matt1979 wrote:always hide your keys at night and have c s gas next to your bed redy!! i am so worried as the guy next door to me had his french door window smashed and they got his brand new merk keys and nicked it at 2 in the afternoon. sory for your loss the scum should be berried alive....
Poor advice in my opinion.
I have always said myself that I would fight off any offenders for my pride and joy. I've been training in martial arts for most of my life, I have a career in it and, at risk of sounding like a bragger, I can handle myself.
All that said, I had a few lads after my car (a well known jacking gang) who, for various reasons, were unsuccessful. The event changed my outlook on the topic and has since affected what I now do to prevent them from taking it.
Firstly, you mention to hide your keys. Bad advice. They aren't going to want to play hide and seek... finding that your keys aren't on the table won't deter them if they are already in your house will it? They won't stop there; they'll wake you up, batter you and, if need be bring, your partner or your child(ren) into it.
My friend is CID and he works on cases like this all the time. If they are in your house, they are tooled up, Their adrenalin is pumping and they are ready for war if need be. I have heard all sorts of stories, Samurai swords through patio windows, knives, guns, axes, you name it. If your keys are hidden, if you fight back, be prepared for the worst. They will be a pack of wild dogs...
The best advice I can give is to make it hard for them in the first place. They will do a "recce" firrst and if they see it will be tricky, they'll go elsewhere. I have started putting the missus' car over the drive-way/gates with a disklok on it. The gates are locked aswell so they'll have to remove a disklok, move a car and then get the gates open. That aside, we have two dogs and the house is lit up with security lights etc.
The fact is, if they want it that bad, they will get it and for that reason, I have started leaving both sets of the keys downstairs. My partner is due to give birth in three weeks and so my priorities have changed. I don't want some scrotes upstairs waking her up whilst she sleeps.
Just my two penneth.