I'm sure all of you are more security conscious than me - but just a warning! I had 8 bikes which I kept behind a wooden fenced off area in the hangar. The hangar isn't locked and neither were the bikes. I've never heard of any burglaries around the area in the 4 years I've been here, but I came home today from work to find 4 of the bikes stolen (including my little girls, which was the most annoying, she was really upset). It is either someone we know or someone who stayed in the gites - they are for use by people in the gites) as we are very much off the beaten track.
I had really hoped to escape this in rural France! Still, it's taught me a lesson and everything will be locked up in future.
At least they can't nick the swimming pool.
Theft
-
Hells Bells
- Posts: 13173
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
- Location: French Alps
- Contact:
-
Normandy Cow
- Posts: 2687
- Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 7:14 am
- Location: Normandy
- Contact:
Re: Theft
Don't you believe it! Theft is rife in rural France and is getting worse.Susan wrote:I had really hoped to escape this in rural France!
We bought a new black dustbin (less than 10 Euros) and it got stolen from the end of our lane within a week of us putting it out there. Also, we have had people stealing the wood from our woodpile which is inside one of our dependences but not locked. I couldn't believe it at first, but apparently it's really common, especially now with the fuel price increases.
We are putting locks on all the dependences, and we are having a new wrought-iron gate made with electronic security devices so that people can't just drive in and fill up their car with our wood and anything else which takes their fancy.
Sorry to hear that Susan
I know what it is like all too well with 4 break in's (over 25 years) couple of attempts, bikes stolen, replaced by insurance and stolen again (twice). cars broken into - etc etc. Living near the city... I wouldn't say I lived in a "rough" area either. (Heaton for those of you who know the toon)
However, up in the village folk said "there's no need" etc but old habits die hard and I stay security concious. There's an old local couple there who were just popping to the shop and not locking their door. A couple no good kids realised and went in and stole money, small goods etc. Don't get me started on what I'd do with thieves but it is pretty barbaric .....
I know what it is like all too well with 4 break in's (over 25 years) couple of attempts, bikes stolen, replaced by insurance and stolen again (twice). cars broken into - etc etc. Living near the city... I wouldn't say I lived in a "rough" area either. (Heaton for those of you who know the toon)
However, up in the village folk said "there's no need" etc but old habits die hard and I stay security concious. There's an old local couple there who were just popping to the shop and not locking their door. A couple no good kids realised and went in and stole money, small goods etc. Don't get me started on what I'd do with thieves but it is pretty barbaric .....
-
Hells Bells
- Posts: 13173
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
- Location: French Alps
- Contact:
Yes, it is complacency. Needless to say, they are not covered by the insurance. Neither is anything else that is outside the house and not locked up in a dependence. That means that any potential thief could make off with all the rather expensive wooden garden furniture and the tractor mower and I get no compensation at all. Also if you don't have shutters in the house on all windows/doors and thieves smash the glass to get in, you will be lucky to get as much as 50% cover.
We asked our insurance agents about the shutter issue. They said that if the house were left unoccupied for long periods of time with the shutters open and there was a theft then we wouldn't be covered. However if the house is occupied or visited every day then there is no obligation to close the shutters. It's a good job really because our guests very rarely close the shutters, even when it is scourching hot outside.
-
Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Sue,
Wherever one lives in UK urban areas you are very much at risk. In my opinion, the “smarter� the areas the more likely you are to have something worth stealing and the more at risk you are.
During the 25 years I lived in Linden Road, Gosforth, the house was never broken into, not once. At the rear of the house I had a mews style garage and that was a different story – bikes stolen, freezers emptied, wine store cleared out. It finished up like Fort Knox.
I think you guys in rural Brittany and Normandy are being hit by the British influence. I’m not being complacent, these things can happen anywhere, but down here (in the middle of nowhere I hear you say) basic honesty still prevails and the occasional break-in is the talk of the village for weeks. Old habits die hard so I still lock my car and my house – my French neighbours think I am stark raving mad.
The Insurance Companies take a different view. One must have, and use, shutters and security grills. If you don’t have them forget about getting cover. If you don’t use them forget about making a claim. It’s only common sense.
Alan
Wherever one lives in UK urban areas you are very much at risk. In my opinion, the “smarter� the areas the more likely you are to have something worth stealing and the more at risk you are.
During the 25 years I lived in Linden Road, Gosforth, the house was never broken into, not once. At the rear of the house I had a mews style garage and that was a different story – bikes stolen, freezers emptied, wine store cleared out. It finished up like Fort Knox.
I think you guys in rural Brittany and Normandy are being hit by the British influence. I’m not being complacent, these things can happen anywhere, but down here (in the middle of nowhere I hear you say) basic honesty still prevails and the occasional break-in is the talk of the village for weeks. Old habits die hard so I still lock my car and my house – my French neighbours think I am stark raving mad.
The Insurance Companies take a different view. One must have, and use, shutters and security grills. If you don’t have them forget about getting cover. If you don’t use them forget about making a claim. It’s only common sense.
Alan
-
cromercrabholiday
- Posts: 797
- Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 10:24 am
- Location: North Norfolk
- Contact:
I'm amazed when I go cycling. I've got a reasonable bike that cost around £600 when I'd put all the bells and whistles on but this is modest compared with proper racy bikes. I go to a tea shop in Shere and there are 20 bikes, all worth £1,000+ with no lock in sight. I get my weighty lock out of my pannier and chain it to something solid. I'd go faster if I didn't carry all this stuff around!
John
John
Oh no, how sad! I think it's terribly common all over the world to have a bike stolen, but 4 at one time is really bad luck.
Suggestion: can you put up a shiny new sign next to the other bikes/ garden furniture saying "video surveillance in operation"? The cameras are so tiny these days, you wouldn't even need to have one visible, it could be anywhere, or nowhere, or you could mount a fake camera with a sign on a wood post, with a wire that comes out of the back, down the post and ends 6" underground.
I appreciate that guests don't want to be under surveillance, so you may have to tell them it is fake and why it's there. Alternatively, you could hook up a real one, hide it well and don't tell anyone. This could make for some interesting entertainment!!!
When I was living in London, all the houses in the street had big Banham or ADT Security Alarm boxes above the front door and stickers in the windows. Half of my neighbour's boxes were fake, and it was impossible to tell the difference. They all worked, but some of us paid more than others.
Suggestion: can you put up a shiny new sign next to the other bikes/ garden furniture saying "video surveillance in operation"? The cameras are so tiny these days, you wouldn't even need to have one visible, it could be anywhere, or nowhere, or you could mount a fake camera with a sign on a wood post, with a wire that comes out of the back, down the post and ends 6" underground.
I appreciate that guests don't want to be under surveillance, so you may have to tell them it is fake and why it's there. Alternatively, you could hook up a real one, hide it well and don't tell anyone. This could make for some interesting entertainment!!!
When I was living in London, all the houses in the street had big Banham or ADT Security Alarm boxes above the front door and stickers in the windows. Half of my neighbour's boxes were fake, and it was impossible to tell the difference. They all worked, but some of us paid more than others.