# When do you lock your doors and windows



## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I was just noticing the variety of security precautions on another thread.

that made me wonder how much precautions, and due to that what size of village/town/city or in the country that you live.

I'm out in the "country" or what use to be. What was a goat pasture on one side is now still owned by that family, but they traded the goads for self storage buildings (those long lengths of garage type buildings). And what use to be country and one little store, is now a major intersection and medium sized strip shopping center.

I lock my car if I'm not in it, I lock and dead bolt the doors, and the windows are only left open about 4 or 5 inches due to me feeling safe that it would be very difficult to get into them.

And I've always locked the doors and any window that could be easily gone through by a person.

Oh, I'm about 10 miles from the "city" and other "towns" that make up the metro area.

How about you?
Do you feel safe enough where you live and leave doors unlocked? or do you lock your doors as that is what you've been taught is the prudent thing to do?


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## doing it in NM (Feb 5, 2007)

Right now it's 10:08 pm, my keys are in my truck and the doors are still unlocked. I will lock the doors when I go to bed after letting the dog out for his nightly business. I live on a road (dirt) out of town with only me and one other house, so anyone down my rd is going to see one of us. I just feel safe here.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Thread just to show different areas have different security needs. At least for now.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

I suppose that on the internet it is prudent to say that one keeps things locked down like a vault at all times. :angel:

That said, I have dogs and not much worth stealing.
The good stuff? you arent likely to find it in a quick rummage of the house.
Plus someone is nearly always home and they may be armed, who knows? :shrug:

Admittedly, I amm more lax on security than my DH. I lock things down when I 'feel' like it.

It would be a gamble to try and harm us here. 

Who feels lucky? :teehee:


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## mamaof3peas (Oct 8, 2009)

We live down a dirt road and down an 1/8th mile lane...but theres plenty of traffic, about 20the house from one highway to next on this road, plus it leads to river which is big fun in summer. We never leave our keys in car, we lock all our doors and windows and night, its super dark out here and wouldnt be too hard to sneak in. We also have a big metal gate at cattle guard but its not locked...also, we leave our car parked in front of gate with fence on either side, so that no one could actually drive into our driveway


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## hippygirl (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm usually either in the kitchen, on the back porch, or out back in the garden, so I usually keep the front door/windows locked and drapes closed. If someone wants to get into the house, they've got to come around back where I'll see them. If I'm working in the front, I lock up the back. At night, everything gets locked down.

Although I do live a ways out and there's only one entrance where a vehicle can get back here, anyone could enter on foot through the woods. Most of the time, I feel pretty safe, but once in a while, out of the blue, I get the heebie-jeebies and it's like I'm on high alert or something. On those days, I stay close to the house regardless.

When I was little and lived in west TN, the only time I remember the doors being locked was when we went to town and we slept with the front door open in the summer...but that was a different time.


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## mamaof3peas (Oct 8, 2009)

Oh good point, we have 2 dogs and a rifle and handgun at hands reach, so we are a little prepared.


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Angie,

If a normal, double hung, window is left open or unlocked it's easy for a burgular to slit the screen, lift the window up, and enter the house. They do make latch bolts that you screw to the window caseing that allow the window to only open 4 inches or whatever distance you install them at. They do move out of the way if you want to open the window up more than that.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

hippygirl said:


> Most of the time, I feel pretty safe, but once in a while, out of the blue, I get the heebie-jeebies and it's like I'm on high alert or something. On those days, I stay close to the house regardless.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

I go back and forth a lot between city and country. Right now I'm in city but am presently packing up and preparing to move out to new place in a small country town out in the valley at the end of this month.

In the city - when I'm not in the car the car is always locked with a locked bar on the steering wheel and all windows rolled up. When I'm driving all the doors except the driver's door stay locked. I have a note on the dash that says there are no valuables in the car. However, there are some essential prep items in the trunk that nobody can see. What others can't see won't attract them.

In the city house the doors stay locked at all times. If I'm working out in the fenced back yard the back door is not locked but nobody can get in through that door without going by me anyway. All the ground floor windows always stay closed and locked. I don't worry about the 2nd and 3rd floor windows being open because nobody can get in through them anyway. If they could, they'd still be in for a nasty surprise. The gate between the back yard and alley is locked too.

In residences in the country and small country towns the same rules apply. Everything is locked up (including the car) if I'm not there in attendance but I don't worry about keeping the windows or front or back door open or locked when I'm home and in the house. I do lock the doors and windows at night before I go to bed. Everything has to be in lock down at nights no matter where I am. Bedroom window ... meh ... depends on what the weather is like. I usually keep the bedroom window open a bit at nights even in winter. Anyone trying to come in through any of the windows will in be for a horribly nasty surprise that will change what remains of their lives forever.

.


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## unregistered41671 (Dec 29, 2009)

I live in the country and have always locked my doors. My truck doors are locked and so is my house when I go to bed. Two large dogs have the night shift and I do the day shift. No one will come up to the house at night or day without me or DW knowing it. Our property is fenced with electric fencing and gated but the gate is open. I lock it sometimes during the day to fool people and always lock it when I am gone. Just because you may see my gate closed does not mean I am not here.


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Nimrod said:


> Angie,
> 
> If a normal, double hung, window is left open or unlocked it's easy for a burgular to slit the screen, lift the window up, and enter the house. They do make latch bolts that you screw to the window caseing that allow the window to only open 4 inches or whatever distance you install them at. They do move out of the way if you want to open the window up more than that.


Not regular windows. must pull a tap on each side to make it go up or down, and will only stay up if the tab hits another slot for it. The problem is, the are hard to do on this side, and after doing the same with storm windows, then regular window with wrist backwards, it's a bit difficult since doing it the right way is hard.

Of course, this is just discouragement, if someone wanted in any of our windows, there are crow bars and baseball bats.

