Burglary and petty theft

The law in this country is leaning more & more towards the criminal. Burglarly is a despicable crime with far reaching consequences for the victim. It seems it our Human Right to be burgled.
How long will it be before we are forced to leave our house lights switched on to prevent a burglar injuring itself in the event we are targetted by one? We should have a "make my day law" like the US - the unlimited wrath of homeowners would be a far greater deterent than that offered by the legal freternity.

Actually the summer months are when burglars are most active, it has nothing to do with the dark as statistally a burglary is most likely to happen during the daytime when most people are at work.
The summer months mean it is hot and people leave windows and patio doors open, allowing plenty of opportunity to "Do A Creeper" ie enter the premises whilst you are in bed sleeping

32 days after moving to our new home in a new town we were burgaled by mindless lazy **********, morons who think taking someone's else's things is better than buying your own.
5 delinquents broke in using a garden fork to smash a window brining with them pillowcases to haul away what they chose to take. I have no idea why we were chosen or who these thugs are or what they look like. Not content to use thereown car they took mine as well as there car wasn't big enough. in all £8000 pounds in damage and loss occured. Both my children are medically challenged. I am at a loss how to give them there things back. Criminal Compensation doesn't help you unless you were physically hurt so who helps to replace these things? the Court may well order costs but that doesn't help as the offender's are given time to pay and most find excuses. I'm a single mum on benefits due to a progressive illness, who helps to replace these items that these thugs took? I can honestly say I hate these five thugs and wish them nothing but grief for the rest of there lives.

I have to say I was burgled recently sad to say theu think I left the key in the door, but the Police were great they came within a few hours and just after they left the scene of crimes people came to finger print the house

I am sure someone recently was sizing up my house fo a burglary as the other morning I found my doormat had been moved. Of course I don't leave a key there but I am considering doing so in future as I would quite like to meet this person!

least they weren't vandal scum they took it for a purpose. lock everything and security lights are good

I have been burgled and had my car broken into a few times, I reported it but all I got was a crime reference number I did not see any evidence of an investigation into the crimes.

But having said that if they are brought before the courts the judge is usually so out of touch the thing he calls a sentancing is just an unfunny joke.

I should imagine the police get fed up of this also, I mean if they do actually catch someone then the criminal does not really get real punishment from the courts. You know it is only a matter of time before they go an steal again.

It is a shame we do not deport the criminals to a penal colony anymore.

I lost my flat because of theives once, because the rent was due that evening and a months worth of rent money was on the side waiting to pay the landlord. but this was taken of course. I then lost my job and was unable to get another months rent money. I ended up living on the streets for a while until I managed to get another job.

Having arrested a few burgalars in my time, the one thing I found ironic with one burglar was he went ape s**t when his house was burgled, all the sentiments expressed below were voiced by him, even to asking why we were not out there catching this low life.
I still reckon what goes round comes round.

Really, I didn't know. It just meant that I slept better! Thanks for the warning. It means I can't make myself safe in my own home without being penalised. What is the world coming too? Should I just leave the front door open and invite these people into my home to take what I work so hard for? No way.

If you have set up elaborate traps for a burglar you may be committing a crime yourself.

I was woken just under 2 years ago by a thief that inadvertantly walked into my bedroom. The best part is that as he was moping around I switched my light on, he actually screamed like a girl and proceeded to run out the house into a car.

When I ran downstairs I noticed dog muck and the stench of human muck too. The police were unable to charge him due to "lack of evidence", but from what I was told, they pretty much caught him the same night and when searching his house, found **** stained trousers and trainers with dog muck......not enough evidence...hah!.

Its always very difficult when you've been burgaled. Believe me I know. I have been burgaled around 5 times, ranging from a few items to all my belongings of any value, including my duvet cover!

Unfortunately these sort of people will always exist so the best you can do is try and take as many preventative measures as possibe. Get good insurance for a start which will replace old for new without having to show receipts. Its very difficult to produce receipts for things you nought years ago. Also buy yourself a safe and store some precious items in there like realy expensive jewellery or photos of your chidren etc. Its annoying to have to do so but it could save you a lot of stress!