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getting rough out there

6K views 49 replies 22 participants last post by  Mr Fixit 
#1 ·
I live in suburb area of Atlanta. Everyday the news brings stories of shootings, home invasions, etc. There was home invasion two nights ago within 3 miles of my house. I am trying not to be paranoid, but everyday when I leave for work, I worry that someone will break in to the house. I worry about my pets. I am now to the point where I want to take a night shift job so between the DH and I, someone will always be home, leaving us less likely to be the targets of a daytime burglary. Am I paranoid? maybe. But I think the economy is surely getting worse, and I worry about those who don't have, stealing from those who do.
 
#2 ·
Got any neighbors that don't work? Get friendly with them, let them know your schedule, ask them to watch your house, etc. I work from home and I always have my eyes and ears open. I purposely go outside several times a day and look around. I have been known to write down descriptions of vehicles and license plate numbers of strange vehicles in driveways. Several of my neighbors let me know when they will be out of town.
 
#3 ·
Agree with previous post, building a good neighberhood is a must.
On a slightly different tack I think that all the negative news is bound to get us down and upset. Try to look for good news stories in your area. make a point of discussing the:
man who jumped in a river so save a kitten
Man Walking raises €70,000 for charity
Woman chases off thugs by threatening to tell their mums (she knew one)
The above are local stories to me & I love hearing about them :)
 
#4 ·
I know what you mean. Same here in the Dallas area. We've had a couple of break-ins near me - first in all the years I've been here. My big dog sounds ferocious when he barks and frankly, I reward him for doing so. Also, he's extremely friendly and I used to tell people that. Now I don't.
savvy_sniper had some good advice re: neighbors. Do you have a neighborhood watch group? If so, you might want to get involved in that.
 
#6 ·
Get some cameras and perhaps an alarm. At the very least post a sign out front that you have an alarm. And prehaps a beware of dog sign.

I agree, get to know your neighbors. I'm home all day, I'm always watching out for all my neighbors who work.
 
#7 ·
Crime here is getting pretty bad too........often driven by DRUGS........not so much the bad economy.

I am just careful.........with anything I do........be it staying home and having my doors locked........or running errands with purse strap across chest and being aware of my surroundings. Going to be careful..............not worried to death that something will happen.

Be CAREFUL AND VIGILANT where ever you are..............that is all you can do.

Would pepper spray or ??? make you feel any safer?
 
#8 ·
I agree that you cannot live in fear. We must just be prepared as best we can alway have our eyes open and know what we will do if ______ happens. Run it thru in your mind over and over till it is set in stone. Alway watch what you say or where you say it to some of your neighbors though. It might be best that some folks don't know when you will be leaving or will be back.
 
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#9 ·
. It might be best that some folks don't know when you will be leaving or will be back.
Yep...........BTDT--------I never tell my neighbors when I am leaving. I don't know them that well........and not sure I want to get to know them just for that reason only...........don't live in a "chatty" neighborhood.

Years ago told my neighbors in Boise----even had the little girl pick up my mail.............house was broke into while gone----KIDS--from what they took-----and I am sure to this day that it was HER BROTHER that did it.
 
#11 ·
I also do not tell people when I am gone. I do not open my door to people I dont know ( I figure people should call BEFORE coming by). I am SUPER vigilent about keeping doors locked and windows shut and locked. I have a dog and he barks when ever he hears ANYTHING!! I only use credit cards or debit (when I am at Aldi's) so that people will not know that I have ANY cash. I always keep an eye out for my surroundings and who could be around. I always keep my cell phone available...in fact I have 2 of them. I live on the second floor of my apartment building although I HATE CLIMBING THOSE STEPS. I pray for protection DAILY. I know I sound paranoid but you just never know ....I had family who lived in a "safe" neighborhood and just two doors down the husband shot and murdered the wife. I have had coworkers who have had their homes burglerized more than once. A coworker was abducted from work (yes kidnapped from the employee parking lot) and forced at gunpoint to remove money from a ATM machine nearby.
 
#13 ·
On the news last night, larabelle, about a woman opening her door, man forcing his way in and threatening her? She was able to get free but you could tell how terrified she was. Some of us may be a bit paranoid, but there's just too much happening out there for my peace of mind.

My dog barks ferociously when he hears someone - sounds mean and vicious. I'm really bad about holding him by the collar and opening the door so he can see who's outside. Usually just a neighbor or someone visiting. Not real smart on my part and especially since my door opens up to the woods. Still, I've learned to be far more careful.