I'm trying to be reasonably un-paranoid.

(but really want upstairs windows on a place so I would feel okay letting windows stay open more during Spring and Fall.)


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

everything stays locked at night and closed if i am not close by....its not people ..its critters..i keep everything clean and no garbage around at all.other wise i got real problems.heres why.....

2 nights ago....less than 50yds from the house




























i keep a broom handy for shewing them off porch and a gun to back the broom up if need be....

also this..hotwire around home keeps them from crawling all over everything...heres a new cut off switch..it hurts to get eletricuted working in the yard...lol










in the open position so i can get in flower beds...



















my solar box died so i just jumped the hotwire under the road in conduit from orchard now i dont worry about battery going bad


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

bob cat prints? I like your wiring.


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## LonelyNorthwind (Mar 6, 2010)

I love where I live. Nobody locks doors, takes keys out of cars or gear out of boats. In a small town on an island, nobody takes anything that doesn't belong to them. I suppose it's because it'll eventually get spotted. You can't steal a car here because you can't get it off the island.
But I did wake up at 3 am one morning to see the tail lights of my truck heading towards town. I found it the next day at the ferry terminal with a note of apology and $20 for the trouble. Seems someone broke down out the road past my place and had to catch the 4am ferry.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

AngieM2 said:


> bob cat prints? I like your wiring.



black bear...5 toes and nail marks...i seen a bear with a track this size go over 300pounds before too.these critters are nothing but raccoons on steroids..they mash everything and eat everything along with deer.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

cant even have a chicken tractor thats not behind hotwire.....

before...









next morning....










they even yank outlets out of my wellhouse


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Yikes!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I lock my windows when winter comes because they are warmer that way. The door has a lock? ......Yup so it does. Had a passage set before, I must have changed it to an entry set at some point.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

When we moved here, the lockset on the front door used a skeleton key. No kidding, that was what we got at closing, a skeleton key. We used to never lock the house unless we were going out of town or something. Gradually over the years things have tightened up. Everything is locked up tight when we are gonna be gone any length of time. We keep our trailers secured so no one can just hitch up and haul them off. Not impossible to take, but more hassle than most people want to go thru for a well used trailer. They are also parked behind the house and some outbuildings, not easily visible from the road to provide tempation. 

Windows, if they are closed they are also locked. Anybody coming thru a window would be greeted by a pair of 90 lb protective dogs. Anybody even drives by too slow, the one dog is growling at them out the window. 

We have more vehicles than people so it is next to impossible to tell when anyone is home or not. There is always a vehicle in the driveway and not the same one or in the same spot. There are always lights on after dark. This place never looks "unattended" and I think that is a deterrant. Somebody is just driving around looking for opportunity to steal, this isn't it.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

LOL

Never.

Seriously.

When I bought this place almost seven years ago, it had been a rental for years and there had been some, shall we say, _dubious_ types who had lived here.

So, the first thing I did was to change all locks.

There are three of us on a private road: one house down on the highway and then two of us up the hill, with me being the one in the middle.

As time has gone by, I have gotten into the very NON paranoid habit of not locking _anything_; in fact, at this point, I couldn't tell you where a house key even is. And I leave the keys in the ignitions of my vehicles.

I do have a gate across my driveway but there is no lock on it.

In the summer, most windows are not only NOT locked, but are open, as well.

And I am a single woman. 

But, I am a single woman with a very large entourage of very vocal dogs - a couple that I have no doubt would bite an intruder. As soon as anyone turns up the private road from the highway, my dogs are on alert. A person on foot would even be "sensed" by them, I am sure, and most definitely if they heard the gate being opened or climbed over.

I would pity the fool who tried to get in this house. :grin:

I milk the goat late at night (usually around midnight) and sometimes I get a little spooked going out to the goat house that late. But I always take a few (not even all of them) dogs out with me for security.

So, no worries!


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

elkhound said:


> black bear....these critters are nothing but *raccoons on steroids*..they mash everything and eat everything along with deer.
> 
> cant even have a chicken tractor thats not behind hotwire.....


 
Raccoons on steroids! I love it! It's so true! :thumb: 

(BTW - have you seen this news and video from today - video of 2 blackbears fighting in the front yard in some town's residential neighbourhood in Florida: Black bears fight each other in front yard of Florida home | ksdk.com ) :grin:

Elkhound, do you have to electrocute everything like that mainly because of bears and deer, or because of other wild critters too? I've not had much problems with bear or deer but have to lock up the house and windows against coyotes, skunks, raccoons, possums, squirrels, tree rats ... they can sure do some damage if they get into the house.

.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

naturelover said:


> Raccoons on steroids! I love it! It's so true! :thumb:
> 
> (BTW - have you seen this news and video from today - video of 2 blackbears fighting in the front yard in some town's residential neighbourhood in Florida: Black bears fight each other in front yard of Florida home | ksdk.com ) :grin:
> 
> ...



yep about everything....racoons are death on chickens and did you know a **** can sueeze threw a chainlink kennel door..yep they really worked on my chickens....

i have bear deer and turkey and **** troubles..but i have bobcat,coyotes and more.the squirrels i deal with ok...yumm..enough said..lol

ever see what one wild turkey can tear up....its like a flock of 50 chickens been working over the ground and i have seen flocks of 40 plus turkey in the yard.40 puts a hurt on a half acres fast.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

p.s. the wild elk are now less than 50 miles from my home...i just might get to shoot an elk on my own property before i die.last wild elk seen here by a ranger i know was in 1971..it was a lone cow in what is called peaks of otter east of me.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

naturelover said:


> Raccoons on steroids! I love it! It's so true! :thumb:
> 
> (BTW - have you seen this news and video from today - video of 2 blackbears fighting in the front yard in some town's residential neighbourhood in Florida: Black bears fight each other in front yard of Florida home | ksdk.com ) :grin:
> 
> ...


i just realize what month it is...lol..its breeding season for bear.them bears was fighting over a female or territory or both and those were nice sized bear too.


