Garage Broken into while away in the Motorhome. Obvious Target? (1 Viewer)

[davidathomas42]

So 2 weeks ago almost now we went away for a couple of nights to the Lakes.

Left on Tuesday about 3pm and back Thursday 4pm.

Friday I saw my neighbour and he informed me that his garage has been broken in to and mine. We have a garage that is a block of 10 or so on the road behind the house with a double drive that we park the motorhome on.

My garage door is bomb proof. Literally nothing is getting thru it.

So what they did was break in next door and knock a hole in the wall to climb thru and take stuff.

My main concern here is does it make it super obvious were away when the Motorhome is not on the drive. Have others been targeted and broken into while away?

I use it for work a few times a month and its now and then at the dealers having install work done so its not always not here when were in. But I guess people won't think that. My wife is worried that I might go to work in it now and they break into the house while she's in with the kids thinking the house is empty.

Should I look to move it to storage? shame as we have a perfect set up where it is with power hook up and not been outside the house to be unsightly and CCTV etc on it.

Its not obvious which house it belongs to as were on the next street up and there are no numbers on the garage. But I do park outside the house to load up for setting off so thats a big flag I guess.

Anyway just dealing with the insurance. About £3500 worth of toys and tools taken as well as the damage to the wall.

The Garage was sat unsecured for 3 days so could have even been multiple people go in. My cameras captured the time of break in with dust everywhere but as they were pointing at the door and they broke in the back on the garage unfortunately they never stepped forward into view. Typical

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

They can't have associated the garage with the house or that would have been the most obvious target.was your neighbour away also?,to have broken into his and then thru the wall to yours.a very determined breaking.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

I can only assume that your 'bomb proof door' was something that gave the armholes the incentive to get in with all the effort required to break down the wall.
I would invest in some ear splitting sirens and alarm sensors possibly by using a couple of trip wires at low and medium height levels that pull out a plug to set off the sirens.
The worst part about these events is that you and your family are expecting it to happen again and it affects your plans.
Try to improve the security to a point that you think will put them off and hopefully you will not have any more breakins and will regain some confidence that they will stay away and pick an easier target

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[magicsurfbus]

I reckon my MH is safer in storage than on my front garden, plus it would block the light into the front room if it was at home. Our garage is also in a separate block nearby and I park my car outside up close to the door to deter anyone from going in the obvious way.

I'd have thought it might be more about someone knowing what's in your garage rather than monitoring your movements. Presumably you've not been posting on visible social media about travel plans and garage contents?

 

[Lenny HB]

Hard to say if it was due to you and your neighbour being away as they are compound garages. As you say hard to associate the garage with the house without constant surveillance on you. Maybe just trying their luck on some garages and the fact yours had extra security made them think there was something in there worth nicking.
I would carry on as normaly and treat it as a one off that is unlikley to happen again.

 

[jessthedog]

Do you trust your neighbour? Seems a little odd to me!
You don't knock through a garage wall, with all the noise, hassle, and risk, unless you knew what was in there.
I am a terrible Cynic though.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DBK]

Do you trust your neighbour? Seems a little odd to me!
You don't knock through a garage wall, with all the noise, hassle, and risk, unless you knew what was in there.
I am a terrible Cynic though.

They might have looked through the window?

 

[PhilG]

Do you trust your neighbour? Seems a little odd to me!
You don't knock through a garage wall, with all the noise, hassle, and risk, unless you knew what was in there.
I am a terrible Cynic though.

All my security is on the inside. And alarms and big locks.. but the garage is part of the house , which is the first priority when buying..

 

[tonyidle]

Do you trust your neighbour? Seems a little odd to me!
You don't knock through a garage wall, with all the noise, hassle, and risk, unless you knew what was in there.
I am a terrible Cynic though.

A single brick wall would take a couple of minutes to break through & not much longer to enlarge the hole. There wouldn't be much noise either. It is possible that once into the easy one they saw the single brick division, thought why not, and broke through on spec.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jessthedog]

A single brick wall would take a couple of minutes to break through & not much longer to enlarge the hole. There wouldn't be much noise either. It is possible that once into the easy one they saw the single brick division, thought why not, and broke through on spec.

Agree, it wouldn't take long, but first few bricks would make a racket.
OP also said a block of 10 garages. Why didn't they knock through to the others?
As I said I'm a Cynic.

 

[Camdoon]

Let's examine the evidence. A gas mask in photo 2 and an insurance claim for £3,500.

 

[jessthedog]

Let's examine the evidence. A gas mask in photo 2 and an insurance claim for £3,500.

Its obvious where you start! Check if anyone in street is called Mustard, Plum, Scarlet, Green, Peacock or white

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Floydster]

I see they left the Harley.

 

[Bognor Saint]

I see they left the Harley.

Bit of a struggle to get through that hole!

 

[davidathomas42]

Do you trust your neighbour? Seems a little odd to me!.

Yea. They are the quietest most respectful Chinese people I have ever met. The only peep we hear from them is there daughters violin practice at 7pm every night.

They were not away also. He just uses his garage for storage and only goes to it about once a week max. They broke in his thru the rear window which is unfortunately out of sight to anyone unless you go round the back of the garages which is pointless as it's a dead end ally.

