RobinSherwood

Hi everyone. This is not meant to be an alarmist thread, more of a 'heads up' kind of thing. As a) I maybe wasnt as careful as >I< should have been and b) it is not the sort of thing you expect in the sort of place I live.

I live in a rural South Northamptonshire village where people look out for each other. My house was broken into in the early hours of Sunday (Nov 14th) morning at about 2.30 am ish. They got in through a back kitchen window, which they opened using drills, the police say it was a professional job which is why they managed to get in without waking me up.

The police (and I) believe they were after my MY98 Wagon which was sitting in the drive, however they took the 'wrong' keys. They took my house keys which have a remote control key fob attached and the police believe they mistook them for car keys, this theory is validated as they armed my house alarm (which the key fob is for) whilst presumably pressing buttons trying to use it to open the Scooby. They had incidentally already cleared the ice off the Scooby's windsceen etc.,.. so there is little doubt of their intention.

They also took the keys to one of my classic cars, and although they will not know the model they will know the marque as it was on the key fob. I dont know whether I disturbed them when I woke up or whether they hadn't figured how to get it out of the secure garage, but it appears they went nowhere near the car itself. It does however leave the problem of sourcing a new lock set for a very rare 30+ year old car.

Now ok and this is where with hindsight I made a mistake, I left my house keys and the car keys on the kitchen table, where they could have been seen, especially as I left the lights on. It is something I will learn from and part of the reason for posting is to remind us all not to leave keys visible

For the record they also took my mobile and one of my watches from the room I was sleeping in at the time!

On a positive note at least I didn't wake up or who knows what might have happened. They didn't get away with either car and thank God as I had collected the classic from the specialist who looks after it for me on the Friday my WR1 was tucked up in the secure garage where I work in London. Maybe they may have been a little more keen to get that, had that been on the drive as well. (Incidentally even on the drive my cars cannot be seen from the road).

We are quick to criticise the police on Scoobynet, myself included sometimes, so therefore think it only fair to also add that they have taken the incident very seriously, they reacted quickly when I reported the break in, they did extensive forensics and carried out a house to house in the village to see if anyone saw or heard anything. So I think under the circumstances a thank you to the Northamptonshire Police is in order - lets just hope they catch the b@rst@rds.

Thanks for reading this rather long post, I hope it at least will stop someone else leaving their keys on show.

Kind regards,

Robin

Keigo

Wow. Sorry to hear that. At least you were OK, though. Hope those scums will get what's long overdue.

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

wow are you rowan atkinson? sounds like you have lots of toys?! what was the classic just as a matter of interest?

hope they catch the *******!!

jamo

RobinSherwood

Lol wish I had HIS cars! Well the MY98 is for sale, it was having it's engine rebuilt at Autosportif when the WR1 arrived so couldn't be part exchanged against it.

The classic in question is a Maserati Bora

Thanks for the comments

Robin

Andy Porter

Sorry to hear that Robin, my sister lives in Irthlingborough and if you fart loud enough there the law are round, lets hope its a 1 off eh

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Sorry to hear this Robin

billythekid

Bad news, but lucky they did not come and wake you up to start the car... been done before.

Beastie

iTrader: (2)

i think it was best they found the keys, things could have got nasty if they hadnt and were after the car(s). I would rather they found the keys than come and ask me whilst i am in my bed.
Sorry to hear that this happened, glad that you are ok

speedking

Did the police offer any security advice? I thought some time ago that their advice was to leave your keys in view so you didn't get woken up

Abdabz

Scary theyd go to such lengths if it was for a 98 scoob worth like 7k if that - if thats what they were mainly after!! Thats the eye opener for me!!
Glad you and your family (?) are OK and werent hurt and that both cars remain yours.
P

RobinSherwood

Well it does have PPP, P1 wheels, Sti rear spoilers, a/c, leather - but who knows whether they realised that.....

More likely if they had checked the house out before they were hoping to get the WR1 but an old Scooby is better than no Scooby. Police also said there is a gang that have been taking Scooby Wagons and using them to clear pubs out so that may have been it.

Police said it maybe wasn't the best leaving the keys where they could be seen from a window, but that it is probably wise to leave them somewhere obvious so if they do break in they don't have to come and ask you for them.

Thanks Sal and everyone else for your messages, much appreciated.

Robin

U WOT!

They would be styuck if they came asking me for my keys, little one keeps hiding them and i can never find them at the best of times.

Hope they catch the people cos sounds like they know what they are doing.

big_xavier

Robin sorry to hear that mate, but at least you are safe, This has happened to me, but they hooked the keys through the letter box and drove off with my new BMW, withpout the girlfriend and kids hearing. She phoned me in the morning (working in Germany at the time ) to say what have you done with the car ??? Err i am in a different country. It was found in london 6 months later being used on false plates.
I hate scum like this , I work 7 days a week and have 2 jobs, but these people would rather just take from people than get off there *****... rant over.