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Elkhound - that is why I don't have chickens or poultry up here on the hill! 

I have a chicken coop here, but I refuse to feed the local wildlife. I have had to dispatch troublesome some raccoons in the past, when I had live trapped them. And no, I am not gonna relocate and dump them troublesome critters near someone's property. If it upsets any of the tree-hugging bunny lovers, then I would be happy to ship to them, all of the raccoons that I can live trap!

Black bears don't seem to like having ceremonial "blank" .30-06 Springfield ammunition expended in their direction, if they get too close to the house.

Some neighbors off thru the forest on a different road, have bear problems by letting their garbage pile up. As soon as I get even near a kitchen bag full here inside the house, it goes down the hill to be disposed of properly.

Even living here on 80 acres out of sight at the end of a gated private road, I keep my house/ vehicles/ outbuilding/ equipment locked up tight. No I am not paranoid - but rather around the time my neighbors and myself had caught the trespassers doing damage on the other neighbors property in August 2010, someone had tried to pry off the window screens on a few of the new windows here. The District Attorney's Criminal Investigator that was up taking photos of the trespassers damages, was also here taking photos of the attempted break-in. So I had to react by setting up a video surveillance system/ alarm system to catch anyone that should not be here..


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## jessimeredith (Sep 12, 2004)

Everything is locked up tight as a whistle prior to bed...front door double bolted, windows on the ground floor shut tight, cars locked up and alarmed. Have I mentioned we live ON POST...guarded, with frequent MP patrols? Yeah, it takes all kinds.

I'm sure that the habits will keep up for a long while after we're out in the new house, partially because DH is OCD about it and partly because even though we'll be a good bit from town there is a main N/S highway not too far off.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Don't even know where the house key is. Cars in the driveway always have the keys in them.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

We never use to lock anything, but some kid got into my van and stole a bunch of stuff. So, now I lock the van all the time. It didn't happen at home, but at a friend's house. Her 21 yo son did it, and the idiot stole a bottle of DM meds. Apparently, he had a "spell" where he couldn't talk straight and slept several hours. I assume he took a few of the pills and had a hypoglycemic episode, but she doesn't think he did. At least the kid lived through it. 
At any rate, our rose covered glasses are off, so we have started locking the door when we leave, and I lock the vehicles all the time home or out.
Sorry. I meant rose-colored-glasses. I guess I let the thing spell check itself and must have mispelled it with the "U" in it.


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## Smalltowngirl (Mar 28, 2010)

I live within the city limits of a small rural town(4000) with a larger city of over 50K ,about 28 miles away.
I never lock my car but I do take out the keys probably only because it has my house & work keys on the same ring. The only time I lock my house is when I'm leaving for work or at bedtime. Many nights I forget to lock the door before bed.
I do have dogs who sound much larger & fierce than they really are but to an intruder I suppose they' be a deterrent.

On my deck is a brand new raised bed kit and there's two full gas cans out by the lawnmower; they are never touched and in fact I sometimes come home to find extra 'stuff' left for me by neighbors. One time I came home to about 40# of tomatoes & another time I found two beautiful homemade bird feeders sitting on my deck!! 
We are a close knit community and we all watch out for each other and pretty much know when a stranger or a strange vehicle is in the vicinity.


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## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

I live less than 2 miles from Metro downtown and unfortunately this place used to be a nice place to live when I moved in 12 years ago but not any more. There is crime on a regular basis but everyone around here knows us and the fact we are armed to the teeth. 

We lock everything all of the time, even during the day all doors and both gates are locked, front windows shut and locked, back windows are open for air but there is someone home during the day and the open windows face the locked up back yard so I feel pretty safe.

I don't own a car, but anyone who visits here locks their car and everyone who lives around here locks up. When my kids were young they used to leave toys and other stuff in the front yard with no problem, now you can't leave anything outside or it's gone real quick. I have even had plants stolen, plucked right out of the ground and some bricks I had placed decoratively around my mailbox along with the plants they were surrounding!


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## lemonthyme7 (Jul 8, 2010)

DH and I recently relocated about 2 hours from our homestead for his work. At home we never lock anything - I have no idea where our house key even is! Having said that, now that our 20 yr old DS and 24 yr old DD live there and take care of the place they lock the doors every night. I think they are a bit spooked without mom and dad there. There are 2 dogs in the house that will bark if anyone comes close. We are only one of 2 houses on that dirt road - with the exception of a vacation cottage on the far end of the road but they are seldom there.
Now in the place where DH & I are renting there are houses all around us and we do lock the doors at night. I actually have the doors locked most of the time DH is not here but not all the time. Even though the neighbors houses are very close it is a very quiet neighborhood and all the people are very friendly. If the weather is cool at night I will sometimes leave the 2 bedroom windows and one of the living room windows open for the fresh air. They are high enough that someone wanting to get in would need to bring a ladder though. We do lock our vehicles here also. When we go up home every couple weeks when we get the chance our neighbor usually knows and keeps and eye on the place for us.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

When I lived out in the country up north I locked them in October and unlocked them in May.

Now that I moved south and then the burbs moved to meet me, they're locked except when the windows are open. Which in the part of Texas isn't that often.


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## Pam6 (Apr 9, 2009)

I go into total lock down with the house at night. The windows are only open a few inches and the latches are set so they do not open any further. All of the kids windows are completely locked down. Doors and garages doors locked. I think DH locks his car. He does not keep anything in his car. I don't keep anything of value in my van but I do try to lock it up. The most valuable thing in my van is the $100 worth of gas I put in it yesterday and locking it is not going to stop someone from siphoning gas out of it. Dh's gas cap has a latch that needs to be opened from the inside of his car. His car only holds about $40 worth of gas. 

