Forum Topic

Quill Lane Putney

Today it was put on our road Forum, telling residents locally to keep your windows and doors locked even if you are in. A resident in Quill Lane had a break in while they were in. They took phones bags etc, contact Police if you see anything suspicious.

Barbara Stevens ● 24d6 Comments

Previously I would have agreed with you but the arrest of the serial burglar operating in Putney could mean we are seeing the return of the professional thief - i.e. not just addicts who take a chance when they see an open door or window.Possibly this is down to the sharp rise in the price of gold and silver or it could be that all the tech people have in their house makes the yield on this type of crime much higher than it was.

Peter Higgins ● 10h

Burglary is generally an opportunist crime rather than something done by professionals as in the old days. That's partly because we have some much less in our homes that can be resold and partly down to CCTV alarms etc. Therefore it is rare that burglars act when a house is occupied and locking doors and windows is an effective deterrant. In the case in Quill Lane it may be that the thief observed the person's phone to be of value at an earlier time and entered the house specifically to take it. Make sure you don't have a hot spot set up on your phone when you are out and about. Thieves can use this to identify your phone and confirm its location.

Barry Elms ● 15d

:-)

Michael Ixer ● 21d

Michael was that Mcsweeneys parents?

Andy Pike ● 21d

The small windows in Victorian houses' toilets are vulnerable. Small boys can get into those, rush down the stairs/along a corridor, at the same time grabbing a laptop, tablet or similar the exit quickly through the front door. Several years ago I had to do the risk analysis on several items stolen from employees' homes in that manner (checking no clients' data had been compromised or user login credentials stolen, etc). I think on one occasion the employee was hosting a dinner party and guests saw the laptop disappearing down the corridor and out of the front door, but were too slow to act (at least that's what I was told). 

Michael Ixer ● 21d

I don't think burglars are deterred by residents being at home. On my street Whatsapp a neighbour reported being woken at 4am by a man trying to open the downstairs windows. He yelled at him and the man ran off. Back in Januaary 2011 there was an attempted break-in at my house during the night. Fortuntely the window locks held.Some years ago a friend's daughter and her husband in Clapham were burgled during the night when they were asleep. The daughter's a musician and her very nice violin was stolen, not a Strad by a decent violin. They'll take anything.

Elizabeth Balsom ● 21d