My house is targeted more than average due to the location (the chronic avocado and breadfruit thieves do not help either -- the police even catch one in the act a year, on average). It's been about ten years since the last full break-in, not counting a time my neighbors and I found a burglar (with sack of loot from other houses) while he was still in the yard. Every time, I've been able to get the license plate and a face-to-face look at the intruders, but never fully captured one. Fortunately they took very little, I guess I showed up in time. A police report was filed but it never seems to do anything.

I guess I should consider myself lucky that I'm 3-for-3 at catching each burglar in the act, but I'm 0-for-2 at having one leave my house in handcuffs (or an ambulance) and getting my stuff back.

What area is this?

You should spend about $100 on a good IP video camera.  Make sure it has an internal memory card slot.

I bought this one when it was on sale, and it has worked flawlessly.  I can even monitor the live feed on my cell when away from home:

https://www.costco.com/Samsung-Smartcam-1080p-Wi-Fi-IP-Monitoring-Camera.product.100341159.html

If you have one or two, you can set them up where they aren't noticeable or easy to reach.  Then you can at least have a record of the thief's face and actions.  Since many homes are using cameras now, some thieves started covering their faces, but most are not that smart.

Many people have posted video and stills from these kinds of cameras on social media and managed to identify burglars which lead to arrests and property recovery.

Take advantage of available technology.  If you do a little planning ahead, it might take some of those thieves off the streets for the good of everybody.

One other thing.  Many of the kids doing this are looking for something to help feed their habits.  They look for anything small and able to put the most money in their pockets:  iPods, cell phones, credit cards, cash, gold, watches -- anything they can hide in their pockets and not be seen carrying is fair game to them.  A friend was broken into around Salt Lake area.  A month later, he started getting big bills from a gas card he had but never used.  Someone was filling up his car tank and all his friends in one expensive visit to a station.  He didn't even notice the card gone before the bill came.

I lock up all those things in a safe.  No sense in making it easy for them!  Of course, my German Shepherd would also have something to say about it!   

My house is targeted more than average due to the location (the chronic avocado and breadfruit thieves do not help either -- the police even catch one in the act a year, on average). It's been about ten years since the last full break-in, not counting a time my neighbors and I found a burglar (with sack of loot from other houses) while he was still in the yard. Every time, I've been able to get the license plate and a face-to-face look at the intruders, but never fully captured one. Fortunately they took very little, I guess I showed up in time. A police report was filed but it never seems to do anything.

I guess I should consider myself lucky that I'm 3-for-3 at catching each burglar in the act, but I'm 0-for-2 at having one leave my house in handcuffs (or an ambulance) and getting my stuff back.

Have you ever thought of moving out of the town?

It's a good area, no reason to move out. Just the specific location of the particular property. Would you guys say that one burglary every ten years is abnormally high? (I heard burglaries at my house were even more frequent while I was away twenty years ago). The video camera thing sounds good, we have a really old alarm system but it was off at the time this occurred. The only significant thing I've noticed they took was a cell phone. They didn't take credit cards or cash. Seems like they were planning to take a lot more because we found (our own) plastic bags lying about.

It Takes a Thief -- on for a few seasons.  Lots of good basic and specific things to expect from burglars and how to try and at least make your property less attractive to burglars.

Location seemed to be a big part of the neighborhood I grew up in. Corner houses up the street (childhood friends) seemed to get hit more than any other houses on the block. They eventually would put up 8 foot fences, bars on windows and a big dog. They always had German Shepards anyways.

Sucks that it happened more than once. My condo got broken into and the guys were captured on video. They are getting more brazen.

sounds like they got spooked off by you or your alarm. 

they have online camera systems nowaydays that notify you when a breakin occurs and you can see video live.

corner houses are targeted because it's much easier to escape than in the middle of the street.

Yappy dogs are better than mean dogs. Or do like I did and have your MIL move in with you...

Elertus has a cheap system that will notify you via text/email if your safe is moved, temperatures rise (fire), humidity rises,  or door is opened.  That's if you own firearms and keep it in a safe.

No monthly fees, just a 1 time purchase of the unit.  You do need internet (wifi or ethernet).  And it does tell you if your internet is down (someone cut the line).

Elertus has a cheap system that will notify you via text/email if your safe is moved, temperatures rise (fire), humidity rises,  or door is opened.  That's if you own firearms and keep it in a safe.

