When I arrived at my industrial unit this morning the lock had been smashed off and the door was open, a bit worrying as my Mk1 Welbike, GPO M20 outfit, WB30 (all in bits) and lots of other valuable gear is stored there.

After a good look around I was amazed to see that all that had been stolen was 2 knackered electric drills, a brocken skill saw and a pretty good chop/mitre saw.

Three of my neighbours lost Snap-on toolboxs (with tools)and various other valuable gear, so I suppose I was lucky, and we all spent the day talking to a Policeman and welding extra security devices on our doors.

But its all very depressing

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

It may be a good idea to move the bikes for a while, they now know they are there. I know how it feels, I've had my house ransacked once and 6 further break ins and thefts from where I used to live, now I live at the rough end of town and so far (touch the nearest piece of wood) no break ins. It makes you feel so helpless and frustrated when it happens, the last time I got broken into they used my missus's mobile phone to ring me and tell me what they were doing!

email (option): davmax@ntlworld.com

Bad luck Rob, I know the feeling of vulnerability that it brings. 3-phase on the padlock hasp now ?

email (option): 79x100@gmail.com

IS this common in the UK? Certain areas?

email (option): micran1234@yahoo.com

Bloody damn sorry for ya Rob! Don't you ever wish, just once, you could catch those b*st*rds in the act?

email (option): britool51@hotmail.com

Sorry to here that Rob. It's the utter feeling of disbelief when you arrive at your premises to find the door open. I had my previous Dry Cleaning business broken into on three occasions! What is there to steel in a Dry Cleaners apart from second hand clothes and about £10 worth of float in the till Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Thanks everyone, and I think I will be taking Daves advice.

The trouble is I've grown up in a quiet rural part of Devon where you never had to lock your door. But times have changed and there are more and more storys of quad bikes being stolen from farms and violence in the country towns & villages and where you are followed around by CCTV, but then when something happens you are told there is no evidense?

Sorry about my off topic rant

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

It's pretty much accepted that the bulk of this type of crime is fuelled by the drugs market....You'll never stop people using drugs if they are available, the only answer is to address the supply side.
Time to start dangling dealers off the end of a rope in my opinion...they just f**k up peoples lives, both the users and the innocent victims such as Rob...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

My sympathies Rob at least they only got relatively little..
I keep my bikes chained to the floor in the garage with a couple of chains and padlocks. I know that scumbags can still steal my bikes given the time, but I want to make it a hassle, to take as long as is possible.. I'm careful not to post on the internet where I live or any photographs of my bikes that would give the location away.. a bit sad really. I'm sure to have slipped up somewhere.. It really pisses me off that someone feels that they can do this.. Hopefully the Police will get them it sounds unplanned taking mainly tools all be it expensive tools. Yes they now know what you have in the garage, you have to decide are you happy to leave the bikes there, with extra security or to change their location, a pain in the arse. It would have been awful if you had said they got your bikes. Your really quite lucky it wasn't worse..
Jon G

You could always send the Welbike for a holiday with a Dutch uncle?

email (option): rvanmeel@wanadoo.nl

Hi Rob, part of my welbike may well be visiting your fair country next year.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rob

Hope things get better ,my home was broken into NOT nice ,they had taken my english side by side shot gun!!plus other items ,,,wellupset interesting comment from the policeman IF you ever confront a robber make sure you shot to kill , you will not get prosecuted HAPPY to loan you a gun
John

email (option): john@fieldandrurallife.com

sorry to hear about your robbery rob its a pain i was robbed some years ago the took loads of tools which included a complete M20 tool kit and they used the panniers to carry there loot away best to chain even a empty frame they would take hours to nick my tools at the moment they are all over the bench in 2 sheds

Sorry to hear the news, but glad they got little of value. I have had a few break ins and came home one day to find four coppers in my house! They knew before I did, just thankful I have good neighbours. They have foiled at least two attempted break ins. The worst thing is the attitude of the police who will tell you there is nothing you can do and give you a crime number. Last time I was actually burgled, they even stole my new shoes, I kept a barrage of calls to the police until the SOCO boys turned up. Though I was told that there would be no fingerprints, they managed to lift a partial off the window frame and the scumbag got 18 months youth detention. He would probably still be at it without my stubborn streak. Rant over......

It's amazing how the thought of a break in, at your own or a friends, brings out the beast in us all......

email (option): stinkypete80@hotmail.com

Where I live what you can do is catch them in the house. Then if you shoot them you are free and clear. Some folks have been accused of shooting them at the door and dragging them inside before the coppers arrive...

email (option): micran1234@yahoo.com

Bad luck Rob. I am pleased they did not touch the bikes, I am writing from a hospital bed, the bedside tv has a free web link, clever init should be home tomorrow

Hi Colin, Sounds like your luck is worse than mine, I'll give you a call later in the week.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Not all bad, breakfast in bed,Tony Hancock on the radio, speak to you in the week

Gutted for you Rob, horrid.
Probably they have no idea of the value of the bikes and where after stuff to flog on for a few quid quickly.....

email (option): jennycook163@hotmail.com

Sorry to hear that Rob, you were lucky, but definatey move your bikes, they will come back. Up at the Farm a mate runs, around Christmas time, these guys nick stuff. Then came back 3 weeks later once its replaced and nick the new gear, chainsaws, drill, tools, last time they did it they cased the joint and came back with cutting gear for the bikes, but he'd made the containers pretty bomb proof and left. I hate to scare monger, but keep the bikes somewhere else from now on, if it were me I would.

bike security each bike is locked indivigaly to a ground anchour the front one is locked to 2 a chain goes through the lot then acrossed the doors is a U shapes bar knee high locked to to pieces that are sunk well into the ground one door is chained to the wall at a 45 degree angle and the other is chained to this and can only be unlocked through a narrow gap when one door is open strong doors on the out side i have only a medium size lock and 2 shot bolt so not to advertise that there might be any valuebles in there

I've got burglar alarms on both my workshops...if the door is opened they go off and they would definitely wake me up at night. The windows are also covered and so is the roof space...it's not unheard of for the wasters to break in though the roof to avoid the door alarm. I also got an alarm that is fully enclosed..they spray builders foam in through any opening to disable the alarm....and it's also tamper proof...if you try to remove the cover it goes off...and I've got a handy metal bar...anyone who breaks into my property leaves their right to 'reasonable treatment' at the door...Ian..

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

My sentiments entirely Ian. I caught an intruder at my shop years ago trying to steal my BSA Starfire. He ended up in hospital for stitches after I belted him round the ear with a milk bottle. Fortunately for me, he was know to the police who wrote up his injuries as "He was hurt in the struggle" Otherwise I could have faced prosecution for attacking him.


Ron The Merciless

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Even if the police had the time and could be botherd to look for the theives and caught them, they would get a paltry punishment from the courts. But if a 70 year old woman stops paying her council tax she can expect a year in a hard prison. That much has already been demonstrated.
Thats because she is a threat to the whole social/taxational system, whereas thieving scum are just an irritation to ordinary people.
Be carfull with retaliation or booby traps-- people fighting back is looked upon the same as the 70 uear old council tax refuser

email (option): Gasboy@btinternet.com

I understand in law you are able to make a 'proportionate response'...so after you have beaten the waster senseless with a blunt object just throw one on the floor beside him...job done!!...Ian

email (option): julie@wright52.plus.com

Did any one request the gun!!! ,

email (option): john@fieldandrurallife.com