During the day...the doors are wide open. Windows are wide open. Kids are coming and going and coming and going.
I live 1.2 miles up a dead end road. 20 minutes from the nearest 'town'. 10 minutes from the nearest gas station.


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## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

We live in a small town, 2200. Never lock anything unless we go out of town.


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## hsmom2four (Oct 13, 2008)

We live in a neighborhood of 50 houses in a small city. We keep everything locked up tight. We have central AC and only open the windows a few weeks a year so they are always locked and we never leave them open at night or while we aren't home. All doors are locked all the time unless the kids are out playing. Cars are always locked and alarmed. If we bring the lawn trailer home (one day a week in the summer) then everything on it is locked with cables and heavy duty locks and dh backs the trailer up to the garage door so the gate can't be let down. We never unhook the trailer from the truck. If he puts any of the lawn equipment in the shed then he cables it up in there too and locks the door. We park our brand new Kubota tractor in our church's barn and he takes the fuses out of it. A few years ago someone cut the concrete blocks out of the back of the barn and stole the church's tractor. We keep our lawn trailer with the mowers on it at his place of work in a big warehouse. Again, with all of it locked up tight. They have a night security guard. Almost two years ago someone stole our lawn trailer from my moms back yard. Not long after that all our lawn equipment was stole out of the back of the truck at the church while dh was mowing. Now we don't take any chances leaving anything not locked. 

About four months ago someone broke a window out at our neighbor's house during the middle of the day and basically took anything of value that they could carry out. I was home and didn't see or hear anything and our dog didn't even bark. That put us on high alert.


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## bama (Aug 21, 2011)

we live in the middle of town. 

windows are never open (dh took the screens off and never replaced them, and i am not dealing with the bugs). 

doors are always locked. i have had people selling stuff come to the door who have made me uncomfortable. now i not only keep the doors locked, i won't answer it either.

all cars are kept locked except mine. nothing valuable in there, and i tend to throw trash in the passenger side. it is a wreck - highly doubtful that anyone would even try to open the doors!  that is part of my master plan.

i admit that i am paranoid though, and i don't trust people. there has been several sexual assault home invasions and rape cases lately. i don't want to be an easy victim.

we TRY to remember to keep the gates shut outside, but we often forget. i found myself running out at 10pm the other night, shutting gates everywhere when i heard a pack of coyotes in the wooded area behind the house. this is mainly to hopefully give my cats a few extra seconds to escape if they were to ever go after them.


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## andabigmac (Jan 10, 2011)

The keys are in the ignitions of the vehicles and if I ever find my house keys I may start locking the house up. Maybe. If I ever feel unsafe I'll move.


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## Rainy (Jan 21, 2010)

Well i didn't use to keep much locked at all due to the fact i had a policeman who lived across the street from me.... then he moved and told my hubby about all the things that had gone on over the last few months around town.. and to keep things locked up.. First night he moved, the people two houses away had there car stolen.. our Friends had there's broke into..so in all the windows that can open(some are painted shut) i have glass items that will break if they fall, double locks on front and back doors and screen doors...... people can always take out our room airconditioner on the side of the house But the people there are in and out caregivers for the girl who lives there so they keep a pretty good watch on that side.
I know if someone wants in the will probably get in, but they may not leave in quite the same shape...lol


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

AngieM2 said:


> When do you lock your doors and windows. How about you? Do you feel safe enough where you live and leave doors unlocked?


We only lock the doors and windows when we go away. We feel very safe here. Never lock the car. No one knows our schedule, I come and go anytime. My work schedule varies and Sweetie is usually home....James


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## amylou62 (Jul 14, 2008)

Here in Kansas we lock doors at night. We were in Mississippi for two years working and kept everything locked all day and all night. Murders everyday. Family that owned restaurant a few blocks away were killed with machetes in broad daylight. Glad to be home.


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## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

Front door gets locked at night and when we are gone. Hubby tends to lock up the vehicles, I don't. No worries about strangers sneaking up - they have to get past the bucks and the dogs before they get to the house. Our wether is a friendly fellow - he is just really vocal about asking for attention. If you aren't used to a goat screaming at you it can really startle a person. 

Here are our two watch dogs - each one sleeps with one of our children as their bedrooms are located in the front of the house. Be heck to pay if anyone tried going through the bedroom windows - NOBODY messes with their kids!


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## Txsteader (Aug 22, 2005)

Have only started locking doors & windows in the last 5 years because of the criminal element that's moving into this area (we've got felons on either side of us). I've lived here for almost 35 years.....the first few w/o electric or phone.....and felt perfectly safe leaving things unlocked, even when DH worked nights. He was just recently in the hospital for a month, and I slept on the couch w/ a loaded pistol near my fingertips. Not that anything has ever happened here but when people get pilled/liquored-up, you just never know what kind of craziness they might attempt.


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## scooter (Mar 31, 2008)

We always keep everything locked up. We live in the country and several farmers have had things stolen lately. In 1989, we weren't home and the one window that was shut but not locked over the sink in the kitchen, they found and pried it open and got in and this was in the middle of the day. I think it's insanity to leave a house unlocked.


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2012)

We've had to go from not locking our doors at all to installing heavy duty doors with dead bolts and locking them even when we are in the house.
And that is in a pretty small town.


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## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

I have a parent who lives in the nearest small town of about 2k people. She is traveling through Asia for 2 weeks and I stopped by to water her plants...Half the windows in her house were left completely unlocked while she is out of the country...aaarg.

I am in the country and always lock doors when leaving. Doors are always locked at night, but windows left open. I have Dobermans though, so they will alert. Without large dogs for a visual deterrence and alert, things would be locked up tight and windows kept closed.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

All the doors are locked all the time unless we are in the yard or on the porch. Windows that can easily be reached from the ground are locked at night or when we are gone. Most of the second floor windows aren't so we can get air, but if we leave it's a complete lock down. I remember as a kid on the farm we would go to Wisconsin for a week and leave everything open. Different times.

