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Lucky Escape
BenB - 19/11/20 at 02:31 PM

I got an e-mail this morning from the company I rent my garage from telling me my garage had been broken into, that they were replacing the door and fitting a new lock but I needed to go over to see what had been stolen.

So I duly went over expecting the minimum nicked to be

1) all my tools (air tools, compressor, hand tools, cordless drills etc)
2) my new Turbo mig welder and 6 foot gas cylinder
3) possibly the spare bike engine

and possibly the car itself (though the lack of a steering wheel might have been an issue)- or just to find it badly damaged when the above were being dragged past it.

Turned up, opened the new up+over door and thought "oh jesus, they've ransacked the place". Then I remembered it was my garage and I always leave it in a right mess.

I spent a good half hour and couldn't find a single thing missing! It's like I left it.....

A colleague said perhaps they were disturbed. I said given how messy my garage is I suspect they were more than disturbed, they probably needed full on PTSD counselling.

Very strange. I'm not complaining though!!!

Of course if I go home and tell my wife they didn't take anything, she'll say that's because I'm paying thousands every year renting a garage to store crap in that no-one wants (even free)......

nick205 - 19/11/20 at 02:39 PM

Strange - I've always been a fan of a tidy workspace to get more done. Maybe they got the door open looked in and thought...let's try a different one.

Ultimately if you've not had anything stolen then not a bad situation really.

Perhaps you should report a few items stolen to your good lady. Might give you justification to invest in some more tools

Werner Van Loock - 19/11/20 at 02:45 PM

Probably opened it not expecting that

Good that you're not missing anything. If you got power in the garage they might've been after electric bicycles, that's the hot thing here in Belgium, breaking open garages to get bicycles electric and race is very popular apparently.

Anyway, scum should've entered and broken their neck over the stuff, only proper solution.

David Jenkins - 19/11/20 at 02:58 PM

I wonder if they'll have another go, now that they've cased the joint and seen what's on offer...

nick205 - 19/11/20 at 04:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I wonder if they'll have another go, now that they've cased the joint and seen what's on offer...



Fiar comment.

If it's rented you may not be allowed, but there are various security measures you can add. extra locks (hasps and padlocks) around the edges of the door. One of my neighbours is an electrician and has a motion triggered camera up on the gutter line of his house that watches his work van (tools). He's also got motion triggered security lights covering the same area for better night time camera visibility.

nick205 - 19/11/20 at 04:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I wonder if they'll have another go, now that they've cased the joint and seen what's on offer...



Fiar comment.

If it's rented you may not be allowed, but there are various security measures you can add. extra locks (hasps and padlocks) around the edges of the door. One of my neighbours is an electrician and has a motion triggered camera up on the gutter line of his house that watches his work van (tools). He's also got motion triggered security lights covering the same area for better night time camera visibility.

02GF74 - 19/11/20 at 05:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
I wonder if they'll have another go, now that they've cased the joint and seen what's on offer...


You may to install floodlights inside that come on when door is breached and a mobile phone set to take a photos and text to you when triggered by the lights.

A very loud alarm and lights powered from a car battery if mains is not available can act as a deterrent

steve m - 19/11/20 at 06:57 PM

Perhaps they will return to night, and tidy the poo up ?

perksy - 19/11/20 at 08:37 PM

Make sure everything is locked up folks, especially at this time of year, Install CCTV and flood lights if you can

I chased after 2 idiots a couple of weeks ago trying car door handles on our road (all recorded on our CCTV)
To be fair the police made an arrest a couple of hours later as they tried their luck somewhere else nearby

Simon - 19/11/20 at 09:47 PM

Friend of mine uses Blink in his garage, but I think it needs access to router/wifi....

perksy - 19/11/20 at 10:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Simon
Friend of mine uses Blink in his garage, but I think it needs access to router/wifi....




Yes it does, but its a very good system and you can tailor it to your requirements

Mr Whippy - 20/11/20 at 09:20 AM

quote:
Originally posted by BenB

Turned up, opened the new up+over door and thought "oh jesus, they've ransacked the place". Then I remembered it was my garage and I always leave it in a right mess.