I don't set the alarm but when a door or window is opened, it makes a certain sound. Occasionally the wind blows a certain way and somehow triggers that sound. Dog springs up, I whisper, "Go see!!" and he takes off with his ferocious bark making the rounds of all doors and windows. I really think he would defend me if necessary and FWIW, most people that know him are convinced he would.
 
#14 ·
my dog does not bite but he sounds vicious. I lock every window and door.. I do not tell anyone if I have pain meds... I do not carry a lot of cash on me..I also have a family member come and stay to care for pets when. we are gone. be safe but not a prisoner in your home..get a self defense class it helps confidence..

tip hold your car keys so that u can poke an attacker in the eye.
 
#15 ·
I heard some woman in the grocery store today talking about how she has to make herself not think about all the bad things that can happen to her, because she would be a wreck if she allowed herself to do so. I thought, wow, that is a sad way to live. I am cautious and I stay aware of my surroundings, but I refuse to live a fearful life. Anyone trying to break into my house (if they could get through the early warning system of donkeys, goats, and dogs) while I'm home would be met with, shall we say, "Sig"nificant resistance.

A lot of keeping your house safe is making it a hard target. One way to do that is to get your neighbors involved, start a neighborhood watch, call the cops EVERY time you see something suspicious. Don't make it easy for someone to sneak into your house and they will likely pick another, softer, target down the road.
 
#16 ·
Someone earlier said something about not watching the news. I somewhat agree with that but it is a double-edged sword. We hear so many stories on the news, on the internet, facebook, etc. It's hard to remember all these things don't happen in your backyard and easy to believe the entire world has gone bonkers. On the other hand, not watching the news and living oblivious to it all can put one at risk, as well. We need to know what's going on in our areas and with that in mind, I checked the crime reports for my area. In spite of all the bad news, there is relatively little crime in my most immediate area and mainly DUI's, motor vehicle break-ins and shoplifting at the mall.

I guess it's kind of like frugal living. One size does not fit all. You have to pick and choose to some degree by knowing your surroundings, i.e., for some, letting neighbors know of any absence works, for others it won't work. Having a big dog works for some, not for others. Self-defense courses for some, not for others. Home security systems work for some, not for others.
Being aware of your surroundings, sometimes a hard thing to do, is important for everyone. Keeping doors and windows locked we can all do. Keep a cell phone handy. Don't go out to the grocery at midnight like I used to do a few years ago. None of us should open the door without knowing who is on the other side and that includes me opening to allow the dog to peek out. Lock the doors to the car immediately upon entering. In most areas, neighborhood watch groups have been successful, others not. Just a few cautionary measures that can become part of our normal routines can help lower our anxiety, I think.

Helpful hint given to me by a store manager: Use the safety strap - the one used to strap kids into the grocery cart - to strap your purse onto the cart. You still want to keep your purse in your vision, but that will prevent someone from grabbing your purse and running. I do that and don't unstrap until I push the cart to the cart stands. I thought that was a pretty sharp idea.
 
#18 ·
Someone earlier said something about not watching the news.


Helpful hint given to me by a store manager: Use the safety strap - the one used to strap kids into the grocery cart - to strap your purse onto the cart. You still want to keep your purse in your vision, but that will prevent someone from grabbing your purse and running. I do that and don't unstrap until I push the cart to the cart stands. I thought that was a pretty sharp idea.
If the news 'bothers you' then I agree. I don't take the newspaper, so I watch the news to mainly try to catch what is going on close to my neighborhood or just where the 'goings on' are happening in my area. I think you need to stay 'in the know' while not dwelling on it.

I don't remove my purse in a store. The strap is across my chest and stays there until I get back in the car and have the doors locked.

Was just at Costco with a friend and she did the strap thing with her purse while there............we had to ask the checker to undo it...:laugh:.....two buttons need to be pushed at once and we needed help...........good laugh for us! The next time we 'handled' it.........
 
#17 ·
I also avoid going out late at night...I had gotten into the habit of going to Quik Trip at midnight for a hotdog and drink...yes, just CRAZINESS but loads of fun to do with girlfriends!! :cheer4:
 
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#19 ·
I do watch the news but I am not a junky like I used to be... I have 2 military kids I would go crazy.. I know enought about the world to be informed and enough local to know what is going on..

common sense is important... don't go out at midnight (hubs walks mine at night so I don't have too)
I don't leave my purse were it can be seen..
no one knows what meds we are on...
lock the doors
leave light and tvs on for life in house when u are not home ect

I will not be afraid but if someone does break in on me I will not hunker down.. I believe if anyone enters my home without permission they will hurt me so I will fight back.. and can do it...
 