Nomad


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Round here (small town where only in last 10 yrs have outsiders moved in) locking the doors is not normal. I grew up in a big city...we locked everything always (it worse there now....my folks lock the doors when they are home, too). We lock the back door at night (dog won't go to bed till we've check it, LOL). Front doors locked all the time because we don't use it. Garage is locked, it's not attached to the house so it's an easy target. Shed next to the garage - unlocked. Cars - DH may or may not be locked, mines locked. Windows, locked when closed.....but we will leave them open over night or if just running a errand locally.

Our dog barks at all odd noises 24/7, but if we aren't home he may bite anyone that's not us and tried to get in the yard (he warns and snaps...got the neighbor once, nothing too bad and they blamed themselves)....he wants to be outside while we are gone, so he is.


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## EasyDay (Aug 28, 2004)

I'm home most of the time, and only lock the doors at night before bed.
The keys are always in the unlocked truck, day and night.
Molly-dog lets me know with a low growl if so much as an armadillo walks too near the house!

I have an alarm at the beginning of the driveway almost 1000' away, that sounds like a doorbell, so even in the daytime, when it dings Molly-dog and I both report to our respective windows to see who has entered the property.

During the day, if I go to town and leave Molly inside, I always leave the back door unlocked. My nearest neighbor knows that if he ever sees a fire in the area to run over and let my Molly-dog out of the house!


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

I have a question for the people who've said they don't ever lock their homes, or those who don't lock their vehicles and leave the keys in the vehicles. 

If you have losses of valuables from your home because a thief did not have to break and enter - or if your unlocked vehicle with the keys in it gets stolen and destroyed by a car thief - will those losses be covered for replacement or financial reimbursement by your insurance policies (if you have insurance coverage, that is)?

.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

naturelover said:


> I have a question for the people who've said they don't ever lock their homes, or those who don't lock their vehicles and leave the keys in the vehicles.
> 
> If you have losses of valuables from your home because a thief did not have to break and enter - or if your unlocked vehicle with the keys in it gets stolen and destroyed by a car thief - will those losses be covered for replacement or financial reimbursement by your insurance policies (if you have insurance coverage, that is)?
> 
> .


I think that is a relative question. They could easily break in and steal as they could walk through a door. If the keys are in the car, I am home. They can't get far with out me knowing. If I am away they could have broken a window and taken what they want at any time. When you live away from a town and are away part of the day, they are going to steal no matter what you do if they want to. Country homes have everything from ATV's to tractors that could be stolen easily. They don't always need keys. The thieves in the city know that well.

The trick is having the real values not easily accessible. Hidden compartments, inaccessible crawl spaces, etc. That way they only get what is easily replaceable. High deductibles, sort of a self insurance plan. Add to that one road in and one road out and roads where everyone knows every one's cars and the thefts go way down.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

I understand what you're saying, but regarding those kinds of losses that I specified - that is to say losses that occur due to willful negligence - will those losses be covered by your insurance?

I'm just asking because I know mine would not be covered. If somebody was able to easily steal my car and trash it because I didn't lock it and I left the key in the ignition - an open invitation to a thief - the insurance adjuster is going to say to me _"sorry, ma'm, you are SOL on your insurance claim because you didn't take the necessary precautions to act as a deterent to help prevent the theft from occuring"_.

So I am curious about other people's situations, whether or not such types of easy thefts would be covered by insurance.

.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

naturelover said:


> I understand what you're saying, but regarding those kinds of losses that I specified - that is to say losses that occur due to willful negligence - will those losses be covered by your insurance?
> 
> I'm just asking because I know mine would not be covered. If somebody was able to easily steal my car and trash it because I didn't lock it and I left the key in the ignition - an open invitation to a thief - the insurance adjuster is going to say to me _"sorry, ma'm, you are SOL on your insurance claim because you didn't take the necessary precautions to act as a deterent to help prevent the theft from occuring"_.
> 
> ...


I think they could fight you on the vehicle, though they would have to prove it. House, barn etc. I think would depend on what is in your policy. Can they require a security system? Can they not pay if a second floor window was open and they used a ladder?


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2012)

We accidently left Our truck unlocked and some one ripped the radio out of it. They got about 15 radios that night around us.
I was told if we had left our car unlocked the insurance would not cover it.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

painterswife said:


> I think they could fight you on the vehicle, though they would have to prove it. House, barn etc. I think would depend on what is in your policy. *Can they require a security system? Can they not pay if a second floor window was open and they used a ladder?*


I couldn't say for sure on household policies. I know that with some insurance companies, if the homeowner has security systems installed in their home and on their property then they pay less on their insurance premiums and/or deductibles. But I don't know if the insurance company can _require_ the insured to have a security system installed.

.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

veggiecanner said:


> We accidently left Our truck unlocked and some one ripped the radio out of it. They got about 15 radios that night around us.
> *I was told if we had left our car unlocked the insurance would not cover it.*


Thanks veggiecanner, that's what I wanted to know about.

