3 Weeks, 3 Break-ins!

[Em1]

Hi
I have been in Kalkan less than 3 weeks and have heard of 3 break-ins already
One was a tourist who had just arrived, and lost money, laptops, blackberrys etc. They were out of their villa on 1st day and a window was smashed to gain entry. Villa was near the village .
2nd one was a long term resident in Kalamar, who had handbags etc stolen whilst they were in their villa.
Third break-in was to a  long term residents villa above Kalamar Road, whilst they were out in the evening.

I think I may have to consider a burglar alarm, as I feel these break-ins are getting out of hand!

Em



Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=4553.0

[misty]

You could adopt one of the ferocious dogs as a guard dog 

[Chrissie]

 ;DIt could lick the burglars to death !!!! 

[kevincat99]

Hi Misty
Once again your humour has missed the mark
If you returned home from Kalkan and found that your house had been ransacked whilst you were away I am sure that you would see things in a slightly different light rather than make fun of what is a serious matter
Image being a single woman living here alone and it happened to them - I am sure they would never feel safe here again
So once again you should think before you post as to how it will be perceived

[misty]

For Gods sake...I've woken up to a burglar standing over our bed and fought him and his accomplice.....but I still retain a sense of humour about such things in life.....you have to or you'll go mad.....and it would let the thieving scum win.......

[kevincat99]

I assume though that you are not a single woman who in the same circumstances would not be as heroic

[kim21]

Does anybody, perhaps em1, know if the villas that were broken into had bars on the windows? As has been advised on here and elsewhere as the only proper deterent against burglary.
 If you want to stop thieves from burgling your house........PUT BARS ON YOUR WINDOWS!!!

[fidimax]

what ever anyone says,anyone who owns property overseas,Kalkan or anywhere,should treat the home as they would in the uk, I think it was EM1 who posted today she/he would have to think about getting a alarm,it would be the first thing I would think about,if villa/apts had alarms when rented out, it would make renters a bit more secure when eating out and when sleeping,I know it would with me.
Misty,I am the same as you,If someone was in my room,I would go for them like a pitbull to protect my family,but its not making fun of the subject,its real life,it happens.

[Cosetta]

In general, the burglars have forced PVC windows with a screwdriver.  I haven't heard of any smashed windows so far.  Did the victim specifically state that the window has been broken deliberately?

We do have a burglar alarm.  During the day we keep valuables far from open windows because very occasionally thieves have entered usually ground floor of a villa while people were upstairs.  In fact, we keep the ground floor door locked at all times. Many people also lock themselves into the bedroom at night.

There have been around 16-17 burglaries that I have heard about since May, but it is difficult to know how many were reported to the Jandarma.  The real number may be much higher.

[misty]

I assume though that you are not a single woman who in the same circumstances would not be as heroic

Six four....seventeen stone...so not quite a size 8.........and my wife went at them like a tigress defending her young had the still conscious one begging for mercy

[Em1]

Hi
The problem with house alarms is what happens if you have a problem with them and you are not in Kalkan - but the UK?

As a woman who is a little larger than a size 8 , who occassionally holidays in Kalkan alone, it is a very scary thought to be burgled in the night while sleeping (or at any time of the day)!!

I do have bars, and am always checking the doors and windows are closed. I did not need to do this when I bought here 5 years ago...

Em

[kim21]

Hi em1,
           With bars on your windows, you will not be broken into, unless you have a patio door that is not secondarily secured. Window bars are too noisy and too much hassle too remove, if they've been fitted properly.
 

[Joules]

The villa next to mine was broken into last week and all the windows and patio doors are barred - it's the 3rd break in at that property this season. If they want to get in they'll find a way.

[kalkanbelle]

joules - just out of interest how did they get in if all the windows and doors had bars on them?  Was the villa all locked up?  If they can still get in with bars everywhere there's not much point in going to the expense of putting them up   

[Joules]

I'm not sure - I'm in England at the moment so don't have all the details, my friend returned home at midnight one night last week to discover that next door had been burgled yet again.  I don't want to tempt fate but we live in an unbarred, unalarmed identical villa next door and haven't had a problem - makes you wonder if holiday makers are being watched and targeted rather than permanently occupied villas? Or maybe it's because it's obvious we haven't got anything worth stealing!

[Hummingbird]

Does anyone have any advice on how safe’s should be fitted to stop thieves ripping them out and taking them away?

It would seem sensible to concrete them in, but I am wondering if this is enough?

[Cosetta]

Joules, I think you're on the mark.  For the most part, IMHO, thieves are targeting holiday makers rather than residents, although not exclusively.  The only attempted break-in we've ever had since 2003 (unsuccessful) was when our villa was rented out.

Re window bars, it depends on how thick the iron is and how close together the bars are, as well as how well they are mounted onto the wall.  If the bars are thin, they can be pulled apart to let a small child in.  If they bolt onto the wall, the bolts can be removed.

Every impediment you place in front of a thief lessens the probability you'll be burgled.  Why should he spend his time struggling to remove iron bars if the next door villa is an easier target with unprotected PVC doors and windows (which, I'm told, are much easier to force open that wooden windows and shutters).

A safe mounted on the wall can easily be ripped off.  Either you embed it into the wall structure or you buy one that weighs at least 200 kilos and bolt it to the floor.  This is what was told to us by a security specialist for our apt in Spain.  In the end, in that apt we do not use the easily removed safe as it is the first thing burglars go for.  We leave it open and empty.

[misty]

Although there are mixed feelings on this, lighting appears to be good deterrent...several large industrial halogen lights on PIR's......this will flood the area with light and I guess in theory deter any would be thief...although some people say it illuminates the area to make their life easier     
We have this in the UK and find it works very well, it is supplementary to the main intruder alarm system.

[M n M]

This is not scaremongering, but just so people are aware, there was another break-in in Kalamar last night between 19.30 and 21.30.
Holiday makers targeted and they had only arrived that morning. Maybe not the start they wanted for their first Turkish holiday.

[Em1]

Hi
As I was still in Kalkan yesterday, perhaps I should rename this '3 weeks, 4 break-ins'. Seems two were holiday makers, and two were residents?
Very worrying for everyone!
Em