by Beks
A scummy, lowlife person decided to break into my car again two nights ago. I have other words to describe this person – but this is a family show.
I came out to get into my car and the driver’s side door and trunk were open. Of course, being left open with the lights on all night killed my battery and stranded me until my husband could give me a jump.
The thief escaped with a $15 FM tuner, less than a dollar in change, and a good chunk of what was left of my sense of safety.
We installed some hefty motion detector flood lights directly over the driveway after the first break in two months ago but apparently those only deter thieves when I turn them on. I got home late from work, was tired, and simply didn’t pay enough attention to turn the lights on. Oops.
When my husband left for school and I was home alone last night, I locked all the doors and windows and sat in the corner of my living room terrified someone would break in. I decided I couldn’t live like this.
So…
I asked my husband to install security cameras.
Knee jerk reaction to a somewhat irrational fear? Yes.
But if robbing $350 from my emergency fund helps me sleep better – I’m willing to pay it.
The cameras are being installed this week.
Beks is a full-time government employee who enjoys blogging late into the night after her four kids have gone to sleep. She’s been married to Chris, her college sweetheart, for 15 years. In 2017, after 3 long years working the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps, they paid off more than $70K and became debt free. When she’s not working or blogging, she’s exploring the great outdoors.
We just went through something similar, but even more ballsy, for lack of a better term! While doing yardwork, someone walked up our driveway in the middle of a Sunday afternoon and took our powerwasher! We are looking at security cameras as well! Let me know what type of deal you find 🙂
You can’t put a price on safety. We have security cameras at our house. DH installed them himself (being the technical guru he is). It makes me feel better since I am home a lot by myself while he is out working side jobs. Well the three 90 lbs + dogs we have don’t hurt either!
Please post the info on the security cameras (and where you found them and if they were hard to install). I have a neighbor who, if I leave anything out, steals it. Almost caught him once. He dropped the item (on his property) a second before I rounded the corner. Police won’t do anything unless I get proof (property here is posted “Do Not Trespass” which he seems to consider a challenge). I’m a widow also with dogs, and I’m this guy’s “lunch”!
I with you! Our apartment was broken into in March and I’ve felt violated and unsafe ever since. My only solace is that they could only find 3 things worth selling and of those, 2 were ancient technology (about 5 years old each).
The police took a report and I’ve never heard back. The officer actually said, “I’m suprised you haven’t been hit before. You’re in the perfect spot.”
I’ve been contemplating cameras, too. I’d also appreciate a post on this when you complete the set up.
I am with Andy – there is no price for peace of mind. You need to do to feel safe. But I have to comment – what the freak???? People or persons that rob from others have no respect, decency or honor.
You should have the security lights made motion sensored.
Wow, I’m really sorry to hear about that. And after just getting home from a nice vacation. Maybe you can park your car in your garage?
Ack! Don’t let the turkeys get you down Beks!
In an underground, supposedly secure garage, my car was broken into for a $7.00 pewter angel – a gift from my Mom.
Cost to replace the window the thief/thieves smashed? Over $300.00.
Bastards.
I’d probably be afraid too. At this point, I’d probably move. I know that isn’t a great response but I’d need to feel safe. Are there a lot of break ins in the neighborhood?
I know you’re scared, but understand that the petty thieves didn’t want to have any interaction with you. That’s why they left your car doors open…closing them might have alerted you and caused a confrontation. Clearly they wanted to avoid that, as a huge percentage of most thieves do.
Also understand that unless you can afford an uber-high-end system with 24/7 active live-person, real-time monitoring, cameras are really no protection whatsoever. They may (or may not) provide usable evidence after the fact, but they do absolutely nothing actually protect you from harm. And few bad guys are deterred by them, because they are so easily avoided or otherwise rendered useless.
The best things you can do to protect yourself and your property…and not spend on things that won’t protect you…include:
~Put that outside light on an electric eye that turns on it on automatically at dusk and off at dawn.
~Put your vehicles in your garage, if you have one. Then lock the car and the garage! So many of us fill our garages with a couple of thousand dollars of lawn equipment and miscellaneous junk, but leave our $10,000, $20,0000 $30,000 or more vehicle outside unprotected. It’s really pretty idiotic when you think about it.
~Install car alarms, with glass break detectors, which automatically set when you lock the doors. (And then actually lock the doors!)
~Install a monitored home alarm system with glass breakage detectors and/or motion sensors. A panic button installed in one or two rooms might make you feel better too. A decent system will cost about the same as a decent camera set up and you’ll get a homeowners insurance discount as well. Monitoring service can be had for as little as $10/mo. depending on your location.
~Whatever you install, you have to get in the habit of actually using them, and using them properly, all the time! Otherwise they are useless too.
I really hope that this helps you to formulate a sound, affordable, safety strategy. Knee-jerk reactions like cameras don’t really qualify as a good strategy.
I hope you don’t mind me saying this,
don’t be afraid, be careful, leave
nothing to chance, do your best to
protect yourself and your property and
then be confident not fearful.
My car was broken into some time ago,
lost $800 in things. Now I am more
careful and confident.
Take care.
Cosmus
Make sure you also stick up the big fat “area is under surveillance signs”. Frankly, you could skip the cameras and just go with the signs and motion detector lights. Oh, and tape that light switch into the “on” position. Why is it ever off? It should have an adjuster for light sensitivity so it never comes on in the daytime.
For those who are interested, we purchased the Q-See camera system from Costco. It’s four cameras (you can set them up for motion detection) and a DVR. It’s perfect for us and it was the least expensive. My husband had no problems installing it himself but he’s a super handy guy.
Just Me Again – We have a pretty strong feeling it’s one of our neighbors. Cameras would help prove where the person is coming from.
Emmi – I know. I’m an idiot sometimes! ; ) Now we have the light taped in the ‘on’ position so it never goes off.
My neighbor (soon not to be “neighbor” as house was foreclosed, thank God!) was a problem from the time they moved in. Over nine years, every time they ran into financial problems (which I knew about as the kids would come over to “borrow” milk, eggs, etc.) things would disappear in the neighborhood and cars would be broken into. I reported them to the police twice (stole bags of dirt from my yard, ended up stacked behind their fence). The first time, the streetlight in front of my house was shot out (the wife told me I was lucky her husband was such a good shot as he could’ve hit my dogs). The second time, my security light above the garage was ripped loose. The way my house is situated it is impossible to put out the Costco security cameras where they wouldn’t be seen and since this guy is evidently a marksman, they wouldn’t’ve lasted. Hopefully they’ll be gone shortly. They’ve rec’d an eviction notice but it’s been a nightmare. You have my sympathy!