Thailand Expats - burglary in Patong :-(

the juggler · #1 30-06-2007, 15:16

Hi folks,

yesterday someone broke into my room and stole my brand new Mac Book Pro 17'', my CANON digital camera and about 15.000 THB. They came through the window. One of the typical aluminium slinding windows. Its so easy to break in! And Thai people don't care about safety....
The Notebook was in my closet and locked with a special Notebook lock from Kensington, but they just ripped the lock out the Notebook.

After hours with the police and a night without not so much sleep, I want to secure the place to avoid something like this again.
Has anyone an idea how to block these windows. I did not find something so far that could help. For the door you find more security equipment, even this is antic compared to the stuff we have in Europe.
I read the thread about safety boxes. Does anyone found a bank that has boxes available?

thx

LivinLOS · #2 30-06-2007, 15:22

I always looked at the security of where I rented.. Last house had metal window bars which felt secure..

If a house has poor security its not cheap to get it better..

ATMwalking · #3 30-06-2007, 15:36

A piece of wood jammed in the frame will stop sliders from sliding. Installing metal bars is an option.

Too bad about the loss of the Mac. Not cheap to replace.

Nicke · #4 30-06-2007, 15:39

Sorry to hear about your story.

I think metal bars is the most common way to protect windows, can be either outside or inside. I noticed in Malaysia is pretty standard everywhere, even balconies. In Sweden barely used at all.

Safety boxes not so expensive, so maybe good to invest in one. If you can mount to a wall even better so they can not carry away with it.

Nautilus · #5 30-06-2007, 15:41

So sorry to hear that. It's so scary also.

JayBee · #6 30-06-2007, 16:53

Are you living in an apt., or a house? I assume you're not in a hotel.

As said by ATMwalking, if you cut a piece of 1" x 2" or 1" x 4" to fit snugly in between the sliding section of the window and the far end where it meets the wall, then the window cannot be opened without first removing the piece of wood. The only way to open it from the outside then, would be to smash the pane of glass. It's simple, cheap, and effective! You can also use a wood closet dowel, cut to the right size for the same purpose.

Sorry you lost your new Mac. OUCH!!! That hurts!

IRISH JONNY · #7 30-06-2007, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee

Are you living in an apt., or a house? I assume you're not in a hotel.

As said by ATMwalking, if you cut a piece of 1" x 2" or 1" x 4" to fit snugly in between the sliding section of the window and the far end where it meets the wall, then the window cannot be opened without first removing the piece of wood. The only way to open it from the outside then, would be to smash the pane of glass. It's simple, cheap, and effective! You can also use a wood closet dowel, cut to the right size for the same purpose.

Sorry you lost your new Mac. OUCH!!! That hurts!

THE VALUE OF A MAC ADDS UP TO A LOT OF STs !!!!!!!!!!!

ub2yoo · #8 30-06-2007, 17:51

Sorry to hear about that Juggler.

As far as the Kensington Locks go, I've seen this one before, but never tried myself.

YouTube - Lock Picked with Toilet Paper Tube

pablo · #9 30-06-2007, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by IRISH JONNY

THE VALUE OF A MAC ADDS UP TO A LOT OF STs !!!!!!!!!!!

That's our IJ...always thinking...always thinking. 55555

(He puts things in their proper perspective. 5555)

Sorry to hear of your misfortune Juggler, good luck.

Pablo

Halley G · #10 30-06-2007, 20:34

more secure place,
you pay for what you get

Spector · #11 30-06-2007, 21:32

Juggler…Sorry to hear about you’re loss. It seems almost a daily occurrence that someone is reporting some sort of crime these days. Obviously you don’t want this to occur again. As suggested, wood in the window sliders is fairly effective. Buying some motion detectors and a loud siren is also a cheap way to make you feel a little more secure. I also found those security stickers affixed to the windows and doors (Example -“Protected by ADT Security”) is probably one of the best deterrents. Doesn’t mean any more then to give the thieves pause and maybe they will move to the next house.

I have had my house broken into as well as my office. The guys that broke into my office and stole all our computer equipment returned 2 day later to steal the new stuff. Cheeky buggers….anyways all you can really do is slow them down by making it a little more difficult break-in to your house again…even the old guard dog sign makes them think.

Thai Kwan Do · #12 01-07-2007, 06:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by ub2yoo

Sorry to hear about that Juggler.

As far as the Kensington Locks go, I've seen this one before, but never tried myself.

YouTube - Lock Picked with Toilet Paper Tube

from holland again eh!! tsh ths ! darn pot smoking hippies!

the juggler · #13 02-07-2007, 17:32

Hi folks,

thanks a lot for the advice to make the room saver!

I just bought 2 new locks for the door, the owner of my building installed them already, and I get bars for my window and he is so sorry ;-) ...
The sliding windows were already blocked by two bolts, this will give some safty until the bars are being mounted.

I wish I had done this earlier! :-(

Unbelievable for me, not to spend little money for safety.
Many rooms have a laptop and are afraid of a burglary, but to invest in security, not a topic for the Thais here.

My travel insurance from Mastercard will pay up to 2000,- Euro, I hope! This covers only half the costs but better than nothing! But this works only for travels of a periode of 3 month, after that I have to find a new way!

My next idea is an insurance for my appartement here, but I will open a new thread for this.

So long!

jimholio · #14 02-07-2007, 17:51

What about an alarm system? Even if its not directly connected to any type of security offices a high sounding alarm shouldnt be that expensive?

Jacques · #15 02-07-2007, 21:25

What about a safe, was strolling in Carrefour and saw a lot of those safes, all your valuable stuff that was stolen will easy fit in.
Would be a good idea to mount such a thing to concrete,but anything that is big and heavy causes delays which is bad for the burglars.

Lightemup · #16 05-07-2007, 20:32

You can tell a lot about a country's inhabitants when you look at how houses are built and secured.
Bars in front of all windows, doors etc..

Normally I wouldn't want to have bars in front of windows as its another fire escape thats blocked, but in some countries its just needed.

ATMwalking · #17 06-07-2007, 12:35

I won't do bars on the window. I'd rather risk robbery than live inside a jail. There are other measures you can take on the inside to off-set a breakin.

LivinLOS · #18 06-07-2007, 13:22

Bars provide other help.. My last house had bars and I have been woken to the sound of a drunk pissed of BG lobbing her shoes at my window before !!

JayBee · #19 06-07-2007, 16:22

An alternative to bars is to simply put a lock on the window, and rig it so that if the lock is forced, it will trigger a shotgun to blast the intruder off the face of the earth!

Problem solved!

aussie dollar · #20 06-07-2007, 16:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayBee

An alternative to bars is to simply put a lock on the window, and rig it so that if the lock is forced, it will trigger a shotgun to blast the intruder off the face of the earth!

Problem solved!

yep and farang off you go to jail,a LOS jail for a long time.

Denver · #21 28-07-2007, 01:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

My last house had bars and I have been woken to the sound of a drunk pissed of BG lobbing her shoes at my window before !!

...........and why doesn't this surprise me! Tch!

Nicke · #22 28-07-2007, 03:48

It's not a "farang target" thing, I heave heard lot of stories lately from my girls who's neighbours have lost everything in the room (TV, DVD player) and one BG lost her gold etc. So the burglar crimse rise for sure during quiet times and affects all, locals as tourists.