I guess this more of a question for burglars than home owners

[Seymore4Head]

How often to you think a burglar actually uses a hidden key to break in homes?

[Burglar12]

I use one about a quarter of the time.

Burglar12

[Ed Pawlowski]

That's why I took the key from under the mat and put it in the fake rock next to the step, the only rock there. Ha, you'll never find it.

[gfretwell]

Whenever they can find one. I bet the good ones are pretty good at finding them too.

[Unquestionably Confused]

Our free range Rottweiler said that it rarely happened. Anything inside the bounds of the Invisible Fence he was allowed to keep.

We generally went along with him but did give the mail carrier and the ComEd meter reader back. They are expensive to maintain.

[philo]

I don't know but not too far from me is a house with quite a sturdy "burglar door". Directly next to it and about 3 feet above the porch steps is a totally unprotected and large window.

It would take a burglar three seconds to get in the house.

Even funnier is a recycling center that has a tall chain linked fence with concertina wire on top...but a *huge* gap in the fence directly adjacent to the gate.

Finally:

One of my former co-workers once told me someone broke into his unlocked car.

[Pavel314]

I've heard of neighbors who hide keys at each others' houses. If somebody is trying to break into House A and finds a hidden key, it doesn't work because that key is for House B, across the street.

Has anyone used one of those keypad front door locks?

Paul

[Moe DeLoughan]

I'd bet most burglars are small-time crooks looking for stuff to hock to get money for drugs. Criminal amateurs or close to it, and for those, kicking in the door is probably the simplest approach most of the time. If there's a key cleverly hidden, they won't have the time or the smarts to figure it out.

[Stormin Mormon]

Is the house key on the dog's collar?

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[Ed Pawlowski]

Someone "entered" my unlocked car. Two different occasions. The first time I lost a can of oil in the back seat. Other card near me that were locked had broken windows, scratches, similar damage. I had none.

The second time the thief opened the glove box and pulled out some stuff and left it on the floor. I do keep valuables in there, such as a pencil and an old screwdriver.

IMO, keep the valuables out of the car and leave it unlocked. The pro will steal it no matter what protection you think you have and the amateur will cause damage if locked.

[Tony Hwang]

Why have hidden key. For what purpose? I don't.

[Tony Hwang]

I don't have hidden key. But as far as I know the harder you hide the easier to find it.

[Tony Hwang]

Inside the bounds of ..... I think not. That is not free range. Our dog just roams our yards. No invisible bound.

[gfretwell]

I have had a simplex on my frond door since 1971. Our daughter didn't carry a door key until she went to college. I do have a key for another door stashed where it is unlikely to be found but we have never needed it

[gfretwell]

We had a car hopper here and I trapped him. I took a picture of a $2 bill and left it in the console. When it was stolen I gave the cops the picture and sent then to the shop and rob at the end of the street. The bill was under the cash drawer and they remembered who gave it to them. Once the cops knew who they were looking for, they caught him for a whole string of burglaries.

[Frank]

Women are the easiest target of car thieves.

They get out of the car, open the trunk and put their purse in it, then lock up.

Thief will break into car even if alarmed and be gone with purse before help arrives.

[Mark Lloyd]

Never use a place you heard about somewhere, especially in public. Never use an item sold for the purpose of hiding keys.

[Ed Pawlowski]

A few time I've gone out, shut and locked the door and realized I did not pick up my keys. With a hidden key, easy to get back in. Or if you lose your keys, or have your pocketbook stolen, etc.

In my case, the spare key is locked with a code that only I know, not in an obvious place.

[philo]

Clever idea, the $2 bill

[Cindy Hamilton]

All women? Really?

That'd be a good trick in my SUV. If I'm going to leave my purse in the car (it's mainly luggage for my tablet), I tuck it underneath something--the seat, a grocery bag, etc. Generally when I'm setting out for my destination, rather than when I arrive. Cindy Hamilton