one's doors is still the far most effective single act one can do to protect their home and vehicles. By no means a panecea, but it will stop all but the most determined criminals.

For the vast majority property crimes, you're looking at sticky-handed teenagers or drug addicts looking for something to pawn so they can pay for the next score. They want to get in and out as fast and quitely as possible to compensate for their lack of preparation. Forced entry takes time and is noisy--let them try your locked door and move on to your neighbors house.

Also, keep your valuables (and your gun safe) out of sight from the outside, whether it be your car or house. Someone is more likely to take that risk of forced entry when theyre guaranteed to get something good out of it.

All common sense stuff that people either don't follow because they're lazy or they succumb to the "It will never happen to me" syndrome. I can't tell you how many car break-ins I've been to where the guys goes "Yeah, they even got the Picasso I left in the back seat."

 

[Coyote33]

A neighbor mentioned she does this for her dogs, especially while she's away. My takeaway was "Phew, an easier target." Granted, they have dogs there, but not tough ones.

Hey, better than a broken door jamb; and isn't that what insurance is for anyhow?

 

[stumpg26]

I get into numerous arguments with my girlfriend when she arrives home to find me inside with the door not only locked, but dead-bolted. She complains that I am paranoid.

There were actually a bunch of recent overnight thefts from cars in my neighborhood. They pulled on car doors until they find ones that are unlocked.

Being from a high crime area for most of my life has forced me to be more vigilant of my surroundings.

But she is the one afraid to have a gun in the house....

This saved me a lot of typing. Substitute wife with girlfriend and my situation is the same, though my wife has no issue with guns in the house. After leaving her car unlocked and having the GPS and a few other things stolen she no longer thinks I'm paranoid. Everything is always locked, I carry everywhere that I can, we are all more attentive to our surroundings and life has never been better.

Every day there are break ins, armed home invasions and other crimes that happen everywhere, we are not exempt but we are vigilant. If somebody tries it on us they have a very low chance of success. It is unlikely that they will get away unscathed if at all.

 

[jeff12340]

I lock down the house at night and the cars but during the day when im home thier unlocked but who ever trys to enter are met buy 2 dogs over 100 pounds and they do not like univited guest and go crazy before they even get to the porch never mind the door . Good luck to some one getting in and leaving with thier body intact but I agree out of sight out of mind and a thief will go for the easiest mark so a locked door is best . My wife had some one jump in the car in lawrence but he jumped right out after the dog latched on to his head and gave a deep warning groul I all ways told her to lock the doors but im glad the dog was with her she does now .

 

[drgrant]

The bottom line is locking one's doors is still the far most effective single act one can do to protect their home and vehicles. By no means a panecea, but it will stop all but the most determined criminals.

For the vast majority property crimes, you're looking at sticky-handed teenagers or drug addicts looking for something to pawn so they can pay for the next score. They want to get in and out as fast and quitely as possible to compensate for their lack of preparation. Forced entry takes time and is noisy--let them try your locked door and move on to your neighbors house.

There is some truth to this.... I have had stuff stolen out of my cars over the years 3 different times.

Each time it happened I had accidentally left my doors unlocked.

Most thieves don't have the inclination to break windows or make noise, but they will always take the low hanging fruit.

-Mike

 

[jaypap]

I lock my wifes car all the time. I tell her all the time, hell she has a frickin key fob to lock it from the house.

I'm thinking the next time it's unlocked I'll go out at night and move it around the corner when she says it's gone I'll ask if she locked it?

Nasty trick but I'm sick of locking it for her.

 

[Masterguns]

There is some truth to this.... I have had stuff stolen out of my cars over the years 3 different times.

Each time it happened I had accidentally left my doors unlocked.

Most thieves don't have the inclination to break windows or make noise, but they will always take the low hanging fruit.

-Mike

This just happened to a friend of mine in New Bedford. Was at work at a gas station and THOUGHT he locked the doors to his truck parked 20ft away next to the building, after his shift found somebody had rifled through the truck and took off with his backpack full of electronics, several hundred in cash, xbox and some games in the backseat as well as a new tv in the box he had just bought that morning.

I always keep my vehicles locked in our driveway at home, while i'm on duty at the fire station (though it's on a military base and across the base from housing so not a lot to worry about), Even at the mall or something i get paranoid thinking "did i beep the car?" and will walk back just to make sure.

That and i don't leave a ton of expensive stuff in my car to begin with.