Foo - 3:09 AM PT just called the cops on a possible break-in my house...

Gotta love the Road Cyling sub forum...390 viewing at this time (even if half of them are bots that still amazing)

Wife and I were asleep when I hear some noise outside the window of our bedroom. Definitely something or someone was there I could hear our patio furniture creaking. After listening for what felt like a minute I was convinced this was probably a neighbor cat or something, but stood up and poked out the window to be sure. Nothing. Now I was sure it was a cat.

Just to be sure I walk around the house (inside) looking for anything out of place...nothing. Then I hear some shuffling by the garage (MY BIKES ARE IN THERE), now the gloves are off. I open the front door and see two people crouched by the garage about 7 feet from the me.

All I could do was yell out "What the f#$% are you doing there?!" (I cracked myself up later on...can't believe that geezerly line came out of me) I was wearing my nightguard too, so imagine a muffled and loud version of that.

I close the door, and instead of reaching for the phone I grabbed a flashlight and was going to go out when my wife yelled at me to shut the door "ARE YOU CRAZY??" she said and dialed the cops. I was pumped and ready to throw down but ofcourse she was totally right. WTF was I going to accomplish...

Anyways, cops are here now....looks like garage ok, no damage (my freshly planted flower garden got trampled though)

at 3:30 am here, your story is interesting. That's why you should have purchased a few Glocks for situations like this. A more powerful statement would be: "Get the F### off my property or I'll go full automatic." That ought to scare them.


Gotta love the Road Cyling sub forum...390 viewing at this time (even if half of them are bots that still amazing)

Wife and I were asleep when I hear some noise outside the window of our bedroom. Definitely something or someone was there I could hear our patio furniture creaking. After listening for what felt like a minute I was convinced this was probably a neighbor cat or something, but stood up and poked out the window to be sure. Nothing. Now I was sure it was a cat.

Just to be sure I walk around the house (inside) looking for anything out of place...nothing. Then I hear some shuffling by the garage (MY BIKES ARE IN THERE), now the gloves are off. I open the front door and see two people crouched by the garage about 7 feet from the me.

All I could do was yell out "What the f#$% are you doing there?!" (I cracked myself up later on...can't believe that geezerly line came out of me) I was wearing my nightguard too, so imagine a muffled and loud version of that.

I close the door, and instead of reaching for the phone I grabbed a flashlight and was going to go out when my wife yelled at me to shut the door "ARE YOU CRAZY??" she said and dialed the cops. I was pumped and ready to throw down but ofcourse she was totally right. WTF was I going to accomplish...

Anyways, cops are here now....looks like garage ok, no damage (my freshly planted flower garden got trampled though)

Holy crap that is so scary! I pulled an all nighter at work, that's why I'm awake. Plus it's only 6 am here. Man that's so scary having two guys in your garage like that. I'm going to go home and check on my wife now.

Hey PG, are you from the West Coast?



Gotta love the Road Cyling sub forum...390 viewing at this time (even if half of them are bots that still amazing)

Wife and I were asleep when I hear some noise outside the window of our bedroom. Definitely something or someone was there I could hear our patio furniture creaking. After listening for what felt like a minute I was convinced this was probably a neighbor cat or something, but stood up and poked out the window to be sure. Nothing. Now I was sure it was a cat.

Just to be sure I walk around the house (inside) looking for anything out of place...nothing. Then I hear some shuffling by the garage (MY BIKES ARE IN THERE), now the gloves are off. I open the front door and see two people crouched by the garage about 7 feet from the me.

All I could do was yell out "What the f#$% are you doing there?!" (I cracked myself up later on...can't believe that geezerly line came out of me) I was wearing my nightguard too, so imagine a muffled and loud version of that.

I close the door, and instead of reaching for the phone I grabbed a flashlight and was going to go out when my wife yelled at me to shut the door "ARE YOU CRAZY??" she said and dialed the cops. I was pumped and ready to throw down but ofcourse she was totally right. WTF was I going to accomplish...

