Alarm tampering?

DamoKen

Hi, myself and the missus returned from a holiday over the weekend. We'd only brought her set of house keys with us. Couldn't find mine in the usual place yesterday morning when heading out so just set the alarm and left.

Turned the house upside down last night and no sign of them. Thought it was a bit bizarre, was nearly positive I'd left them in the house as had said we'll only bring the one set when we were leaving two weeks before.

Anyway heading to bed last night and went to set the house perimeter alarm before going upstairs. Doesn't set and a message comes up saying front door which is weird as it's right in front of me locked tight. I glance up and see the contact attached to the doorframe is somehow swiveled 90 degrees so it's sticking out perpendicular to the door.

Show my wife who then belatedly remembers when she'd got home the alarm was beeping, not a full blast but more what it would do if it had gone off earlier in the day.

Checked everything else in the house and all seemed ok, nothing missing that I could see and no other contacts looked like they'd been moved.

Cannot see how the contact over the door could have moved like that without being pushed. Couldn't be the wind, doesn't touch the door and has never happened before.

Must have been ok yesterday morning as if moved would have prevented the alarm setting. As I didn't have my keys (would still need keys to open the door from outside though) I double checked it set before leaving.

If we didn't set the alarm each night there's a good chance we might not have noticed it didn't arm when setting going out the door this morning as like most people we'd generally be running for work.

Given my keys have vanished seems a bit coincidental.

Any thoughts? Change the locks? Am I a bit paranoid? Or is this a known way of getting access if someone nicks your keys?

foggy_lad

You don't need to change the whole lock but I would get a new barrel for the lock and a new set of keys as well as getting someone out to check the alarm.

Sounds like some scrote tampered with the alarm to make it go off after noticing that you were away and as we all know when an alarm keeps going off for a while neighbours just ignore it, the scrotes would then come back and either use the key that they may have stolen/found or just break in the old fashioned way and the alarm is already gone off so won't sound but even if it does the neighbours will ignore it!

Taboola

If they already broke into your house and stole your keys why wouldn't they have robbed something else?

Gatling

Taboola wrote: »

If they already broke into your house and stole your keys why wouldn't they have robbed something else?

Because they can come back at a later date with a set of keys and clear the place out and likey take the car too .
It's a common MO know break in take the keys and return at a later date

Taboola

Gatling wrote: »

Because they can come back at a later date with a set of keys and clear the place out and likey take the car too .
It's a common MO know break in take the keys and return at a later date

Ah ok. Then to be on the safe side OP I'd get the alarm looked at and get another lock for the door. Preferably a Chubb one.

DamoKen

Taboola wrote: »

If they already broke into your house and stole your keys why wouldn't they have robbed something else?

Hi Taboola, one reason would be anything worth nicking that's portable including both sets of car keys were with us. We had a place on the west coast for a few weeks so everything cameras to HTPC to laptop, tablet etc was with us.

Another I've been thinking of is it's probably a lot less hassle robbing a house if you can get the owner to inadvertently deactivate the alarm for you. First day in and out, tamper with the alarm and gone before it even goes off. Second day hey presto, no alarm on.

Getting a locksmith out this afternoon to change the barrel as suggested by Foggy Lad. Even if I am being a bit paranoid I'd rather spend 50-100 euro for a good nights sleep than jumping at every sound like last night with a hammer under the pillow, not very comfortable.

Thanks all

athtrasna

Did you check your alarm log OP? Might be a bit late as you can usually only see a limited number of actions but it should give you information about when the alarm was triggered.

DamoKen

athtrasna wrote: »

Did you check your alarm log OP? Might be a bit late as you can usually only see a limited number of actions but it should give you information about when the alarm was triggered.

Good idea, will check tonight.

Cheers

Victor

DamoKen wrote: »

Even if I am being a bit paranoid I'd rather spend 50-100 euro

If you are any way technically minded, you can normally change the lock on the vast majority of doors for €20-30 and a screwdriver.

ahnowbrowncow

Victor wrote: »

If you are any way technically minded, you can normally change the lock on the vast majority of doors for €20-30 and a screwdriver.

Why would you leave us hanging like this?

Victor

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

Why would you leave us hanging like this?

