Solitary chicken - need advice

[patsylabrador]

Burglary season has started down our road. A PCSO has called with some sound advice. Just thought I'd remind you all about all those less than pleasant people about who can't leave other people 's property alone.

Something he suggested was to leave your curtains shut when you go to work, the reasoning being that a burglar might assume somebody is home off nights or whatever. However a dark, empty house with open curtains leaves nothing to the imagination.

I think different people will have different opinions on that but it's worth thinking about.

[soapdragon]

Thanks for the heads up on that PL. There are, indeed, some vile people out there

[Ain't Nobody Here]

It's hard to imagine the mindset of someone who is prepared to burgle a house at any time, let alone Christmas.

 

This is one such news story but with an unusual twist.

[chickencam]

We have had similar warnings here too.

[Valkyrie]

Perhaps lights on a timer would help. When we went away we used to leave a radio on a timer.

 

So saying that - burglars welcome - they might feel sorry for us and give us something as there isn't anything much to take!

[Cat tails]

A kid turned up at school without anything. She wasn't allowed to bring her school bag because someone broke into their house and the police still needed to go through the house for prints and such.

So I gave her notebook, pens and some other supplies to use for the day.

 

There have been so many burglaries in my neighbourhood too. I always have my lights on timers (just nicer to come home to, if it's dark out). And extra locks and strips and bars on doors and windows. Hope they think the neighbours are easier to get into. (They at least do their bit to deter them from breaking into my house, by leaving their windows permanently open. They are on the first floor, but it still would be very easy to get into. )

[gavclojak]

Give them "the birch" as my gran would say!

 

Honestly it's shocking isn't it, I just had a chav mouth something to me so when I would the windows down and asked " what was that love?" She told me to " slow down you flash b****" now I was approaching a zebra crossing at about 10 mph....what shocked me more was the fact she was dragging two Little acorns behind her....#fedupwithrudeness

[The Dogmother]

Yes, it's the season for it the advice we get is to have lights which come on with timers, draw the curtains after dark, don't leave laptops, TVs etc in view of windows. Another sensible one is to take any packaging of white goods to the tip for recycling rather than leaving it propped up next to your domestic recycling bin, thus advertising that you have a new 'nickable'.

[dancing cloud]

Apparently notices saying "Burglars welcome - the dogs are always hungry" are not deemed acceptable

 

But the dogs are always hungry

[chickencam]

Seems fair to me

[The Dogmother]

Me too

 

If anyone thinks they can outrun my lurchers, then they are welcome to try!

[Cat tails]

My chickens are always hungry too and not easily outrun, but I don't know if the effect will be the same...

[mullethunter]

 

Our cats might trip up any prospective burglars

[Valkyrie]

I may allow Squirt indoors in that case - she'll peck any legs.

[Sil-El]

Also worth remembering not to leave things on view in your car, like bags of shopping on the back seat.

 

Or a pile of gifts under a tree right by a big window or in the conservatory that can be easily seen from the road.

 

Shame really that we have to think of such things at this time of year, but dishonest people stay that way all year, even at Christmas