Burglary

[ditchcrawler]

Last week moored in Birmingham by the Barclycard Arena a guy jumps on our front deck and knocks at the front glass door. I opened it and he apologised for disturbing our lunch, said he had never seen a Narrowboat before and fancied a look round, but left. What would have happened if we had not been onboard I don't know. Was he making sure if anyone was onboard they would hear him and come out, just to check?

[Klanky]

Last week moored in Birmingham by the Barclycard Arena a guy jumps on our front deck and knocks at the front glass door. I opened it and he apologised for disturbing our lunch, said he had never seen a Narrowboat before and fancied a look round, but left. What would have happened if we had not been onboard I don't know. Was he making sure if anyone was onboard they would hear him and come out, just to check?

 

Sadly, yes. That's a pretty standard burglars' angle of attack. Had it myself a few years ago in Kent, one of the well known local scrotes just happened to 'knock on the wrong door' at 2 in the morning.

[Claude]

 

Sadly, yes. That's a pretty standard burglars' angle of attack.

 

Which perhaps puts paid to the notion that having integral door locks rather than padlocks will reduce the chances of your boat being broken into? People tend to say that padlocks on display advertise that a boat is unoccupied. While that is true I think it only increases your chances of being broken into if the padlocks look flimsy or the hasps are obviously screwed into wood, etc.

 

As you say, burglars only need to knock on a boat with some silly excuse to see if it's occupied and they know they can't get done for a crime they haven't committed yet, whatever the suspicions. I dare say house burglars do the same thing.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Claude

[valrene9600]

You suspect it was a boater because of details you don't reveal.

Would it not be a good thing to reveal these details so others can take precautions. Are you saying someone broke in via a way only a boater would be aware of.

I'm really sorry this happened especially with youngsters onboard so please help others to prevent them being victims.

[tidal]

I have a 100db PIR shed alarm I bought for maybe £10 a decade ago
It travels with me on any boat I sleep aboard and has probably given me two false alarms in all that time.

It has given me 1 not false alarm but even though it woke me up, (and two people from neighbouring boats) I wasn't quick enough to catch the would be tea-leaf
The sight of him haring down the towpath was amusing though

[Claude]

I have a 100db PIR shed alarm I bought for maybe £10 a decade ago

It travels with me on any boat I sleep aboard and has probably given me two false alarms in all that time.

 

It has given me 1 not false alarm but even though it woke me up, (and two people from neighbouring boats) I wasn't quick enough to catch the would be tea-leaf

The sight of him haring down the towpath was amusing though

 

But how do you use the alarm exactly? My boat is bolted from the inside while I'm asleep, so although someone may be able to climb onboard they can't get inside. I can't see how a PIR alarm would be used unless it was outside on deck where it would probably be set off by all manner of things?

[Mike Todd]

You suspect it was a boater because of details you don't reveal.

Would it not be a good thing to reveal these details so others can take precautions. Are you saying someone broke in via a way only a boater would be aware of.

I'm really sorry this happened especially with youngsters onboard so please help others to prevent them being victims.

Until the matter is resolved then I do not want to add to our risks!

 

But how do you use the alarm exactly? My boat is bolted from the inside while I'm asleep, so although someone may be able to climb onboard they can't get inside. I can't see how a PIR alarm would be used unless it was outside on deck where it would probably be set off by all manner of things?

Always bolted?

[spadefoot]

I'd never bolt myself in. I sleep with the front door open unless it's a couple below freezing outside.

[GoodGurl]

Until the matter is resolved then I do not want to add to our risks!

Always bolted?

so your doors wasn't bolted?

I'd never bolt myself in. I sleep with the front door open unless it's a couple below freezing outside.

nothing wrong with bolting them from the inside, it's the outside being bolted that bothers me when your inside

[Bunny]

We have a 'dogs running free ' poster on each side( regardless of whether they are on board or not ) . Unless its really warm all exit doors/ side hatches are bolted and locked from inside , keys handy but not within reach / sight . Slightly different in the summer but still aware of vulnerable areas . Laptop , cameras always , unless in use in a locked cupboard not within obvious sight. Phones at night by our pillows incase of emergency by day inside out off view . Any valuables in an almost impossible to access password protected safe. Yep as you may gather have been a victim of a not nice burglary . Criminals have a totally different mindset to the rest of society and although at the time of my ' incident ' the detective told me ' this sort of thing only happens once in a life time' other crimes/ incidents have happened since ,so we are ' criminal aware ' . No great hassle , just routine . Bunny.

[ditchcrawler]

I'd never bolt myself in. I sleep with the front door open unless it's a couple below freezing outside.

I don't bolt my slide, I think the risk of needing to get out in a hurry could be greater than someone coming in. I may of course be wrong. So at night you would just need to open the slide and lift the door bolt but then you would fall over the wife as we have a cross bed in the Back Cabin.

[dogless]

Just from my experience....

The arguments about locks, padlocks, bolts, alarms can be an irrelevance.

When we were burgled the offenders just smashed a window. A neighbouring boat was also done via a porthole.

I think you have to do whatever makes you comfortable security wise, and then just try to relax.

 

Rog

[Mike Todd]

so your doors wasn't bolted?

I did not say that! (In case anyone else is tempted when passing our boat!) Nor will it be without additional security . . .

Just from my experience....

The arguments about locks, padlocks, bolts, alarms can be an irrelevance.

When we were burgled the offenders just smashed a window. A neighbouring boat was also done via a porthole.

I think you have to do whatever makes you comfortable security wise, and then just try to relax.

 

Rog

This is the third time in 49 years of boating (all in the last 9 years) The first occasion was on our last hire boat (so we had no say in what security was provided other than to sue what was there) - entry was made by removing a narrow hopper type window pane.