Help with daughters security issue

My daughter just mentioned this; that for the last 4 or 5 times she has left the house she has come home to find at least one of previously locked doors open. This morning she awoke to find one of thedoors open, I don't mean unlocked I mean the door flung wide open. She is going to buy new locks and get her hubby to install them but I was wondering if there is something she can do in the meantime to stop someone from getting in. I told her to make the old wooden latches like they did in the olden days. to add to the locks she has.

dust for fingerprints

no local neighborhood watch?

push furniture against all but one of the doors

stay at home all day until the new locks are fitted, just to solve the mystery



The trespasser's behavior (if it can be accounted for in that way) seems little more than nuisance value, what's the point?

Assuming they own a PC, by chance have a web cam?

Many [perhaps most] software that comes with a cam has motion sensing, and will trip the cam for a pic/recording [mine, from Logitech works quiet nicely].

Know the neighbors to watch when you leave? [keep in mind, if this is every time they leave, it could be a neighbor], or can borrow a car? Could always stake-out the house.

If PC is yes, position the mouse cursor at an exact point, then look at when returning.
If that were a positive result, I would install a keylogger.

Is there ever anything different in the house? Look for stupd things even, like food eaten, or chair sat in [simple as leave papers in chair, get good mental image, or sketch their position, digi-cam shot even]. warm tv/stereo. Condition of restroom - soap in same place, seat lid the same, position towel just-so, then look again when back. For bedrooms, do the image/sketch thing with drawers. Never know, people are frikken strange anymore - one woman, recently, had entry gained to he house, crazy asss did her laundry!!

Update date us

Misfit

[edit on 18-7-2005 by Misfit]

My daughter is a burlesque performer and I am afraid she has picked up some weird stalker.

Oh man, I hear ya.

If this be the case, I would start with the reviewing her house before she leaves, looking at exactly how key items are. Check out the fridge too, and any trach made [also check outside trash, if any].

Do they have a PC to utilize?

Hope they get the locks done soon

Misfit

if the door swings inside put a doorstop on the inside, which will prevent it from being opened easily, if you put some powder on the floor near the door you can have evidance of breaking and entering and have the cops over to file a report

Also if you trust neighbors I suggest you metion it to them and ask them to keep a lookout for someone acting suspisiously outside the house.

If a door swings outward you can tie the handle/doorknob to a fixed object, or a braced chair, or sofa.

Exterior lighting for the doors would also be advisable

Heh, you could also do your own intervention ................. somewhere that you've seen the steps repeatedly, somehow put a note there that they can't miss - need nothing more on the note than somethig silly like "this time you're being filmed". Bet the person would turn white as a ghost! lol

Misfit

How scary!

What I would suggest also is to make sure she writes every event down as well, Just so she has a log in case its needed, + there may be a pattern, and a possible time scale,

Could there be some way to set up some cameras in the house?

If she really feels like there is someone watching her then also inform the police just so they also have a note on it, a good idea would also to get some advice from them on securing the house,

She has one of those small cameras that goes on the computer. I'll tell her to hook that up and follow the directions someone posted here. All you guys ideas are good. All of her doors open inward. I think I will tell her to buy a few of those really long nails (Ive seen some that are 4-5 inches long and drive it in the door jamb until about two inches is sticking out to stop the door from being opened even if they have managed to get a copy her keys. If she drives it in at an angle even after the nail becomes loose from being removed so much it still will not come out from someone shaking the door at least I would not think it would. Her husband is supposed to put new locks in soon.

If someone may be watching then get the police to call around so anyone nosing can see that they have been called and the break-ins have been noticed and taken seriously. This idiot may think he hasn't been rumbled, but when the cops make a show hopefully the hassle will stop. Is the property alarmed? I sure would if these problems were at my place, and is there a man in the house? Maybe a male friend could stay with her for comfort and confidence. Good luck.

Get her a couple of swords and a knife that can fit in her pocket. That way if the person ever dares to confront her in her own house she's prepared. Also rigging a booby trap wouldn't be a bad idea either. Like when the door opens it triggers a steel door to come crashing down from the ceiling. it would also add a nice effect if the steel door had spikes on it. not long enough for them to actually pierce the intruder, but long enough to scare the heck out of them. It would also be a good effect if you taped a note on the door saying, "BOO!". Well thats my advice. I might actually try and install that in my house when I get one. Hehehe.

Have her buy a gun and mace and have her get some training on how to use both. She can find both that will fit into a purse and they are a damned sight better than a ninja sword or knife for a woman in a enclosed area. Be sure and get the police involved so that in case she has to shoot him it is a reported problem.

booby traps are not good because you could be looking at a lawsuit, but the camera idea is good.

There are also a lot of good Womens Self-Deffense courses out there but they will never even the odds for a 130 pound women vs a 250 pound man like a gun will.



[edit on 19-7-2005 by Amuk]

Originally posted by Amuk
Have her buy a gun and mace and have her get some training on how to use both. She can find both that will fit into a purse and they are a damned sight better than a ninja sword or knife for a woman in a enclosed area. Be sure and get the police involved so that in case she has to shoot him it is a reported problem.

booby traps are not good because you could be looking at a lawsuit, but the camera idea is good.

There are also a lot of good Womens Self-Deffense courses out there but they will never even the odds for a 130 pound women vs a 250 pound man like a gun will.



[edit on 19-7-2005 by Amuk]

It really upsets me........

That after all this time the first thing I see you doing......

Is trying to defend the male dominance idea, and acting like females are hopeless..........

WELL. I used my mind to get out of a bad situation.......2 boys tried to get me up against a wall...n...uncomfortably groped at me.....they started acting all wierd n I KNEW what was their goal, so I tricked them into saying that I need to go home cause dads looking for me, but I'll be back with some coke, to have fun...

Idiot boys...as if I'd come back...........I don't walk that path anymore....n...I can't believe there so egotistical they thought I'd be coming back to them!

Well it just shows, I admit I'M weak, but I survived that time anyways, and there's strong women out there, who could TRASH the average guy, so it's fine to say about mace n stuff, there good ideas, but I think guns are such.....terrible weapons...maybe tranquilizer gun...that way you don't end someones life....maybe by mistake..if it was a wrong person or something........

Does your daughter rent the place where she lives? If so, don't count out the landlord; it's been know to happen.

Originally posted by Amuk
booby traps are not good because you could be looking at a lawsuit

Only if they get hurt. Besides it'd certainly be fun to get one set up.