Use the €30 to buy new locks. Use the screwdriver to remove the old lock and put the new locks in. No need for locksmith or carpenter.

kub

Victor wrote: »

Use the €30 to buy new locks. Use the screwdriver to remove the old lock and put the new locks in. No need for locksmith or carpenter.

Too little for a lock, the only lock barrells that should be recommended are anti snap type and they cost a lot more than that.

massy086

kub wrote: »

Too little for a lock, the only lock barrells that should be recommended are anti snap type and they cost a lot more than that.

mila do anti snap and anti bump/pick locks for 15euro have 3 in my house great locks

handlemaster

People are talking about doing a DIY job on the only thing stopping you been robbed. Get the professional to do it.

L1011

handlemaster wrote: »

People are talking about doing a DIY job on the only thing stopping you been robbed. Get the professional to do it.

The professional is going to do exactly the same thing. Changing the vast majority of locks is not a job that requires a professional.

handlemaster

L1011 wrote: »

The professional is going to do exactly the same thing. Changing the vast majority of locks is not a job that requires a professional.

The jack of all trades and master of none comes to mind. I'm sure there are other things the OP has also over looked that a trained professional would spot. Anyhow up to OP , but as I say for the sake of a few extra euro

L1011

handlemaster wrote: »

The jack of all trades and master of none comes to mind. I'm sure there are other things the OP has also over looked that a trained professional would spot. Anyhow up to OP , but as I say for the sake of a few extra euro

You really don't know what you're talking about here.

Do you get an electrician out to change a lightbulb?

DamoKen

Victor wrote: »

If you are any way technically minded, you can normally change the lock on the vast majority of doors for €20-30 and a screwdriver.

Thread seems to have gone off on a tangent so just to put it to bed

Normally I do any DIY that needs doing around the house. Thing was I was in work the morning after discovering the alarm had been tampered with so wouldn't have time to get home after work, remove the barrel to check the size and get to a shop selling similar before they were shut. Wanted it changed that day rather than another night of sleeping with one eye open so my wife got a locksmith out while I was still in work.

Secondly because the alarm contact had been moved, I wanted a professional locksmith to examine the locking system on the door etc to ensure everything was as it should be.

Kept the barrel anyway so if I do need it changed again will be easy enough

Cheers

Mrs OBumble

L1011 wrote: »

You really don't know what you're talking about here.

Do you get an electrician out to change a lightbulb?

I kid you not, there are some electricians who spend a lot of their time changing lightbulbs.

hufpc8w3adnk65

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

I kid you not, there are some electricians who spend a lot of their time changing lightbulbs.

Quite a few in fact. I spend 2 days a week most weeks doing so

TheBeach

Op- did you check the alarm log like someone suggested?

CollyFlower

MrMac84 wrote: »

Quite a few in fact. I spend 2 days a week most weeks doing so

You get call-outs to change someone's light bulbs!?.. The call-out charge alone would be, what, like 30e or so!

hufpc8w3adnk65

CollyFlower wrote: »

You get call-outs to change someone's light bulbs!?.. The call-out charge alone would be, what, like 30e or so!

I never said A bulb.

CollyFlower

MrMac84 wrote: »

I never said A bulb.

Neither did I.

Victor

CollyFlower wrote: »

You get call-outs to change someone's light bulbs!?.. The call-out charge alone would be, what, like 30e or so!

In commercial situations (street lights, office buildings, hospitals), the usual thing is to replace many bulbs at the same time, thereby minimising the call out charge. the worker's time is more valuable than the light bulb.

CollyFlower

Victor wrote: »

In commercial situations (street lights, office buildings, hospitals), the usual thing is to replace many bulbs at the same time, thereby minimising the call out charge. the worker's time is more valuable than the light bulb.

I was thinking of a domestic situation, like someone ringing up an electrician to change a light bulb in their home..... Most places like hospitals, office etc have maintenance, electricians on site for small and big jobs.

ahnowbrowncow

Enough about the light bulbs, I mean I enjoy talking about light bulbs with strangers as much as the next guy but I when there's a new comment I think maybe there's been an update on the tampered alarm.

Nope.

CollyFlower

ahnowbrowncow wrote: »

Enough about the light bulbs, I mean I enjoy talking about light bulbs with strangers as much as the next guy but I when there's a new comment I think maybe there's been an update on the tampered alarm.

Nope.

Sorry.... I hate it when a thread goes off topic and here I am yacking about light bulbs... Again, apologises.