Near-miss

[garrilla]

Was just sat in the lounge with the better half when ever so far in the distance from the back of the house I heard a 'twang!' that sounded like a spoke popping. So I got up and walked to the kitchen to take a look and I noticed the security light was on. I opened the back door and I could hear some kids scarpering away down the road by the side of the house. But I could see one of them wasn't running.

I nipped back in to get the keys to the gate and went and opened it and the kid was there trying to unwind a coil lock from the front wheel of my lads Careera Vanquish. He dropped it as soon as he saw me and legged it too.

They'd been in the shed and used a gardening fork to prang an Onguard Doberman 15mm combination lock which is attached through the Aframe and through both wheels to a ironwork frame attached to a wall with anchor bolts.

The pressure had snapped the barrel of the lock, seen here.

As they've pranged it the lock must of got caught up in the wheels and and the scumbag has tried to escape the lock must have coiled around the front hub and jammed the wheel. This was a peice of unintended good luck from the lock.

How did they get into the shed? We don't yet, the door was open but no obvious damage to the mortice lock that was in the locked position. Although we all swear blind that it was locked properly after our last use, we have yet to determine who was last to lock up sometime yesterday. It may have been me pissed last night.

ANyway, near miss fortunately and there appears to be no damaged to the bike. We have just carted the remaning 7 bikes into the house and down into the basement pending a security analysis and amends tomorrow.

 

[AlanW]

Blimey, you just don't know who is prowling about do you?

We had our car broken into on the drive a couple of weeks ago, 2:30 in the morning. Its an estate and they smashed the rear tailgate glass.

The rear cover was across so they had no idea what was under it, they got away with an empty laptop bag!

The car is right under our bedroom window and that night we had the window open. I heard the car alarm going off and jumped up straight away and there was no one in sight.

But also take into account, we have two outside lights either side of the car that remain on all night and next door have a security light that has a motion sensor that covers our drive and none of that deterred the scrumbags....

 

[garrilla]

They had moved our motion sensore light, but the PIR was still setting it off.

They know the risks are small, I guess.

 

[AlanW]

Get yourself a couple of these Its what we use in our shed.

Yes they are expensive, but near enough 100% piece of mind.

 

[bauldbairn]

Thieving b@st@rds the lot of them - I dread catching somebody either breaking into my car or locker. I just don't have the composure not to attack them!!!!!!!!!

Glad you didn't lose any of your bikes though.

 

[garrilla]

Get yourself a couple of these Its what we use in our shed.

Yes they are expensive, but near enough 100% piece of mind.

On all bar that bike and my tatty hybrid, they are secured with 12mm hex chains. The lad's bike is in out and all the time, and although we know the lock isn;t the greatest it was convenient for him to schlep it about to school etc.

 

[bauldbairn]

I'd keep all the bike's out of the shed for the rest of the winter if I was you(if at all possible). If they've saw the other bikes it would be worth their while to come back!

 

[porteous]

Try one of these! Legal explosive alarm

I have used these for years, since I was an infantry soldier. They are legal, not expensive and REALLY work! Not only tells you someone is breaking in, but frightens the b*lls off the intruder.

http://www.henrykrank.com/alarm_mine.html

I used to have a problem with people getting into my sheds at night. Put a couple of these on and, sure enough, one was triggered about a week later. I heard the bugger that tripped it run through a hedge and fall 10' onto the road (Found the hole in the hedge next morning!). Had no trouble afterwards. I guess word may have got around!

 

[bauldbairn]

I have used these for years, since I was an infantry soldier. They are legal, not expensive and REALLY work! Not only tells you someone is breaking in, but frightens the b*lls off the intruder.

http://www.henrykrank.com/alarm_mine.html

I used to have a problem with people getting into my sheds at night. Put a couple of these on and, sure enough, one was triggered about a week later. I heard to bugger that tripped it run through a hedge and fall 10' onto the road (Found the hole in the hedge next morning!). Had no trouble afterwards. I guess word may have got around!

Brilliant!!!

Added to "favourites" will try in the New Year.

Just think what effect a real mine would have on the buggers - not loaded with explosives(a bright/blinding flash, as well as a bang), just something to let them know you could've had one(a real mine).

 

[porteous]

Real mine

Believe me, a 12 bore blank going off next to your ear gives you a flash that will stuff your night sight for a minute or two, and a ringing in your ears that will last a weekend! Put one behind the shed door, either very low or very high, and hook the wire onto the doorframe as you close the door, so it triggers when the door is about 6-9inches open.

I prefer high, so it goes off at the same height as the thief's head, but just the other side of the door.

PS. Don't forget to unhook the wire when you re-open the shed!

 

[bauldbairn]

Believe me, a 12 bore blank going off next to your ear gives you a flash that will stuff your night sight for a minute or two, and a ringing in your ears that will last a weekend! Put one behind the shed door, either very low or very high, and hook the wire onto the doorframe as you close the door, so it triggers when the door is about 6-9inches open.

I prefer high, so it goes off at the same height as the thief's head, but just the other side of the door.

OK! OK! - I didn't think about the flash from the gunpowder - was just thinking of maximising it's effect, and the hilarity of a deaf / stunned / blinded thief staggering off into the night.

 

[thomas]

You could get one of those cheap muvi micro clones of ebay for like £12. If it has the VOX mode it will only turn on when it hears a noise, so might turn on when people are trying to nick your bike so you can get it on film.

Though they're battery powered, they allegedly last quite a while in stand by mode (I've never tested it).

Wouldn't be that great if there wasn't a light in your shed though that was on/not day light out.

 

[summerdays]

Wouldn't be that great if there wasn't a light in your shed though that was on/not day light out.

We've got a solar powered light that is triggered by movement - at this time of year we have to top the batteries up occasionally but its brilliant for putting your bikes away in the dark.

 

[Bman]

You could get one of those cheap muvi micro clones of ebay for like £12. If it has the VOX mode it will only turn on when it hears a noise, so might turn on when people are trying to nick your bike so you can get it on film.

Though they're battery powered, they allegedly last quite a while in stand by mode (I've never tested it).

Wouldn't be that great if there wasn't a light in your shed though that was on/not day light out.

The standby does last a very long time. I dont bother turning it off anymore. Then again, I charge it when copying data over to my pc (1hr per day perhaps)

If you needed extra power, It would'nt be hard to convert a battery to usb adaptor for it (I assume it would work)

As for lighting. The MUVI does pick up InfraRed (like every other digital camera I have tested). So all you would need is a triggered IR lamp in there. The theif wouldnt even know he is lit up!

 

[e-rider]

I like the look of those alarm mines but they don't come with blanks becasue of some royal mail issue - where can you get the bullets and what do I need to ask for?