.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

i have lived in a small town almost all my life 4k or less but there has always also been a larger city 30-40 minutes away 50k to 200k

growing up we locked the house at night , or when we left , my grandparents to block north never did , my other grandparents 3 blocks south did , buy 1990 my grandparents to the north started locking their doors also , they had a 4 hauler snowmobile trailer stolen from behind the barn where it was stored at my uncles farm the became much better about locking everything up after that. 

in about 88 our van was broken into in the drive way stereo taken , in 2003 my wife's car was broken into in the drive way , and my van vandalized 

all she had in the car was a stack of cd's 

i do keep tools and supplies in my van , i have been in the habit of locking cars as i exit and carrying 2 sets of keys since i started driving , I really hate the feeling of the violation of being broken into , it is just a sick feeling .

we joke that here there are to kinds of crime local drunks and imported crime , that isn't completely true but it is mostly true 

drugs are a strange thing they make people do strange things both when on them and when they need a fix, and the biggest problem is they aren't just in the city , they are every where 

we keep doors locked when we are not going in and out , first floor windows closed unless home , and the storms only allow them to open a few inches 

when i lived in the city for school for a few years i go in the habit of flipping the dead bolt closed as i shut the door , friends thought it strange but i just did, still do 

the house is almost completely fenced , only the side with the meters on it is unfenced and faces the street , both entrance doors are inside the fence , the dog has to be in the yard when we leave.

crime does happen , in 2009 when many of my neighbors were laid off and at home , one day i hear some yelling and such , neighbors were chasing down a car thief that had stolen one of their buddies trucks , they boxed the guy in and he ran , they chased him thru the neighbor hood and directed police to his location , they got him 3 blocks further down after he ran in front of my house where the cop had picked up the chase.

crime is very low compared to the city , but it still happen and i prefer it doesn't happen to me 

our town is set up in streets and avenues all numbered ave run north south , streets east west we get enough people who can't figure out a really logical system of house numbers , and show up at our house insisting they are at the address given totally incapable of understanding that every house on the corner for 10 blocks has the same house number , just the ave changes , i don't need one of them to be looking for the grow operation that was found 6 blocks over , insisting they have the right house , you don't know where they are cooking meth till the house blows up either. had 2 of them a few months apart on the other side of the county not that long ago one right on the main street of a town of a few hundred.

i am told that rural homes in the area are very popular for cooking meth the big markets are only a hour or a few away.

i know we want to all still have that Mayberry feeling and way of life , but even Mayberry had crime and it was a tv show,


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2012)

As far as alarm systems, it works the same here, discounts but no requirements.
I wonder if the system wasn't working and you had gotten the discount for it, if they would pay off either.

I do know it you hit your own car with your other car they will pay. (Not me).


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

I locked our house doors when I hung them. I gave the key to my wife, and they have not been locked since.

My truck key [it only has 1 ignition key, no door key] is kept on the dash board.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

We keep the doors locked especially when DH isn't home, day and night. Our car in the attached garage is locked too. At night, the windows are closed and locked except for in the bedroom.

One night, not too long ago, we decided to use the security camera to check if we had any raccoon by our porch. Well, according to the camera, we had a visitor--a woman at about 2:30AM. She must have knocked but we didn't hear her as there was fan running in our BR. She left the porch and went to our old beater of a truck and slept there for awhile, then returned only to go back to the truck. To make a long story short, the woman was drinking, ran off the road and crashed into our neighbors tree, cracking the axle. That was about 2-3 miles from us. At some point she left our truck and headed down the road. We got all the info from different neighbors and the police about her as there are no secrets out here.

The point to this is that, if our door had not been locked, we might have had a stranger in our kitchen. If we had known she was out there, we would have gotten her help , but I don't want to be awakened by an intruder.


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

I'm from Montana where we didn't lock doors but then moved to San Diego for 14 years, then to DC for 4 years and finally here in the Pacific Northwest in a town of about 10,000. 

Learned to lock everything up tight after a few incidents in San Diego and DC. I'll open the windows and doors during the day when I am here but if no one is home or it's at night, it's all locked up tight. Car doors are always locked; don't know why except that's what my parents did.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Locks won't stop anyone but an honest person, so why bother?

Like several others, I'm a couple miles down a one way mud road... few know we live back here, and they're either friends, or very respectfully afraid of the crazy man.

Haven't a clue where house keys might be... and like I mentioned, what's the point... miles from nowhere, simply get rock and break a window.

Of course, one should be aware that one of us is pretty much always home... me, during the day, I'm out and about if not working on the computer... woe to him that get's larceny in his heart.

There is no lock or security system that can't be disabled with the right tools... unless one lives inside town, 911 and most electronic security systems aren't worth a bucket of warm spit. Response time here is a minimum of 45 minutes! The only real security you have is a human presence and a pack of barking dogs. Only one strangers shown up here in the last three or four years, and he was afraid to get out of his Ford Ranger... there was an anatolian shepherd on his hood barking through the glass, and some more scratching at his side windows.

Imho, a reputation as a bad mammajamma is my best security.... I'm just a big ol teddy bear, but I've had to go Charlie Manson on a handful of wannabe rogues, and waltzed over the legal line a few times, didn't get in trouble with the law, and the bad guys realized their were easier pickings elsewhere.


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## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

I dont even think we have keys to the house. Haven't seen them in years. Car keys are in the cars with a spare set in the rear tack of my old horse trailer. I do have a lock on that though! A combination lock so no keys required, kids locked us out of the truck one day at a gas station with the truck running and horses in the trailer... Now i just have to remember the combo, or cheat and check the picture I took of the sticker.


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2012)

24/7. We also have CC permits and castle doctrine. Move along, nothing to see here!


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## time (Jan 30, 2011)

I live about five miles out from a town of 50K.

Don't know where the house key is. Havn't seen it for years.

Keys are in all the vehicles at home. We leave the keys in the old nissan pickup when we go to town. I sometimes lock the newer dodge though. Mostly because the wifes purse is in it.

When we go out of town we don't lock the house so folks can let the dog out a few times a day. She knows family. The garage does get locked on trips. Prolly more good stuff in there to lose.


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## GammyAnnie (Jun 2, 2011)

I have never locked the doors here, even when I go on vacation or to see the kids and grandkids. 

Granted I have a hired man that lives in a little house on the property. But right now, as I am finally tired out, do old people sleep less, yes, the keys are in my mini van, farm truck and all tractors, no doors are locked, but there is a giant 135lb dog laying on the floor next to me and two LGD out in the pasture who raise a ruckus if thing are amiss, which in turn alerts the indoor dog who wakes me up, thought sometimes I get tired of getting woke up because a fat raccoon is wandering through the pasture.