Anyways, cops are here now....looks like garage ok, no damage (my freshly planted flower garden got trampled though)

Well I kinda wish I had some form of weapon now...but it may have made me run out into harms way instead of chill and wait for the cops...and now that I'm getting reports from the cops, it looks like they were a teenage couple just getting drunk (found bottles of JD and 7up) and maybe vandalizing/trying to get into the garage or something. Glad I didn't mow em down

Hey PG, are you from the West Coast?

Yup. Hermosa Beach, CA.

Never mind, just saw your location, I'm in Burbank...those Basta2s may still be around. Well, they'll be sorry if they poke in my garage.


Hey PG, are you from the West Coast?

That's true. But I'm single so I only have myself to worry for. I'm glad your family is okay.



Well I kinda wish I had some form of weapon now...but it may have made me run out into harms way instead of chill and wait for the cops...and now that I'm getting reports from the cops, it looks like they were a teenage couple just getting drunk (found bottles of JD and 7up) and maybe vandalizing/trying to get into the garage or something. Glad I didn't mow em down

Never mind, just saw your location, I'm in Burbank...those Basta2s may still be around. Well, they'll be sorry if they poke in my garage.

Yeah the cops are combing the area they tell me...at least until something more urgent comes up.
I don't think I'm getting to bed again tonight (not for a while at least)

Now I'm thinking: motion sensitive lighting, glass/barbed wire over the fence they scaled....what else? I need something more than my wooden cat statue to defend myself too....

Jeez...I'm rattled.

That's tough. I think it's best to consider how many times these events transpired in the past. If this is the first time, and it was indeed just a few kids, than don't think too much about it and go back to sleep. There are too many gangs where I live so I have to consider the worst. And the worst, when you mentally played it out in your mind, resembles the final scene in Scorcese's Taxi Driver. Just take comfort that nothing bad happened. Your wife did make the better call:)


Yeah the cops are combing the area they tell me...at least until something more urgent comes up.
I don't think I'm getting to bed again tonight (not for a while at least)

Now I'm thinking: motion sensitive lighting, glass/barbed wire over the fence they scaled....what else? I need something more than my wooden cat statue to defend myself too....

Jeez...I'm rattled.

Thanks, you're right ofcourse...just a bit too pumped to drop right back into sleep at the moment. Maybe time to break out some old DVD's. The patio chair where they were sitting and my head in the bed are probably 2-3 feet distance...creepy.

In terms of non-lethal home defense, well-placed high-powered lights combined with motion sensors are a good choice. In most situations, a firm assertive tone of voice and a simple command (such as "Leave. Now.") are all that's needed. Firearms are a last resort, in my opinion (and I'm a gun owner).

^ good to see a responsible gun owner.

^ good to see a responsible gun owner.

I think most of them are.

At least the legal ones.

Not the one's in southwest and north philadelphia.

Oh wait, you said legal.

I can totally relate with the complete feeling of insecurity (for your home) and wanting to lock the place down like Alcatraz. I live in a ground floor condo and I came home from work one day, unlocked the front door, and the security chain was chained on the inside. I immediately took 2 steps back and thought "WTF?!?". I immediately called the cops but of course they took 15 min. to get here even though I told them I thought someone might still be in there. A guy showed up with a dog and then waited another 5 minutes or so for another officer to show up.....ridiculous. Anyway, when they cleared the place and said it was ok to go in the place was ransacked but luckily the only things taken were some new running shoes, loose change, a couple t-shirts, and some canned drinks from the fridge. I know, I know, strangest burglary ever....should have seen the looks the cops were giving me. Anyway, the best anyone can figure is that they were looking for drugs, cash, jewelry...quick money. They didn't touch my 300+ DVD collection, Xbox 360, computer, or any of the things they would normally go for. Anyway, I bought some new security measures for my sliding glass door which is where they managed to get in. I felt REALLY uncomfortable for a while, and still am a little uneasy to this day. You truly feel violated and "unsafe" when your shelter, castle if you will, has been breached.

Yeah the cops are combing the area they tell me...at least until something more urgent comes up.
I don't think I'm getting to bed again tonight (not for a while at least)

Now I'm thinking: motion sensitive lighting, glass/barbed wire over the fence they scaled....what else? I need something more than my wooden cat statue to defend myself too....

