Just as a reminder...

[nacho135]

On friday my house was broken into and robbed. The theif got away with about 6,000$ worth of electronics. The way our door was, he slid somthing skinny down into it, and walked right in. Its a horrible feeling to come home to see your door wide open & walk in to see that everythings gone. The first thing I did was run into the computer room to check on my lovie, Nacho. All I could think about was "if a human being is sick enough to break into somone elses house, what would they do to my poor innocent bird" Thank God Nacho is ok, he was really shooken up because the table that his cage sits on shakes pretty good if you dont open the drawers slowly - and I doubt this guy did anything slowly. I know everyone says ... it wont happen to me... I said it myself... but now with my bird in my house, hes like our baby and I would have been even more heart broken to know he was hurt or anything. So please people, just becareful with your belongings and esp with your birds, we can replace a tv, but if anything happened to nacho hes unreplacable. Esp people with big birds that are worth money, a robber could easily steal it and try to sell it under cover for alot of money. So please, just keep in mind about your birds, you dont know when somthing bad is going to happen and if it does you want your birds & all other pets to be safe. Motion detectors are only 30$ at walmart, somthing that simple could have stopped this. So just keep this in mind everyone. Thanks for reading.

[thebubbleking]

Thanks for the warning,been there and had it done to me. That being said i would love to see a thief try to steal my sun conures they screech (my birder alarm) and bite through brazil nuts like hot butter, and thats not even mentioning my landshark boo she would shred them like she does her paper rolls!

[linda040899]

I have Schlage locks and deadbolts installed on all doors! You can't do that with a Schlage. Those locks also cannot be bumped.

I'm truly sorry to hear that someone broke into your home but you were lucky that they wanted the electronics more than they wanted your bird. I have larger parrots and that is one of my biggest fears! Bird theft is a very real threat here in FL and has been for quite a number of years. Strangers are not even allowed inside my front door, let alone anywhere else in the house. Sam, my dog, is medium sized but he sounds like he's the size of a German Shepherd. Excellent deterrent.

With money getting tighter, we are going to see more of this so thank you for the reminder. Oh yes! It can happen here! It just hasn't......yet.

[nacho135]

Yeah its deffinetly a scary truth that this happens. I said for once I wish Nacho was a very loud bird who threw food on people! ha!

[StormyMom]

Wow what a scary ordeal. Im so happy they didnt take Nacho. Thats one of my biggest fears with breakins. I could care less about electronics or furnitures but your pets cannot be replaced. I always fear theyll see my cockatoo and think "hey that birds worth money!" and take him :( When we first moved into the house we're renting, we changed all the locks in the house (we okayed it with the landlord first, and i still have the original locks to replace when we leave) and added some bolts to the back door that only had the door knob as a lock! (eesh!). Its incredibly scary when you think how easy it really is to break into a home.

[LovelySydney]

sorry to hear about your ordeal - we just got new locks on our doors including deadbolts. we are working on an alarm system, just to be safe. yea I have a chihuahua who barks but I doubt that would stop anyone! maybe, though. I am big on home safety especially with our babies inside!!! Sorry this happened to you, I couldn't imagine, but I am glad Nacho is ok!

[Gill]

Poor little dude, its sad to think they are scared, sorry to hear about your break in, luckily isnt wasnt worse than it could have been :(

[Pips mom]

Wow, that is aweful....so sorry this happened to you! I know I always feel safe from this kind of thing happening because the chances of it happening here I feel are kind of smaller than most. We have one of those nosey neighbors who sees everything! and we are friends with her and she's right across the street with a good view of what goes on here.....she has even told us when people came to the door while we weren't home! BUT....someone could still go around the back and get in, I know, and at night it's dark.....and we work at night, so there is always a possibility, I know. It's never happened to anyone around me here on my street, BUT we have had cars broken into during the night around here. I'd really worry if someone broke into the house.....the first thing you notice is the birds! and their huge cages! Ivy freaks when she sees strangers, even if she's in her cage! She is an 800 dollar bird (when bought still young or a baby) in the new england area, and NY, but she isn't the most popular bird and I would imagine most people would look at her and think she isn't worth that much, and not even know what kind of bird she is! Plus I think it isn't the easiest thing for someone to take a bird if they didn't plan on it......Ivy has flight and unless she was in something secure, she'd get away, and her cage is way too big for anyone to steal and get out of here easily! Plus I think most theives are more into electronics and things they know are worth something......they aren't going to go to the trouble with a bird when they don't even know anything about them, and I really don't think there are bird theives around here!

[lemonypickett]

How terrible! Funny thing is I was just thinking about my dream bird room and was worried abot birdie theft as there will be lots of windows.

So glad Nacho is ok!

Deadbolts really don't do much to keep an intruder out... yes, the lock itself is indestructible, but it is only as strong as the wood around it. And, that is not too strong! Crime is my business... I see what works and what doesn't all too much.

The best defense... motion lights outside, an audible alarm and a video recorder! Or a birdie shark like Boo! :)

[Chickobee]

I have been burglarized several times. The first time I felt so violated knowing a stranger had been in my apartment and had gone through everything. The next few times I was just angry.

The first one was an apartment and they opened the door using a credit card! Talk about insecure. In that one we lost all of our wedding presents. I think we were targeted because of the announcement in the local newspaper. (Another common one is during weddings & funerals.)

The next time they threw a rock through a window and came in from the back so they weren't visible from the street. That time they apparently stayed a long time and only took the very best stuff. It was interesting to me that they took diamond earrings and left the CZ's...

The next time was a quick snatch and grab. They kicked open the front door splitting the door frame from top to bottom. So much for a deadbolt lock. Then they snatched the TV, VCR, and stereo equipment. There was no evidence that they even went into any other rooms. That time they were there less than five minutes. They must have been casing the neighborhood because my snoopy neighbor was gone every morning for a few minutes taking her child to the school bus and it happened while she was doing that. She noticed the door standing wide open...

Some tips from the police were to remove most of the shrubs around the house and a few of the trees so that the front doors and windows were very visible from the street. They also suggested adding exterior lighting that had motion detectors, and to fence the back yard preventing access and easy escape from there.

We did all of these things and didn't have another burglary while we lived there. That won't always work, but it can cause a thief to move on to an easier target.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. It is such a hassle trying to remember everything that was there. Even months later you will go to get something and realize it is gone and you didn't list it on the insurance forms. And, some things they take have sentimental value and those can't be replaced. Very sad.

At least you are all safe. That is the most important thing.

When I think about what I would take if we ever had a fire it would be the people, pets and the photographs if possible. The rest can go...