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People who've had their apartment broken into... — Brooklynian

People who've had their apartment broken into...

carmen
carmen
edited November -1 in The Lounge / Random Stuff

Subject: People who've had their apartment broken into...

What were the circumstances surrounding the break-in? I'm moving into a studio apartment which will be my first place on my own in the city and it seems pretty hard to get into (2 stories off the ground, no fire escape, double locked doors to the building plus an auto locking inside door,) but I'd be interested to hear people's stories about when they've been robbed or vandalized. I always pick up new safety tips in those types of threads...

and yes, I'm getting renters insurance!

Comments

  • filmlover44
    filmlover44
    Sounds safe. The usual entry point is the fire escape.
  • carmen
    carmen
    do people generally enter and exit through the fire escape? It sounds ballsy to try to carry a tv or something down one of those things
  • stacey
    stacey
    Carmen wrote: do people generally enter and exit through the fire escape? It sounds ballsy to try to carry a tv or something down one of those things
    Just be aware that the one time you leave something unlocked or open in the time you get robbed. It happened to me last month - through my window, stole all my sons' electronics, all my jewelry, laptop, camera and phone (all of which fit inside a backpack). They got in through my 2nd floor window, popped open the screen, pulled up the window (which was open only an inch) and climbed in. I kind of wish they stole my tv - instead they took my jewelry which had so much sentimental value that it can never be replaced.

    Make sure you get renter's insurance, and keep your fire escape windows locked when you are not home or home alone.
  • carnivore
    carnivore
    Better yet, get bars on your windows and FDNY-approved gates on any potential fire emergency exits. Check with your landlord first to see if s/he will pay for it, or at least split the cost with you. Get a high-security lock like a Mul-T-Lok for at least one of the locks on your door(s), and a j-bar to prevent a crowbar attack on the door.
    And most important, renter's insurance. If you have bars, an alarm or other "security devices" make sure to let them know when you get the insurance, because you get a discount for that. Once you have insurance, keep receipts for anything valuable that you own and make sure high-ticket items like computers, stereos and jewelry are covered.
  • ridonkulous
    ridonkulous
    If you have an a/c, make sure you bolt the top half of the window so that it can't be pulled down (even if the space is only like 1 foot tall). We had someone climb down from the roof on the fire escape to our 3rd floor unit, jump sideways, hoist themselves above the a/c, and slide in backwards on their butt. Could actually see the footprint! Once inside they were able to open up a window from within and just carry stuff up the fire escape.

    They got about $5000 worth of electronics and jewelry while we were out to dinner one night. Impressive! Renter's insurance was amazing, and a 911 call resulted in local cops, a forensics team, and detectives.

    Unfortunately State Farm dropped us b/c the break-in happened only a month after we bought our policy (we got it when we moved in). That sucked. We switched to USAA, who didn't even raise our rates.
  • filmlover44
    filmlover44
    Carmen wrote: do people generally enter and exit through the fire escape? It sounds ballsy to try to carry a tv or something down one of those things
    Seems like they go for the top floor so I suspect that roof-tops are involved.
  • filmlover44
    filmlover44
    stacey wrote: Just be aware that the one time you leave something unlocked or open in the time you get robbed. .
    I left my fire escape gate unlocked once, went downstairs and when I came back up about half an hour later my stereo was gone. Take note Carmen, this was during the days that I worked at home.
  • whatchuwant
    whatchuwant
    I'm curious Carmen- you'll be on the 2nd floor and there's no fire escape?? Isn't that illegal or something, people?

    I live on the 2nd floor and I have 2, so I'm just wondering....
  • carmen
    carmen
    Whatchuwant wrote: I'm curious Carmen- you'll be on the 2nd floor and there's no fire escape?? Isn't that illegal or something, people?

    I live on the 2nd floor and I have 2, so I'm just wondering....
    Its actually technically the first floor, but we have a garden below us and in the back where the windows are its about 2 stories up (the whole garden plus about a half a story where the stairs are.) In the front it's half a story off the ground, in the back its higher because the backyard is much lower than the front.

    I hope that makes sense!
  • whatchuwant
    whatchuwant
    Ok- that's what I thought it might be...so you got a brownstone? Nice. Good for you- when's the housewarming party?
  • carmen
    carmen
    Whatchuwant wrote: Ok- that's what I thought it might be...so you got a brownstone? Nice. Good for you- when's the housewarming party?
    Its actually not a brownstone! Its a regular building (set beside all the brownstones) I was hoping it would be one but now I'm actually pretty excited that its not- I lived in a brownstone on lincoln years back and had to move into/out of the 3rd floor walkup...those brownstone stairs are TINY and narrow! This will be a way more pleasant move for sure!