No monthly fees, just a 1 time purchase of the unit.  You do need internet (wifi or ethernet).  And it does tell you if your internet is down (someone cut the line).

Many professional alarm systems now include a cellular connection specifically to prevent loss of connection if cable or phone lines are cut.

If you think your security systems are heavily dependent on internet connectivity, you can get a cellular hotspot device which can also act as a backup for internet access for all your devices if your normal connection is down.  I use my AT&T phone as a tethered hotspot for my PC when RoadRunner is down on rare occasions or when traveling.

Not including the cost of the device, I think there's a basic data only plan for about $20/mon. for 2GB on Verizon.  Or, if you can add the device to a shard data plan, even better.  The device runs about $50-75, but you can get it at $20-30 with a contract commitment, usually 2 years.

Many professional alarm systems now include a cellular connection specifically to prevent loss of connection if cable or phone lines are cut.

If you think your security systems are heavily dependent on internet connectivity, you can get a cellular hotspot device which can also act as a backup for internet access for all your devices if your normal connection is down.  I use my AT&T phone as a tethered hotspot for my PC when RoadRunner is down on rare occasions or when traveling.

Not including the cost of the device, I think there's a basic data only plan for about $20/mon. for 2GB on Verizon.  Or, if you can add the device to a shard data plan, even better.  The device runs about $50-75, but you can get it at $20-30 with a contract commitment, usually 2 years.

Good to know because thieves are known to "cut the phone lines" when planning something big.  I'll look into it.

Good to know because thieves are known to "cut the phone lines" when planning something big.  I'll look into it.

I have the SimpliSafe alarm security system which connects to my local cellular provider, but doesn't cost anything more than the monthly $15 basic monitoring fee.  It can be setup with cellular as primary connection as well as WiFi and/or landline as backup.

I don't think I would be willing to pay any extra monthly fees for added services, but if it's something I already have then it's fine.

Sorry to hear. What a crappy way to live when you pretty much expect it to happen again and again with no end in sight.

I don't think I would be willing to pay any extra monthly fees for added services, but if it's something I already have then it's fine.

I guess it depends on what level of protection you want. If you have thousands of $$$$$ worth of guns and ammunition  which most people at the range have, then $15.00 a month sounds manini.

 On a slightly different note that ties in with spending money in the shooting sports which we all know can be very expensive.  This is   typical of the gun culture,  I see it all the time. My father told me "Nothing good is cheap and nothing cheap is good". Things like,  spend 1k on a black gun and put a 300.00 scope on it. (I have a 99.00 Nikon).  Buy a complete upper for 200.00 and wonder why you're playing tic tac toe on your target. Buy a trigger that feels like you're pulling a house through gravel. A complete lower that is rough to operate. Buy once cry once. Protect your valuables for less than the cost of a twelve pack per month. By securing your weapons,  you are protecting the general public from the stolen  weapons. Makes sense to me.

decorate the outside of your house with pig tusks and deer antlers

decorate the outside of your house with pig tusks and deer antlers

Or, draw a chalk outline of a body at your entrance....   

Good to know because thieves are known to "cut the phone lines" when planning something big.  I'll look into it.

has this ever happened in hawaii?    
i highly doubt it. maybe the power line.

has this ever happened in hawaii?    
i highly doubt it. maybe the power line.

I don't know how you'd find out that detail.  I don't know if HPD offers the public details of break-ins for most of them.

It only takes a pair of scissors to cut the phone lines outside if accessible.  They can also cut through the coax cable.  Much safer than trying to cut the power line.  Cutting power isn't as effective anyway if, like most systems, the security devices run on battery, have battery backup, and alert the monitoring company to loss of commercial power.

Not sure why you ask if this happens in Hawaii.  I'm sure it happens in any state.  It only takes a minute of planning to see where the incoming lines are on a targeted building.

Condos/apartments might be more difficult unless the connections all run to a central point and is accessible without much trouble.

http://blog.frontpointsecurity.com/burglars-do-cut-phone-lines-adt-customer-tells-sad-tale-of-real-break-in/

As I mentioned earlier, burglars are becoming more aware of video surveillance.  You see videos on TV and the Web all the time now where the crooks wear hats and cover their faces to defeat video cameras.