Im in precinct 5. My house was broken in yesterday midnight. 3 robbers believed to be the construction workers tied up my father and 2 nieces and took all the cash and valuables. It was such a traumatized experience when i have just moved in less than a week after renovation and installation of grille. together with the other two, my house is the third case in a month. I wonder if there is anything we can do about it.
Hi terence, so sorry to hear about this. Police report and getting the developer involved (i saw you did with committee already)
The only silver lining is no one got hurt. Crime will happen everywhere so best way is to do the best you can and yield where one has no choice.
Electric fences, passive obstacles are good to slow them down, counter surveillance may be required for areas where cars containing safe looking groups
like folks with children and women should also be checked on. CCTV, IR sensors on the fence as well as floodlights that are activated via motion sensors may also help. There are even floodlights with solar power that are useful, can be used for temporary breaches and quick to install and deploy. One should always keep things in perspective, if its too dangerous and no one else bothers, then i would move.
There was an old case where 3 Indonesian workers were detected by a vigilant homeowner who were observed to be illegally staying at an unfinished house that they were working on. Different groups of guards were contacted, activated and rushed the place. It may sometimes be useful to ask politely if maids in neighbouring houses has seen anyone suspicious lurking around. Things may have been easily turned out otherwise if no one gave a thought to their own safety as well as that of their neighbours.
No one and no place is free of crime no matter how much news of it is suppressed. Not publishing it doesn't mean it didn't happen.
Good to have a panic room where it could be somewhere easily acessible in times of emergency and can be secured from the inside.
I would humbly recommend to have a place like that in any country that one goes to.
Even in a HDB with an air raid shelter or store room, setting up such that the main door handle is removable in an emergency (make it child proof though) so that you can remove the handle, run inside and have a small phone cabled up inside to call for help if required(some newer HDB has phone jacks inside).
A personal alarm or an air horn worked by a manual hand pump is also useful if has it to call for help pointing at the air vents. In indoors, long weapons like parangs/swords are at a disadvantage, shorter weapns have their advantage here, even telescopic batons (make sure solid type).
As always fight only if violence cannot be prevented/life is being threatened and yield when its only money at stake. Money can be made back tomorrow by you are no replaceable. Even if one has overwhelming advantage in terms of gear, always advocate peace first and a fierce decisive offence if there is really no other way/self defence.
Barbed or concertina wire (450-750mm) are good for securing outer fences or on top of existing anti-climb fences and areas where no one should be near are pretty useful and can be quickly deployed in areas where construction may temporarily compromise the security of an area. Securing an areas doesn't have to be expensive at all.
Fencing:
http://panpages.my/listings/my223956-kimmu-trading-sdn-bhd
Easy to install alarms:
http://www.groupon.my/deals/national-deal/rainbow-collection/716324663
Light sensors (for indoor/staircases) or for back gate areas where there is shelter for such lights (can buy them at selfix/home fix)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Philips-SpotOn-Motion-Sensor-One-Pack/dp/B000PVX678
Cheaper alternatives to secure windows are in Daiso where they have stoppers for sliding windows as well as very affordable magnetic alarms which are useful for securing small areas quickly.
Happy Chinese New Year!
thanks to the committee....
