Jenny10
07-06-2012, 22:55
We have lived in our 'casa' for 18 months, and presumed it was secure - locks on all doors, shutters on all windows, and all are closed and locked before we go out. Wrong! We came back from an evening out with our visitors - OH mum and brother - to find we had been burgled. They had taken 4500euros worth of laptops, mobile phones, digital/video cameras, ipod/mp3 players, necklaces/watches etc. We keep in touch with family back home through mobiles and laptops - didn't even have their phone numbers without them. All our photos were on the laptops too - irreplaceable family pics. Yes, we had made back-up copies, on memory sticks - they went too. OH beloved guitar was damaged then replaced on its stand - he was gutted. The stereo system went - but they took out and left my Adele CD behind! Didn't know whether to feel pleased or miffed!
They got in by climbing over the back wall from the barranco, where they could not be seen by anyone else in the area, forced the shutter of the back bedroom window open and lifted the window off its lock - so easy. We reported it to the police and claimed on our insurance (2600 euro - we're questioning that!!).
The following week, 9pm, trying to keep cool in the heat that week (me sat in vest top and pants, OH in shorts) we heard a noise. I went to look and found a lad, no more than 16, standing on the 8foot high back wall!! I shouted 'what the b***** hell are you doing? Get down!' Don't know what he thought to a half-clad female yelling at him, but he jumped down onto the barranco. OH ran round after him - there were 2 of them, one legged it, the other stood and looked OH then followed his mate. He ran even faster when the large chunk of rock flew past his ear! We rang the police again, told them we could describe the boys. We're still waiting for them to turn up. The boys were locals - we think we have seen them around since, but couldn't ever prove it was them.
Security has been improved here - bolts on shutters, bars between shutters and windows, anti-lift locks on windows, the 8 foot wall is now 11 foot with glass on the top, and an alarm system. We're not taking any chances again!
Please, make sure you're home is secure - sometimes it can be too easy to find access to property. Make sure ALL windows/doors/shutters etc are securely locked when you go out - you can let fresh air in when you return. Look at your home - how would you get in if you were locked out? That's how a burglar will get in.
We learned this the hard way - I hope no-one else has to.
They got in by climbing over the back wall from the barranco, where they could not be seen by anyone else in the area, forced the shutter of the back bedroom window open and lifted the window off its lock - so easy. We reported it to the police and claimed on our insurance (2600 euro - we're questioning that!!).
The following week, 9pm, trying to keep cool in the heat that week (me sat in vest top and pants, OH in shorts) we heard a noise. I went to look and found a lad, no more than 16, standing on the 8foot high back wall!! I shouted 'what the b***** hell are you doing? Get down!' Don't know what he thought to a half-clad female yelling at him, but he jumped down onto the barranco. OH ran round after him - there were 2 of them, one legged it, the other stood and looked OH then followed his mate. He ran even faster when the large chunk of rock flew past his ear! We rang the police again, told them we could describe the boys. We're still waiting for them to turn up. The boys were locals - we think we have seen them around since, but couldn't ever prove it was them.
Security has been improved here - bolts on shutters, bars between shutters and windows, anti-lift locks on windows, the 8 foot wall is now 11 foot with glass on the top, and an alarm system. We're not taking any chances again!
Please, make sure you're home is secure - sometimes it can be too easy to find access to property. Make sure ALL windows/doors/shutters etc are securely locked when you go out - you can let fresh air in when you return. Look at your home - how would you get in if you were locked out? That's how a burglar will get in.
We learned this the hard way - I hope no-one else has to.