Security got tested tonight... :-(

**Pirate** · 23-11-2017, 00:28

Had to make a short-notice trip up to the big smoke on Monday night, and I've been here since. Got a call from security company just after 10pm tonight that my alarm was activated. By the zones that were tripped I knew it's not a false alarm and requested that the armed response move in with all haste.

Rather frantic few minutes followed, calling my fiancé (who, for the first time we got engaged, I was REALLY glad was still living in her own place) since she has my house keys, calling up a friend to go with her to hand over keys to A/R guys (this didn't work out, and she ended up going by herself), constant comms with A/R company control room, and checking my outside cameras on my phone. Both were turned away from their normal positions, but at least one still afforded me good look at my front gate so I could monitor A/R arrival.

Cutting to the chase: before my fiancé arrived with the keys, the A/R guys did an inspection and (seemingly) found no forced entry. Once she arrived, she handed them the keys, and stayed outside (I hope in her car but that I don't know yet...) while they searched the house. A/R guys confirmed a break-in, but that the house was empty and safe. Turned out that on first inspection they missed the forced entry on one of street-facing windows, by forcing open a window and then bending away the interior burglar bars. Since something similar happened to me just over 5y ago at a different dwelling (the event that got me into handguns and EDCing) I've made a habit of locking interior doors to outside-facing rooms. Suffice to say this was not much of a deterrent, and the door was forced open from the inside with something large and flat, probably the same tool used to force open the window and burglar bars. Perhaps it broke their stride, but I'll find that out from the A/R company's logs when I get back tomorrow (well, later this morning...)

Seems only my personal laptop and camera bag was taken. Looks like they tried to take the TV but ran out of time. At first glance nothing else of value was taken, and my fiancé confirmed visually that the room with the safe was not breached.

A/R guys secured the entry point, and will be stationing a guard until I return tomorrow. Tonight I'm very thankful that I have them on call, and the service has been excellent.

Many hard lessons to be learnt here, one being that my security layers are lacking... another that I need to make a plan with this working-myself-to-a-zombie thing. I'll return to the thread during he course of the next few days to ask some questions based on my analyses of the event. Now I just need to get some sleep heading to ORT for the early flight back to Cape Town.

**264WinMag** · 23-11-2017, 01:17

Hey Pirate. Glad that no one got hurt. Seems that you are still well prepared

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**TStone** · 23-11-2017, 05:06

Glad that everyone is ok.

**Skaaphaas** · 23-11-2017, 05:12

Agnee man. Big loss with the laptop?

**Pirate** · 23-11-2017, 05:24

Nah, home laptop only mostly used for showmaxing. some old consulting work details, as well as photos, but nothing that will really set me back. Lost some QuickLOAD calibration data, but all my load data (as well as other important info) is on Dropbox (lesson learnt after previous break-in).

Camera may have some holiday snaps on and was loaded with one of my fiancé's SD cards, but again, not the greatest loss in he bigger scheme. Luckilly camera, lenses, laptop all individually specified on insurance.

hoping to have caught faces on the cameras, but not holding my breath. Some of the stuff lying around may have prints on so I won't disturb until SAPS have been there.

Once I've seen it all myself I'll come back with comments / questions. Flight to CT boarding in a few minutes.

**Skaaphaas** · 23-11-2017, 05:33

Sterkte, know you’ve had a long two days up here.

**Pirate** · 23-11-2017, 05:47

Originally Posted by Skaaphaas

Sterkte, know you’ve had a long two days up here.

Thanks, appreciate it, I'm sorry the long days didn't give us the chance to meet up.

**PeaceOfficer** · 23-11-2017, 06:19

Sorry to hear bud! That really does suck.

But glad things weren't worse. Small positives.

**Friedland** · 23-11-2017, 06:24

You say the cameras were turned away. Did they turn them away as part of the robbery?

**MTTSS** · 23-11-2017, 06:36

Pirate: Last similar incedent 5 years ago at a different dwelling...I say chances are more than 90% someone either saw you leave with your luggage from the side of the neighbours or the street or a domestic servant knew that you went away.