    Housewarming will be soon- I have literally no furniture to even sit on so i've got to get some folding chairs or something! Cheese! Wine! Gifts! ;)
  • whatchuwant
    whatchuwant
    Sigh..I miss my brownstone years. I loved the curvy, lop-sided stairs and the quiet gardens in the back. But more than that, I miss high ceilings...

    Congrats on the new place!
  • doctorj
    doctorj

    Subject: Re: People who've had their apartment broken into...

    Carmen wrote: What were the circumstances surrounding the break-in?
    Well, the time our apartment was broken into, it was our super who did it, through the front door. You see, I wasn't available, and my wife had been out with the baby that afternoon, and had decided that her keys were a great toy and that the baby should look after them...
  • lydiabrunch
    lydiabrunch
    Carmen wrote: do people generally enter and exit through the fire escape? It sounds ballsy to try to carry a tv or something down one of those things
    Once they get in through the fire escape window, they can just leave through your front door. That's what my burglar did.

    Ditto everything Carnivore said about bars/locks/renter's insurance. Be aware, though, that landlords are not generally *required* to put bars on the windows if you're not on the ground floor. But it can't hurt to ask.
  • livetotravel
    livetotravel
    When I lived in the East Village, apartments in my building were robbed due to access from the roof - a couple of times through the roof access door, and another by repelling down from the top and entering through an unlocked window.

    You can tell the landlord that your "3 month-old niece" will be with you often and you need child proof bars on your window.
  • doctorj
    doctorj
    Livetotravel wrote:
    You can tell the landlord that your "3 month-old niece" will be with you often and you need child proof bars on your window.
    You'd need to convince the landlord the child was in danger of getting pushed. 3 month olds don't climb / crawl / walk / jump / roll. Maybe squirm a little.
  • armchair_warrior
    armchair_warrior
    i had my apartment broken into along time ago, when i didn't lock my metal bars in the window. they walk out by the front doors. they climb in from the fire escape.
  • flux
    flux
    do yourself a big favor and get renters insurance. It is cheep and will save you a world of pain if your place gets broken into. I got robbed twice at my condo. They will pay for everything that was lost minus the deductible
  • livetotravel
    livetotravel
    Just remember re renter's insurance - if you have valuable jewelry or art or anything out of the ordinary that the basic policy won't cover - you will need "riders" to the basic policy that will increase the cost - but it's still worth it.
  • eat_snacky_smores
    eat_snacky_smores
    Carnivore wrote: . Once you have insurance, keep receipts for anything valuable that you own and make sure high-ticket items like computers, stereos and jewelry are covered.
    I don't know if/how Renter's Insurance differs from Homeowner's Insurance, but while living in Yonkers, I was robbed my my shady con-artist room mate. Stole my other roomie's 2 laptops, plasma tv and my laptop and flute that my deceased father bought me. Like most of us, I can't just go out and buy these things back.

    Fortunately, as a student/dependent, I was under my mom's homeowners and we had specifically itemized the laptop. Although it depreciated from 18k to 13k, I was granted a check (no deductible needed) that bought me my current laptop.

    As for the flute? Well, it was just "personal property"-we never had it listed...so I would have had to pay the $500 deductible and a new run o the mill flute is like 600...Had I known better, we'd have itemized it and I would have had a check for $600. Thank god I'm not a concert flautist. Though if I were, it likely would have been insured properly and I'd have more $$ for it anyway.

    Stay safe! Stay smart!


    Edit: I think maybe thats what the "riders" are then?
  • whatchuwant
    whatchuwant
    ummm, you had an $18,000 computer???
  • eat_snacky_smores
    eat_snacky_smores
    Haha woops that was 1,800 and 1,300.

    I wish I had 18,000 anything :-)
  • vidro3
    vidro3
    FWIW other tenants in my building have been locked out and have climbed up the fire escapes to get into their apartment. sometimes during the day, at least twice at ~2am. No passersby or neighbors thought to call the cops either time. that makes me feel great.
  • lydiabrunch
    lydiabrunch
    Livetotravel wrote: When I lived in the East Village, apartments in my building were robbed due to access from the roof - a couple of times through the roof access door, and another by repelling down from the top and entering through an unlocked window.

    You can tell the landlord that your "3 month-old niece" will be with you often and you need child proof bars on your window.
    Yes, but it's illegal to put those bars on fire escape windows, so you still end up with an issue there.
  • carnivore
    carnivore
    LydiaBrunch wrote: [quote=Livetotravel]When I lived in the East Village, apartments in my building were robbed due to access from the roof - a couple of times through the roof access door, and another by repelling down from the top and entering through an unlocked window.

    You can tell the landlord that your "3 month-old niece" will be with you often and you need child proof bars on your window.
    Yes, but it's illegal to put those bars on fire escape windows, so you still end up with an issue there.
    FDNY-approved gates are equally secure and can be opened to allow access to the fire escape in an emergency.
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