Jeez...I'm rattled.
that's pretty scary, glad your wife stopped you from going back in there!
Im glad your family is OK! oh and your bikes:)

QUESTION:
I'm renting this house....do you think I should pay for and install the motion sensitive lighing or is it worth asking the landlord nicely? Who's responsibility is it (I have to drill into walls and do some electrical work unless I buy these solar versions)

Motion lights and a Mossberg 590 Persuader...
Or a trained Belgian Malinois...

You don't need to shoot anyone unless there is imminent danger. Just the sound of a big shotgun getting a shell racked into the barrel is usually enough to scare off most people.

The garage is one thing. Someone coming into the house @ 3 a.m. is likely going to get some lead poisoning...

I can totally relate with the complete feeling of insecurity (for your home) and wanting to lock the place down like Alcatraz. I live in a ground floor condo and I came home from work one day, unlocked the front door, and the security chain was chained on the inside. I immediately took 2 steps back and thought "WTF?!?". I immediately called the cops but of course they took 15 min. to get here even though I told them I thought someone might still be in there. A guy showed up with a dog and then waited another 5 minutes or so for another officer to show up.....ridiculous. Anyway, when they cleared the place and said it was ok to go in the place was ransacked but luckily the only things taken were some new running shoes, loose change, a couple t-shirts, and some canned drinks from the fridge. I know, I know, strangest burglary ever....should have seen the looks the cops were giving me. Anyway, the best anyone can figure is that they were looking for drugs, cash, jewelry...quick money. They didn't touch my 300+ DVD collection, Xbox 360, computer, or any of the things they would normally go for. Anyway, I bought some new security measures for my sliding glass door which is where they managed to get in. I felt REALLY uncomfortable for a while, and still am a little uneasy to this day. You truly feel violated and "unsafe" when your shelter, castle if you will, has been breached.

That would rattle me big time...
The sliding glass doors on this place are really unsecure. In fact there are lots of broken locks and only thing keeping them from opening from outside are some jams. What did you get for added security?


that's pretty scary, glad your wife stopped you from going back in there!
Im glad your family is OK! oh and your bikes:)


Thank you BDG ;-)

Never hurts to have a gun when someone is breaking into your house. Of course, here in Maryland the law requires you to keep your guns locked and unloaded so they're really not terribly useful in a time-sensitive situation. If the two guys had decided not to leave immediately, that's when the cops can't do anything for you. No offense to cops, but they can't protect you.

powerglide, was your garage locked? How did they gain entry?

powerglide, was your garage locked? How did they gain entry?

Garage was locked and no entry was made. They were up to something at the garage door when I busted em but there's no damage on the locks or anything. I'm thinking they were more of the drunk/dumb teenager type than the hardened ski mask wearing types

Great news. Glad to hear you're OK.

The sound of a shotfun cocking can be pretty persuasive as well.

QUESTION:
I'm renting this house....do you think I should pay for and install the motion sensitive lighing or is it worth asking the landlord nicely? Who's responsibility is it (I have to drill into walls and do some electrical work unless I buy these solar versions)

If you do go the motion sensor route, please, please, please make sure that it detects motion on your property. I walk my dogs well before the sun comes up and more than a few neighbors have these motion sensors set to go off even if you're walking across the street!

Never hurts to have a gun when someone is breaking into your house.

Theoretically yes, but the reality of the statistics say having a gun often does more harm than good. Everyone rolls the dice armed or not in this world, but i prefer to play with the odds; not against them.

PG - To secure my sliders I found a lock at Lowe's that was made for sliding glass doors that mounts to the edge of one door and has a hardened pin that goes into the other door with a keyed lock. I also did the large dowel in the track to make things more complicated if someone were to try. My sliders already had one of those pins that you just slide in but apparently those are pretty easily circumvented with nothing more than a flat head screwdriver.

I will try to find a link to the lock I got for the slider so you can see what I am talking about. It was about the most secure thing I could find.

