Burglary Story - Burglar Was Spooked.

by Charles P. Napier.

Returning home I noticed that the gate at the side of the house that gives access to the backyard was open. I am particular about closing gates and things like that so seeing it open immediately gave me knots in my gut.

I had a slide bolt on the back of the gate near the top, this was so I could just reach over and slide the bolt to open it up. Pretty dumb idea as obviously any thief could do the same.

Very cautiously I crept through the gate and around to the back. Thankfully things were much as they should be, except there were marks at the bottom edge of one of the windows and on the sill.

From these marks it was very obvious that someone had used a jemmy to try to get the window open. I do not have an idea what it was that made him stop, something must have spooked him. But lucky for me that he did stop.

I made up my mind there and then to have an alarm installed because the next time I might not be so lucky. If nothing had spooked that burglar it could be that he would have got in my home, and I don't want that.

That alarm is fitted and I set it every time I leave home. Each window, including the upper floor, has a sensor. If another burglar tries using a jemmy on any window he too will get spooked, the – very loud – siren will see to that.

Also I have replaced that gate with a taller one and have a key operated lock on it.