Annie


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When in my house I have my driveway gate and door locked. The gate is locked to keep people off my property and the door is deadbolt locked so if someone gets through my gate they have to make enough racket to get all the dogs attention as I palm my piece to tell them to leave or call the county patrol.

Those who are allowed in my home know to call ahead or "call to the campfire" as they open my door having used their keys to come through my gate and door so I have time to put my weapon on safety.

I still live in the country but have meth heads and other criminal elements living within a mile so I keep the place locked.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Windows down and locked. Open a few days a year but not often. Doors, front locked unless someone is sitting on the front porch, or lots of people are coming out, most come to the back door anyway. Back door, locked at night and when I go somewhere. Dog hangs out back there and lets me know if someone is coming up the drive, also, I use the carport as a porch and sit out by the back door often 9 months out of the year. Vehicles are usually not locked at home, farm truck never, locked when I go to town. Car locks auto when I drive out of parking area.

No gate on drive to lock. Microwave behind house and crews in and out pretty often. Tempted to put one up though, Neighbor in and out during hay and feeding seasons.

Ed


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## pumpkin (May 8, 2012)

All the time when we are home or away. Even with the dogs there is no guaranteed security. They are a great alarm system and will scare off a lot of people but not someone intending to do real harm. They will just wait until we are away and kill the dogs. I know that a door can be breached in a few seconds with the right tools and glass - well that smashes. We are seriously considering shutters for all windows and doors. As Texican wrote locks won't stop anyone but an honest person - but at least we are not making it a walk in the park for anyone to get inside. And truthfully I am not as upset about the thought of robbery as I am about vandalism. Some of what they do is really disgusting and we have a relative who could not bring herself to live back in her house even after it was all repaired and cleaned.


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

I refuse to live in a jail! Windows open, no screens. Doors usually open for the dogs. Keys in ignition so they don't get misplaced. Never even lock the car at the Walmart locally except in the summer sometimes if there are lots of tourists around. I refuse to live in fear. Things can be replaced, they are just 'things."


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## salmonslayer (Jan 4, 2009)

We live in a low crime area but as others have noted we arent all that far from some meth heads so we take what I consider reasonable precautions. We have two residences on the property (our and MILs), more vehicles than people, dogs, etc and one of us is usually home but we lock the doors, lock the vehicles, and almost as important in my opinion is we keep our stuff in the barn or various garages instead of leaving it out front for all to see as if we were proud of it. Most folks around here leave tractors, ATVs, and riding lawn mowers etc just out in the open which to me is the low hanging fruit for most thieves.

As for keys in the vehicles, as a volunteer fire fighter I cant remember a time we responded to a fire and had to move a vehicle that the keys werent in the ignition..its just that common here and for some reason auto theft is very rare in my area. I never leave the keys in the ignition personally unless I am at a job site or something so someone can move my truck if needed.


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## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

We don't lock anything, ever. We live 5 miles from the nearest village (population 430). None of our neighbours lock their doors, and many people leave their keys in the vehicle - both in the yard and in the village. We don't do that, but the keys to my truck are on a hook by the front door.

When borrowing or returning something to a neighbour, it's common to hear, "If I'm not home, just leave it inside the door," or "I'll leave it on the kitchen table for you, just come in and get it if I'm not here."

Like everyone else around here, we have a big barky dog, and not much of anything worth stealing...


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## janetn (Apr 26, 2012)

Country here dont lock anything. Neighbors watch out for each other, and frankly I dont think a lock does a thing to protect you anyway. Just make it so the thieves do more damage getting in. We dont have a lot of burglaries - most folks own guns and it would be a risky occupation round here 

When I go to the nearest big city I dont feel safe even walking to or from the car. I dont like that feeling at all. I dont want to live where I feel the need to lock up


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I never used to lock the car, figured if someone wanted something bad enough they would just break the window and take it anyway. Then the police had to be called for some reason and the officers were looking inside unlocked vehicles parked along the edge of the road. No explanation as to why they were looking in the cars. Now I lock the door if I am in the back and no one is in the house. Never know when the police will be called again and figure it's ok to walk into the house. 

Now please pass the tinfoil. My hat isn't thick enough.

ETA, I don't lock windows though. Castle doctrine applies if I catch you crawling in the window, even if you are wearing a uniform.


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

I don't see what the point is. I never even locked my doors when I lived in Indianapolis. I've always had dogs, large ones. If a stranger walks into my house, it's not going to be bark alert, its going to be that person on the ground screaming as my dane tears his face off, with the others waiting in the wings to pursue any runners. 

We are almost aways here, and if I have to intervene, well, thats what guns are for.

A wooden, glass or metal rectangle isn't going to save you if someone really wants in.

The only reason I see it necessary to lock up is if you are out of town, or you have to leave children home alone.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Locking it up gives those without dogs time to grab their guns while the perp is smashing a window or kicking in a door. Besides the insurance won't pay if there is no forced entry.


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## The Tinker (Apr 5, 2011)

I don't know that anyone here knows where the key is for the front door, but everyone knows where the guns are. We don't have neighbors out here, and there really isn't a reason to lock up. Before we had the dogs, someone broke in and stole some guns, old foreign currency, and a bunch of my dad's Viet Nam memorabilia. The door wasn't locked, but they kicked it and broke the door jamb without even trying it. Locks keep honest people honest, but don't offer protection from the creepers. The impression I get is, most places that get burgled have doors kicked or windows broken.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

Guess none of you live in Meth country. If they aren't blowing up rural trailers making product they are cruising back roads looking for something to steal and sell. We lock everything...house,garage,chickenhouse, gates,pump house when we aren't here. It is rare that one of us isn't here though. Have guard dog but our guns work better....well, except for that maurading bear that destroyed the honey yard! Neighbors all keep watch on each others places. Two of them are ex-Marine and I know they answer their doors wth a pistol at their sides. Our biggest problem was actually former residents. Gone now and good riddance.


