A question to the criminally minded amongst us...

[HughJarse]

I go on holidays for 4 - 6 weeks, do I leave a car on the drive, or lock all cars way?
I live in a safe area and have never known one burgalry etc ...ever... in this area. ( Thats not to say it couldn't happen !)

 

[Benzowner]

I go on holidays for 4 - 6 weeks, do I leave a car on the drive, or lock all cars way?
I live in a safe area and have never known one burgalry etc ...ever... in this area. ( Thats not to say it couldn't happen !)

Do you have anyone who can call round, take the post in, water the garden etc It may give the appearance that someone is still home. You can also set up a light to turn on and off in the kitchen or bathroom.

 

[para alpha]

Do you have anyone who can call round, take the post in, water the garden etc It may give the appearance that someone is still home. You can also set up a light to turn on and off in the kitchen or bathroom.

Agree with Geoff!

 

[petermansell]

Lock your car away - it's too tempting if its on your drive.

 

[JumboBeef]

Lend your cars to me, I'll look after 'em

Lock your cars away, but maybe ask a neighbour to park their car(s) on your drive now and then ~ a car which moves makes it look like someone is there where as a car which never moves........

 

[whizzkid11]

We usually park one of our cars on the neighbours drive when they are away - and regularly move it around - the neighbours also have lights on timers - and offset the timings for different rooms where they would normally be at that given time.

Floor lamps with cheap ikea timers works !

Maybe even put a radio or something in the kitchen on a timer plug...

 

[Geezer]

I live in a safe area and have never known one burgalry etc ...ever... in this area.

But you live in the North East.......

 

[HughJarse]

But you live in the North East.......

hehe county Durham is a big place ... Put it this way, I have to drive over the fells to drop kids at school everyday.

 

[GordonTarling]

HughJarse - I'm with the majority in that a car which moves now and then does help to show that the premises are occupied

I have a similar dilemma facing me when I go away later this year. Not with the car so much, but with curtains. I'm going to use a light on a timer in the lounge and on the stairs, but do I leave lounge curtains open or closed?

 

[manalishi]

I prefer to leave at least one car on the drive. And I do the light switching thing, too.

 

[Meldrew2]

......do I leave lounge curtains open or closed?

You can buy a motorised system that opens automatically in the morning, and closes at dusk.......

 

[Simon_M]

Leave a car on the drive, parked close to the garage door (if you have one) to prevent someone forcing open the garage door. If you can, disconnect the battery to the car and manually lock it too - while it may stop the alarm working it will also stop any false alarms or funny noises should the battery run low, also making it obvious the house is not occupied.

Lock all keys away somewhere that they won't be found or take them with you (this includes the spare).

Set some lights on timers to go on and off a few times during the evenings. Try and get one at the back of the house as well as the front.

A few PIR security lights are also good.

Make sure your side gate etc. is padlocked and secure.

Lock all your windows and remove the keys if you have them and set your alarm - you will be amazed how many people do not.

Use an answerphone on the house phone if you are not ex-directory.

Best bet really is to ask a neighbourly person to check the letterbox and water the plants now and again just to get some activity at the house. Putting some rubbish out on bin days is also good.

But lets be honest, if they wanted your car that much, they would already have it by now!

S

 

[oldcro]

Quite a few criminally minded members here i notice

 

[renault12ts]

Stay at home, it's far less hassle.

 

[jpskiller]

the car, I would try and put in secure storage or a well trusted friend's garage who is not going on hoilday, and the house all the usual things people have said

 

[renault12ts]

My neighbour puts valuables etc into storage. If I get burgaled ( TWICE SO FAR ) I usually comfort Madame and then get practical and get the brochures etc for the replacement stuff.

 

[HughJarse]

Seems like all good sense; what I expected though - a mixed bag, some say leave the car, some say use it as a barrier, some say garage it.

Think Ill do both; Im not going to specify though as you lot ( as the title says ) are the criminally minded amongst us!

 

[ecossebev]

Years ago in the 80's, my brother was manager at Bathgate rail depot where the car trains would terminate. The car crime was that bad with the (were neds invented in the 80's?) thieves, Tolemans (the company who ran the car tranporters) ended up leaving the cars unlocked. Their theory was, if the radios were nicked, it was cheaper to replace the radios without having to replace the side glass as well. Could you not empty the car of valuables, remove something to immobolise he engine and leave the cars unlocked? Failing that, do you know your postman well enough to trust him/her with the keys. He/she could turn the car every few days, just so they aren't in the same position for weeks on end.

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
Though the use of timers on electrical sockets, switching on lightss etc. is a good idea, please bear in mind if the timer causes a fire whilst you are away your house insurance maybe invalid.
I remember a programme on TV where a family was on holiday, house had a timer fitted switching on a light, this caused the fire, (proven by the fire investigation team), they came back from holiday and the house was just walls. I don,t know the failure rate of these timers but even a slim chance of this happening would,nt be worth the sorrow and misery it caused this family, they lost everything! I think you should check with your insurance company where they stand on this, and ask for their recommendations.

 

[timskemp]

Personally I'd get a house sitter. Anyone with grown up children still living at home should be able to supply - with us having lots of pets it's what we do.

As an aside - we have a timer on the lamp of our fish tank, lasted about 18 mths then jammed, sat there just getting hot...