This is the closest thing I could find just to give you an idea of how it works. The keyed section moves in and out with a hardened pin on the back side similar to a deadbolt. You drill an appropriate sized hole in the second door so that when closed you push the plunger in and it locks. Then you must have the key to unlock it an release the plunger.

http://tri-circledoor.en.alibaba.com/product/50342719/51557812/lock/Aluminum_and_Vinyl_Plastic_Window_Lock/showimg.html

QUESTION:
I'm renting this house....do you think I should pay for and install the motion sensitive lighing or is it worth asking the landlord nicely? Who's responsibility is it (I have to drill into walls and do some electrical work unless I buy these solar versions)

Ask your landlord first. If you were to install the lights without your landlords permission he/she could simply say "thanks, but I'm not going to re-pay you since you did this without my permission".

Ask your landlord first. If you were to install the lights without your landlords permission he/she could simply say "thanks, but I'm not going to re-pay you since you did this without my permission".

Oh yeah, on that note, my landlord was very understanding and offered to reimburse me for anything I wanted to do to make the place more secure.

Well I kinda wish I had some form of weapon now...but it may have made me run out into harms way instead of chill and wait for the cops...and now that I'm getting reports from the cops, it looks like they were a teenage couple just getting drunk (found bottles of JD and 7up) and maybe vandalizing/trying to get into the garage or something. Glad I didn't mow em down
Keyword: Something
Teenagers....alchohol....looking for some "privacy". Somehow, I don't think they were interested in bikes. ;)
Seems like this time of year (summer vacation just started for kids), the vandalism takes a spike.
Glad you/family (and bikes) are safe.

(found bottles of JD and 7up)

JD goes much better with Coke.

QUESTION:
I'm renting this house....do you think I should pay for and install the motion sensitive lighing or is it worth asking the landlord nicely? Who's responsibility is it (I have to drill into walls and do some electrical work unless I buy these solar versions)
Ask the landlord first. The landlord will probably be willing to pay for it and possibly compensate you somehow for the labor (maybe a little knocked off your rent for a month). It's usually a win win situation. You get something that will make your home more safe while the landlord increased his property value without doing any work. In the end, any improvements you do to the house without consent of the landlord does not require the landlord to compensate you for it and you would have to leave it behind when you move out.

Moved to Foo now that the action has settled down a bit.

OP, glad you are alright (and your bikes too!). You made the right choice not trying to go back out. Most thieves would be likely high tailing it out of there after the first shout. If they weren't, then you probably don't want to find out why.

Glad you're OK, hopefully they catch them!

Theoretically yes, but the reality of the statistics say having a gun often does more harm than good. Everyone rolls the dice armed or not in this world, but i prefer to play with the odds; not against them.
Actually the statistics argue in favor of homeowners with guns.

Good to hear that it sounds like it was just a couple of teenagers fooling around and no hardening criminals.

In terms of non-lethal home defense, well-placed high-powered lights combined with motion sensors are a good choice. Excellent advice. In the Industrial Security Industry, we teach CPTED, which is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, and you've given some advice consistent with what naturally discourages would-be theives.

I personally like decorative gating to discourage people from crossing into a property.

I would supplement the activated lighting with brighter lighting (metal halide) than what is normally used and keep it on all night. For your interiors, I would use cycling light timers that give the appearance that someone is home, and I would keep the stereo on, loud, to give that appearance. Finally, keep in mind that the low cost alarm systems offer high markups for the alarm company and little protection for the consumer, so you may have to spend much more than you think on such a system.

Thank you very much everyone for the great tips and supportive comments!
I found great comfort in the fact that I got so many responses at the wee hours of the morning when I wanted to chat it out a bit. I'm going to talk to the landlord and go with the securing up the area (removing items they can step on to scale the walls, installing motion lights (in back yard so i don't bug dog walkers), better locks on windows and more diligence)

The sound of a shotfun cocking can be pretty persuasive as well.

So true. That is one of the most menacing sounds period.

Glad you and the wife are okay.

Starting up a neighborhood watch in our community... the number one item stolen from residences are weapons (firearms, knives, swords, etc), followed by money/jewelry and electronic items.