Also pointless having a window? No view and not even at the house so no one spends time in them other then dumping camping gear and other stuff you don't use often

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[davidathomas42]

I see they left the Harley.

Yea I think they were hoping for a motocross bike.

They did take a lot of tools and my very nice precharge air rifle :-(

And my Allan key set lol. Came to use it tonight and realised it had gone. Typical. At least that was only about a tenner.

 

[Badknee]

I put a four zone alarm on my garage, double door, side door and two pir sensors for £100. Nice flashing amber led outside and a bright blue one when its set off plus a very loud siren but you do need leccy

 

[Minxy]

Let's examine the evidence. A gas mask in photo 2 and an insurance claim for £3,500.

... no mention of a Rolex though ...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[davidathomas42]

... no mention of a Rolex though ...

My Breitling was on my wrist

 

[Gaston aires]

I have often thought that a van on/off the drive is a bit of a givaway. My friends say we knew you were away, your vans not there, so what about burglers ? I have made it as secure as I can with big bolts, security lights, etc.
Phil

 

[Shrimp]

Our garage was right next to house with MH standing in front of it in view of road.
Security light woke me-we found two lads had taken glass out of window and were just about to climb in (2 off road motorbikes an numerous bits of kit in there) hubby went, they scarpered over locked gate & up road this was at midnight!
Next day MH went away for some work to be done. That night, before midnight lads were back, this time we were ready, they got away.
MH not being there obviously showed we weren't home-although we were ha-ha!
We removed window and beefed up door, think they were caught, lucky escape for us!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[jessthedog]

Yea. They are the quietest most respectful Chinese people I have ever met. The only peep we hear from them is there daughters violin practice at 7pm every night.

They were not away also. He just uses his garage for storage and only goes to it about once a week max. They broke in his thru the rear window which is unfortunately out of sight to anyone unless you go round the back of the garages which is pointless as it's a dead end ally.

Also pointless having a window? No view and not even at the house so no one spends time in them other then dumping camping gear and other stuff you don't use often

Thats my flimsy theory down the tube!
Maybe @tonyidle and others are correct and it was done on spec!

If as you said the garage door was rock solid and they could see that from outside, they would expect smething of value inside. Or they are local scroates
and walked past when you had door open.
You couldnt of done much more on security. You dont expect people to knock down walls for some tools!
Why not, go the whole way and knick the valuable Harley?

 

[Chris51]

Have often thought van at home is a givaway to the scumbags --van gone --house empty. Am concidering leaving /paying for van at a compound in future.

 

[Bognor Saint]

I have often thought that a van on/off the drive is a bit of a givaway. My friends say we knew you were away, your vans not there, so what about burglers ? I have made it as secure as I can with big bolts, security lights, etc.
Phil

We keep ours in storage but when we bring it home to load it,it's a dead giveaway that we are going away.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

Can't stay at home all day/year.... if they want something they'll get it eventually, just unlucky and the police try to do their job but the courts need to deal properly with the scrotes rather then a slap on the wrist...

 

[Dartagnan]

Personally, going on the info provided I would suggest its opportunistic. The security was the trigger point, garage door security beefed up and metal shutters on the rear window. Broke in, saw what was inside and took what they could. Perhaps less than they were hoping for.! Either the security of the garage door from the inside foiled them with regard to nicking the m/c or they weren't interested in it! Had they gone for the Harley they would have brought the appropriate tools to do the door from the inside.
The question you are asking is did they know I was away? I would suggest that is irrelevant because even if you were home they could still have committed the offence due to the location of the garage! I know what you mean though I.e. is it someone who knows of me?
When I eventually purchase a mh even though it will fit on the drive I will keep it in secure storage as mh on drive is too much of a giveaway when not home.

 

[WSandME]

Pre-charge air rifle? Isn't that classed as a bona-fide firearm? If so, IWHT that the police would be more inclined to investigate?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Bailey 15]

On positive side
Our MH is on drive and everybody knows when we're gone so they all keep eye out
Having nosey neighbours can sometimes be a bonus

 

[Puddleduck]

Our MH is on drive and everybody knows when we're gone so they all keep eye out
Having nosey neighbours can sometimes be a bonus

And our neighbours have a set of keys for our house (as we do for theirs - and keys are kept secure and don't have names / addresses on them).

We weren't even out of the MH on Thursday when next door came round to check it was us!!!

We have a grill over the garage window, not sure if that is a deterrent or an invitation but looking in you can see a load of junk It would take a brave person to risk it.

 

[Charlie]

Do you trust your neighbour? Seems a little odd to me!
You don't knock through a garage wall, with all the noise, hassle, and risk, unless you knew what was in there.
I am a terrible Cynic though.

I just can't see the opportunist thief breaking through a wall. I'm with you ..

Breaking through brickwork could be easy or bloody hard. If that wall single skin or not was built with strong compo it would be some hefty thumping ... Surely they don't go equipped with breakers or SDS ?

This was a planned event. I cannot for a second believe otherwise. An opportunist would have done the house not the Garage UNLESS they knew what was in there. Whoever did this knew what they were after that's for sure.

I sincerely hope the perpetrators wake up with scabby knackers of the uncurable variety. Scum.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}