Lol

It's funny though, the 3 people who I personally know who have spotless garages also literally never seem to do anything in them. They go out there to tidy the already tidy garage, I caught one a few days ago painting their tools, pliers, spanners etc, wtf? That's not what they're meant for... You're supposed to use them not hang them up for decoration. An untidy garage is a busy one.

David Jenkins - 20/11/20 at 09:29 AM

Reminds me of the old joke: "A tidy desk is a sign of a sick mind"

My wife goes into the garage and says "you ought to tidy this up" (she's a compulsive tidy-upper) and I usually reply "It's fine, I know where everything is!" This is OK until I lose something, and she gives me stick...

BenB - 20/11/20 at 10:23 AM

Good points re they might come back. I've cobbled together a PIR activated floodlight / siren in there just because I had the bits to hand and could wire it up quickly and inevitably last night I was researching GSM alarm systems. It's still v strange. Every time I think about it I just think WTF!

If it was my neighbours Steve I'd well believe they'd break in just to tidy up! But that's a whole different story!

Now I think about it, Nick, perhaps they did steal a few items from the garage. Like that Tig welder I've been thinking about for quite some time.... I suspect that's the equivalent of my wife's "what? this old thing?" when she comes down in a brand new dress that looks scarily expensive!!!

Dingz - 20/11/20 at 02:03 PM

Reminds me of the time many years ago, my garage was broken into I was working on a car with tools everywhere; yet nothing seemed to be missing. A couple of days later I discovered they had taken most of the contents of a freshly re-stocked chest freezer in there!

nick205 - 20/11/20 at 02:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by BenB
Good points re they might come back. I've cobbled together a PIR activated floodlight / siren in there just because I had the bits to hand and could wire it up quickly and inevitably last night I was researching GSM alarm systems. It's still v strange. Every time I think about it I just think WTF!

If it was my neighbours Steve I'd well believe they'd break in just to tidy up! But that's a whole different story!

Now I think about it, Nick, perhaps they did steal a few items from the garage. Like that Tig welder I've been thinking about for quite some time.... I suspect that's the equivalent of my wife's "what? this old thing?" when she comes down in a brand new dress that looks scarily expensive!!!





I can't begin to work out how the thought came to me!

Mr Whippy - 20/11/20 at 07:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Reminds me of the time many years ago, my garage was broken into I was working on a car with tools everywhere; yet nothing seemed to be missing. A couple of days later I discovered they had taken most of the contents of a freshly re-stocked chest freezer in there!


never considered the contents of my freezer to be at risk, it's all ice lollies for the kids...

steve m - 20/11/20 at 07:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Reminds me of the time many years ago, my garage was broken into I was working on a car with tools everywhere; yet nothing seemed to be missing. A couple of days later I discovered they had taken most of the contents of a freshly re-stocked chest freezer in there!


never considered the contents of my freezer to be at risk, it's all ice lollies for the kids...


I kid you not, and i am being serious for once !!

About 30 years ago, my next door neighbours were burgled, at night, the offenders took the TV remote control, and the fridges contents, im not sure about the freezer, they also opened the garage door, and stole the car, a Mk 3 escort, and abandoned the car in the next road !

Nothing else was taken in the burglary, all very odd

steve

James - 20/11/20 at 08:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by steve m
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by Dingz
Reminds me of the time many years ago, my garage was broken into I was working on a car with tools everywhere; yet nothing seemed to be missing. A couple of days later I discovered they had taken most of the contents of a freshly re-stocked chest freezer in there!


never considered the contents of my freezer to be at risk, it's all ice lollies for the kids...


I kid you not, and i am being serious for once !!

About 30 years ago, my next door neighbours were burgled, at night, the offenders took the TV remote control, and the fridges contents, im not sure about the freezer, they also opened the garage door, and stole the car, a Mk 3 escort, and abandoned the car in the next road !

Nothing else was taken in the burglary, all very odd

steve



My grandma had someone come in her house after they'd robbed others in the same street. She knew as various door were left open that she always closed at night.
They apparently took nothing... but they did leave a bike in the garage! She never found out where that had come from- I think the police took it away in the end!