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## belladulcinea (Jun 21, 2006)

We lock our doors and windows. On weekends when we are home though you could walk through and take anything you want since we run in out through both doors and the garage. When I'm here alone everything stays locked up even with the dogs, one of whom is very scary and very territorial. I have great neighbors but we back up to a park with a walking trail, so we have the gates locked and keep the weeds/brambles high to discourage any quick trips into the yard.


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## teachermom44 (Feb 8, 2012)

We lock up the doors, the cars, and the windows. We live near a fairly large military base. So along with people who have lived here forever, you've got the hanger ons that cater to the military guys who want to get in trouble. 

We've had our catalytic converter cut off our old van in the middle of the night with all of us home. I was NOT pleased about that. They were stealing a lot of them to sell for the metals. Of course we had to pay to replace it. They were caught finally.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

I keep house and car locked. Have a central alarm system; but don't use it.


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

House is open during the day when I'm home, but locked down tight at night or whenever we leave. 
Have a big black dog who doesn't much like strangers. 

I only ever lock the vehicles when we go into the big city tho. Just don't keep anything of value in them. Keys are with us in the house tho. 

We always take care of things around the yard, nothing left out. Just common sense to me. 

Learned my habits while growing up in various big metro cities. Still apply them whether I live in a safe suburbia, a small town, or in the middle of the woods (we've moved a lot).


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## Rocktown Gal (Feb 19, 2008)

The front door is always locked...we are mostly in the back. The back doors never...always open...day and night. I know my dogs would take care of anyone getting close anyway...there is not a sound that one of them will hear...and the others well when they all gang up on you...you wouldn't want to be there anyway.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Locked at night and when I/we leave. Keys in ignitions. Dh says anyone would be out of their mind to even think of breaking in with these 3 dogs. But still I'm careful. I even have a latch on the back door on the outside-if it is unlatched if I come in from the gardens-it meens Someone has gone inside.


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## Work horse (Apr 7, 2012)

Doors are locked when we're not home and when we come in for the night. Windows are open or closed depending on the weather but I only close & lock the one that would be easy to climb into when we're gone.


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## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

I'm far enough off the road, I don't really have to worry about casual the passerby. My neighbours are somewhat close though. I've had a few oops when it came to securing stuff, but its never come back to bite me. The only thing I know that went missing was a handheld airhorn off the boat that was down by the lake. Probably just some kids being mischievous though. I can honestly say that I think I could leave doors and windows unlocked, but I dont think I'm going to take that gamble.


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## sidepasser (May 10, 2002)

Well DH locks up when he is out cutting grass, lol..
me not so much, I have a really loud, vocal, will bite you wire haired fox terrier who notices if any.single.thing is out of order.

We lock up at night and my insurance company told me that if you leave the keys in the car or leave a car unlocked and it is stolen, that they do not have to pay for the car. That the owner is responsible to make a car "as safe as possible which includes locking the doors and rolling up the windows" when the vehicle is not occupied. So cars are locked and windows up and in garage whenever I am not driving the car.

Now down at my farm in Ga., whole nuther story..you gotta WANT to come see me down there which means you know me or you took the wrong road..lol..

I have never locked a door while down there, and never locked a vehicle. When I leave though, all is locked up tight and security cams are on.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

texican said:


> Locks won't stop anyone but an honest person, so why bother?


If they want in they are getting in.

9 times out of 10, most crime is someone you know.
there are few brazen criminals out there.
Crimes of opportunity can be avoided by staying away from certain areas. 

I project a certain essence that commands respect and at the least caution.
I'm also well known where ever I go, pretty well liked but also known to not play games. I don't take it and I don't hand it out.

I think that is your best defense in the end. 

I lived in a very rough neighborhood for a good bit of time, I was never broke into,robbed,mugged,beaten,stab or shoot.
Those where common occurrences in the neighborhood though.

Just like you have born leaders/followers you have predators and prey.
if it looks like prey , walks like prey ,and smells like prey. well it must be prey.
SO DON'T BE PREY! Those among us who are predators can see it in those who are prey.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

Everything is Locked up tight, whether we are at home or away. All the windows and doors in the house, all the garage doors and the mini barn are all locked up tight. We have two big Dobermans that are very protective. My DSW & I bothe have CCW permits. And we both carry. We're not paranoid, just cautious.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (May 25, 2010)

We lock things up at night when we are home but usually not during the day whether we are home or away. There is just not much point because we have no close neighbors and our home is not visible from the road...if someone wants in, they will get in. We don't lock doors at night expecting to keep out crooks, we do it so we have a chance to quickly prepare for intruders. Our main doors and some windows also have bells on them so we can hear if someone is coming in...it is impossible to open them quietly, especially if you don't know the bells are there.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

texican said:


> Locks won't stop anyone but an honest person, so why bother?


I think you have a good point there. Locks also stop kids from goofing off and just being foolish kids too. But if someone is just a bad person looking to commit a crime, a lock won't help.


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## Bettacreek (May 19, 2012)

gone-a-milkin said:


> I suppose that on the internet it is prudent to say that one keeps things locked down like a vault at all times. :angel:
> 
> That said, I have dogs and not much worth stealing.
> The good stuff? you arent likely to find it in a quick rummage of the house.
> ...



There was something I saw that went something like "I am home and armed three days out of the week. You guess which three" 


Here, we don't have much of an issue with security... We live on state prison grounds and have the patrol and the guard towers watching over.  Not to mention, if someone were dumb enough to attempt to get through that, *IF* they made it, they'd then be facing whatever weapon I decided on at the moment.


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