#20 ·
We will not live where we feel unsafe. When we realized we felt unsafe living in south Minneapolis, we moved.

I don't talk about what we do or don't do for security, what we have or don't have, whether or not we believe in carrying a weapon, what we know how to do to defend ourselves, etc. People don't need to know how to attack me based on what I've said I have or can do to defend myself. They don't need to know if I have guns in the house or not. Some things, I just don't think it's prudent to discuss.

Making the house look lived in is another plus of owning Aerogardens. The lights are on timers, so they come on about six AM and turn off about ten PM, so even if we're not home there are lights that shine at the back of the house so it looks like someone could be home.
 
#22 ·
Since we just moved from the middle of no where to the edge of a good sized city I have been drilling it my kids heads that we must lock the doors, cars garage etc. This is hard for everyone to get used to after having Amish neighbors for the last 15 years. Even though our back yard is very private and heavily wooded Dh is pulling all the drapes at night in the living room. We never pulled a drape when we were very rural. However since there is a lot more crime in the city dh wants them pulled since the walls in in the living room are 90% windows. Dh also cut a board to double secure the sliding doors. That is the extent of our changes so far. I tell dh with 3 dogs I dont feel we are at a huge risk. Dogs are noisy and crooks want to get in and out quietly in my opinion. My littlest dog is seriously a fierce little guardian and once he starts the other two start.
 
#23 ·
When I first moved into this apartment complex years ago, I never closed any of my blinds other than those in the bedroom. 24/7 the windows were wide open. I didn't feel at all unsafe. I would take my dog for a 30-60 minute walk and leave the door unlocked. I used to do that even when I worked evenings at we would walk at 10 PM. Many's the time I woke up to find I had forgotten to lock the front or patio doors. And I'm in a big city!

It's only been in the past couple of years I've seriously changed my habits and become extremely cautious. House key is now on dog leash, making it easy to lock when we walk out. Rarely walk dog late at night other than quick potty trips right out the door. Car doors locked as soon as I get in. I don't really know why the changes. Perhaps because I feel more vulnerable now that I've gotten older? Hear to much? Or just got wiser? Don't know, but definitely more cautious and observant.
 
#25 ·
I live in an area where we don't even lock our doors.
I only feel uncomfortable when we travel.
Sally Struthers did get an OUI the other night about 2 miles from my house. She probably was one of the few cars on the road.
Bad things have happened around here but not very often.
 
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#29 ·
About a mile away from me there always seems to be some kind of gang related crime going on. Fortunately I do not need to go to that area for any reason. There is also a high school very close by and fortunately there has not been any type of violence going on during or after school hours. But I do see a cop car in the parking lot during school hours.

My complex is very small and quiet. Many of the tenants have been here for years and also have dogs so people know each other. I do feel safe but am always careful especially if it is later at night and I am walking home from the bus stop with keys in hand. Right now my neighbor has a huge I mean atleast 50" flat screen tv in a box waiting for her on her front door step. Personally I would not ship something that large and expensive when I knew I would not be home when it was delivered. But there are always packages being delivered and sitting on peoples door step. Meanwhile a mile away there are shootings in the parking lots.

It is good to know what is going on in your area. You know now what area to stay away from if you need to. Just try to think of what you can do to make yourself feel safer. Having lights on a timer is a good idea. Posting signs that you have a security system is also a good idea even if you do not. No one needs to know you do not have a security system. I have a metal pipe that I put in my sliding glass door track. Just makes me feel safer.
 
#31 ·
We live in a very safe rural area. We still don't leave doors unlocked much. We lock our cars when we're in town and parked somewhere.

There's a low crime rate here, but there IS still crime. EVERY AREA has crime, whether you know about it or not. Don't fool yourself. Meth and things like gambling addictions that lead to crime are EVERYWHERE. No use being paranoid about it. Chances are very good nothing will ever happen. But it's always a good idea to be aware and take at least minimal steps to protect yourself and your property.

One thing I've noticed when people are in the grocery store is women who leave their purses sitting in the cart, wide open, with cash sticking out of bank envelopes, just waiting for someone to grab with no effort at all. I'm all for feeling safe, but it still amazes me people are that unaware.
 
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