Swords - Make sure you leave your front door locked

Vanbis

Just a quick post for those who live in swords.

My brother on wednesday night was sitting in and his wife was coming down the stairs after putting the kids to bed. She noticed someone looking in the front door window and they opened the front door not seeing she was standing on the stairs. She shouted at them and he apologised with some excuse he thought it was his aunties house and himself and another lad ran off and jumped into a car they think.

I think they spotted a bag and car keys through the window on the table and chanced their arm. Anyone living in this area, make sure you lock the front door and leave all belongs hidden away from the front door out of sight.

Michael B

Doesn't matter where you live, you should lock your front door when you're inside. Common sense. Lucky for them she spotted him.

tatli_lokma

also, if you have a glass door, there is no point locking it and then leaving the key in the lock, or close by. A while ago a neighbour of my sisters did just this and the glass was broken, front door opened by the key in the lock and then car keys taken from the hall table. All in the space of a couple of minutes - the alarm barely had time to flare a warning and the car was gone. a neighbour who is a detective gave her the advise of not mentioning that the keys were in the door or car keys on the table - otherwise she probably would have had all sorts of problems with the insurance.

so lock the door, and take the key out of the lock and put it somewhere easily accessible to you but not in sight from outside.

Khannie

Cincikchick wrote: »

so lock the door, and take the key out of the lock and put it somewhere easily accessible to you but not in sight from outside.

Not if you're in the house though. Fire trap. Especially at night. Trying to make your way out of a dark, burning house, fumbling for a key. No thanks. I'd rather have my car robbed.

Vanbis

Michael B wrote: »

Doesn't matter where you live, you should lock your front door when you're inside. Common sense. Lucky for them she spotted him.

The door is usually always locked just for some reason this night it was not. They have 3 locks on the front door as it is. On speaking to him again today they didn't leave their cars in plane view, they were in the kitchen so they suspect they saw a bag which had the kids change of clothes for the next day.

tatli_lokma

Khannie wrote: »

Not if you're in the house though. Fire trap. Especially at night. Trying to make your way out of a dark, burning house, fumbling for a key. No thanks. I'd rather have my car robbed.

as I said, put it somewhere accessible, but out of sight - you don't have to go fumbling. Plus law of averages you are more likely to be burgled than have your house burn down and if you have smoke detectors you have more time. There are also other exits such as windows etc. I wouldn't use this as a reason not to take the key out of the door - its not like I'm saying hide it in a drawer - just put it out of reach. We leave ours on the window sill close to the door. if the glass in the door got broken they couldn't reach or even see the key, but we can get it really easily, and actually when I think about it we even leave the door key laid out seperate to the others if you know what I mean.

I have heard of a few instances of people being broken into like this, but thankfully I don't hear of many houses burning down and people not being able to get out because they had to put the key in the lock.

When my sis's neighbour was robbed in that manner, it turned out that several houses were done the same way in that week. No houses burnt down that week though

Vanbis

Cincikchick wrote: »

I wouldn't use this as a reason not to take the key out of the door

Anyone who leaves a key in their door is asking to be robbed.

LeoB

Vanbis wrote: »

Anyone who leaves a key in their door is asking to be robbed.

You have no idea how many people do this. I see this most days on my rounds where people are maybe lifting kids in from the car and just push door shut and leave keys there. I usually just ring the bell or knock, some are mortided but usually very grateful.

The other thing I and collegues see is we call to a house and the people cant open the door because they have mislaid their keys.

I would suggest a lot of people need to change their door handles to grab handles which cant be opened from the outside without a key. To many doors can just be opened like an internal door.

Eoineo

I assumed it was happening everywhere. We had a rash of sponsorship collectors for a summer camp for travellers 2 weeks ago. They called 3 times a day for about 4 days in a row. Everytime they called to the door they tried the handle first before knocking. I'm not even sure that they were travellers.

tatli_lokma

I wasn't refering to people who leave their key in the external face of the door, but I meant people who lock the door from the inside but who leave the key in the lock. Not much good if there is glass in the door as all it takes is for the glass to be broken and they can put their hand in the door and turn the key.
also a lot of people leave car keys/bags/ purses on tables close to the front door - again in some cases I have heard of the glass in the door being broken and literally a hand comes in and snatches the items.

And a lot of people use excuses to check the door handles - i read a post on here where someone found the people who deliver the clothes collection leaflets trying the door handle to see if it was open.

We invested in a yale lock - that way even if we forget to turn the key in the main lock there is still a lock on the door as soon as its closed.

LeoB

Eoineo wrote: »

I assumed it was happening everywhere. We had a rash of sponsorship collectors for a summer camp for travellers 2 weeks ago. They called 3 times a day for about 4 days in a row. Everytime they called to the door they tried the handle first before knocking. I'm not even sure that they were travellers.

We have had that in Rush also. Few weeks ago they called saying they were collecting for Crumlins childrens hospital. A girl at work told me they were collecting in her area for local G.A.A club which they wer'nt as I am on the committee. They also went around selling christmas cards and they photo copy sponsorship cards from anywhere they can. I phoned Gardaí and gave them description but within 2 minutes they were gone as they knew I recognised them. Not been back since.

If they call again phone the Gardái, could save some old folks a lot of unwanted hassle.