9-1-1 is great, but if you call, call from a land line, cell phones do not give address or a location.

Keep doors and windows locked, especailly sliding glass doors - use a 1/2" or 3/4" dowel just small enough insert/remove. Make sure door strikes have 3" long screws. Lighting is your friend. Pad lock your gates. Remove the string that releases the garage door from drive mechanism, if you have lites (windows in the door), they can be broken and the string captured and the garage door unlocked and opened manually - not good. Lock the door between the garage and the house.

Remember responsible gun ownership...know your backstop, treat every firearm as if it were loaded, never point at anything you don't intend to destroy. My take: property can always be replaced, the life, safety and well being of my family is paramount over everything else.

The sound of a shotfun cocking can be pretty persuasive as well.

I like this sound:

http://www.sound-effect.com/sounds1/human/fight/swordraw.wav

Cell phone 911 worked great. I dialed, got CHP who asked me if I was in Hermosa, I said yes, they connected me to Hermosa PD, the person on the phone said officers are on their way, stay in the house, stay on the phone till I tell you to open the door. 2 minutes later, knock on the door, cop on the phone said thats the office open the door. Never got a chance to thank the officers. I was real impressed how that happened.

PS I don't have a land line...

I have two pitbulls. When my wife and I lived in Hawaii the houses on both sides of us were broken into and jewelry and electronics were taken. Our house was untouched.

Just yesterday, my neighbor asked me if I saw anything suspicious because he came home and found his door open.

Dogs (mean looking one's preferably) > security system. Although dogs are sort of a security system in a way so I guess... Dogs = security system... ahhh nevermind

For instances like these, I am sure glad that I have my dog. He sure wouldn't do a thing to anybody unless they physically attacked myself or my wife. BUT he does hear anything out of the ordinary at night. He will give a good growl, a nice little warning "woof" than comes the giant deep bark of a rottweiller. I am sure if people hear that they would be gone. If they weren't scared off by the bark, they sure as heck would run from a 110 lb rottie. An awesome dog that wouldn't hurt a fly unless he had to protect his owners.

I will take him anyday over motion lights, an alarm or even a gun:D

Yup. Hermosa Beach, CA.


we're practically neighbors.



sorry about your flowers. ;)

bang bang bang bang



freeze!

For instances like these, I am sure glad that I have my dog. He sure wouldn't do a thing to anybody unless they physically attacked myself or my wife. BUT he does hear anything out of the ordinary at night. He will give a good growl, a nice little warning "woof" than comes the giant deep bark of a rottweiller. I am sure if people hear that they would be gone. If they weren't scared off by the bark, they sure as heck would run from a 110 lb rottie. An awesome dog that wouldn't hurt a fly unless he had to protect his owners.

I will take him anyday over motion lights, an alarm or even a gun:D

Nice...my cat wasn't very helpful. She looked mildy amuzed when it was going down. More happy to have company in the middle of the night then anything else. When I asked her "why didn't you do something?" she promptly meowed then attacked my foot. I love that cat aloofness...does nothing for security but sure made me smile :p



we're practically neighbors.



sorry about your flowers. ;)

Yup! I met my first BF member a couple weeks ago, ronzorini also living in Torrance.
I ride with the Southbay Wheelmen around PV on some Sundays and City of Bikes out of Inglewood on Saturdays. You should drop by!

Yup! I met my first BF member a couple weeks ago, ronzorini also living in Torrance.
I ride with the Southbay Wheelmen around PV on some Sundays and City of Bikes out of Inglewood on Saturdays. You should drop by!


i'm a member of south bay wheelmen but i didn't know about a sunday ride. :rolleyes: they don't help new members much and we kinda have to figure stuff out on our own.

when and where do you meet for the saturday and sunday rides?

ps i'm about to move into manhattan beach so we'll really be neighbors. :p

i'm a member of south bay wheelmen but i didn't know about a sunday ride. :rolleyes: they don't help new members much and we kinda have to figure stuff out on our own.

when and where do you meet for the saturday and sunday rides?

ps i'm about to move into manhattan beach so we'll really be neighbors. :p

I'll PM you neighbor ;)