Bad Neighbors

I agree do a background check on both neighbors.

Someone can enter a door without forced entry, by ordering bump keys on the internet,

Buy a bump proof lock. These can be locks with a key, which are usually expensive about 200-300. You can also get locks that you punch a code into that has no key.

I tried to find these locks at wal-mart, lowes, ace and home depot. You either have to go to a locksmith or order online. Amazon is a good place to look. If a lock has it where you put a code in plus a key, that is useless. Get one with no key.

It might not be the neighbor. Have you had repair men or sales people in your home in the last year? Does your wife go to a gym or some place that a man could of followed her home?

Did you make the wrong person angry?

The locks that you put on your fence are there screws or bolts that could be loosened from the outside?

Try this.

Have your wife stay at home with the alarm on and a shotfun fully loaded with her in a corner.

You drive off and make sure you aren't followed. Drive the car far enough from home that someone couldn't see you get out.

Go around to your neighbors house that is behind your home, walk through his yard and jump over your own fence, then go inside your home and wait. Before you do this throw a ball or something into your neighbors back yard. If your neighbor insists on getting the ball himself, then you'll have to think of something to convince him or try another tactic.

If you have a garage that you can drive your car into, have someone hide undera black blanket and then once you get in the garage have that person get out and stay with your wife. The after a few hours drive somewhere.

Do you have any vacant homes near you? The criminal could be in that vacant home spying on you.

When these false alarms occured were you out of town, at work or what? Who in your circle would know that you were away or at work?

This was no false alarm, someone used a bump key or another lock picking device to open that door and when the alarm went off they ran.

If your dogs become sick, that means they might of been posioned.

A criminal will often feed a dog meat to befriend them. See if there is training to prevent a dog from doing this.

Also, hidden video cameras are best. If you see light bulbs around the perimeter of your home that go off and you are able to twist them to make them work again, it means the criminal twisted them to turn them off.

BTK (Dennis Rader) , a serial killer, worked for a home security company installing alarm systems, etc. What does that suggest to you ?

Steel door ? Hummmm. I might electrify that sucker, if it's legal to do there. Best advice, 2 things : 1) video camera and recorder... with date/time stamp on the recordings. 2) alarms that will send a message to your cell phone.
Also ... a motion alarm above that door...... to let them know ... it's there. I have 2 alarms that have a 135 dlb horns that would wake up at least 1/2 of the small town I live in. That's not all I have, that's only if someone makes it inside. Even motion lights can be hooked into an alarm .... to sound off..... outside. The reaons I mention these is, because they will get someones attention who are also more than likely to look and may see who it was that was no your property.... and the camera / video will help prove it to the police. Along with a witness saying that's when the alarm went off.... they'ld have some explainin to do. A 'game camera' strategically located will work as well.

If someone is hunting you or your wife. I would design the security around your home to catch them, not scare them away. If this is a truly evil person, they aren't going to stop. If they figure out that can't get you while you are at home, they might follow you to a restuarant or store and wait for you to go to the restroom and attack you there.

They might wait for you in a parking lot for you to open the drivers side door and then open your passenger side door. There are several tactics they could use. Be aware of the cars in your neighborhood. Drive around your block at versus times and look at different vehicles, pay attention for anything out of place and write down license plate numbers if a car isn't common for your area.

Here is a trick.

Certain types of cars attract certain types of people to buy them. Know what these cars are.

Profiling can save your life or prevent an assault.

Has something happened to make you suspect the neighbor? You keep saying you have reasonable suspicion, but nothing is ever out of place? Seems like you're leaving out something, especially since you mentioned a panty thief.

Put up a clothesline with some sexy things and a hidden camera?

Do you have basement widows? When we were broken into the thief left a rarely (never?) used window unlocked so that he could get back in. I found it after checking for just such a thing.

Also, are you missing any keys? Where are your spares? Are they all accounted for or are you a key ring short?

Claymores,if he breaches you will find evidence.....everywhere

Just ask Sixto (moderator here) about the bad Hilljack neighbours that he has. :gah:

Every "hood" has bad elements, the country is spiraling downward with the abuse of drugs and that fuels the need to break into homes looking for drugs or things to steal to get money to purchase more.

Get a good home camera security system. The other "alarm" systems are ok but with camera's you will know the low life slug who has invaded your castle. The Cop who investigated my burglary said it was the best way to find the dirtbag who is going to come into your home no matter what you put into place.

Were there locked deadbolts on both of the doors that were used to gain entry?

If not, the problem may be related to your house foundation shifting. We were having similar problems at my place of business: random after-hours door alarms and open doors, yet nothing was ever stolen, nothing out of place, no forced entry, nothing. We ultimately determined the problem to be slightly misaligned doors caused by a shifting foundation. This was causing the latch on certain doors not to fully engage when the door was closed and locked in the evening. Weather systems and positive air pressure inside the building would cause the door to pop open, or shift just enough that the door sensors would lose contact. Finally figured out the problem when an employee complained that door in his area wouldn't stay closed and was letting too much cold air in. :smile:Ended up having to realign several doors to get the latch to fully (not just partially) engage. Also had to install sensors that won't lose contact until they're more than 2" apart, so that shifts of a fraction of an inch wouldn't result in false alarms.

Also, many home security companies now offer I-phone compatible motion-detecting cameras. When the camera detects motion, it will send a real-time alert to your I-phone and you can view live footage to see if the police should be called, or if it's a false alarm. The cameras are set to avoid false alarms from pets (I was told they would only activate if the moving object was at least 4' tall.) The cost wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, and the camera footage quality was surprisingly good. Just something else to consider.

Since it seems it's always a door being opened, try the katy-bar on all doors, and the high security bump proof lock with deadbolt, as mentioned above, on the door you use when leaving.

door security secure door door lock security systems

I would lean more towards equipment failure than a retired person doing break ins with the guy next door.
Some alarms can be set off with garage door openers, or loud motorcycle exhaust noise. If a window is loose, the rattle in a wind can set off the sound sensor that listens for breaking glass. A motion sensor can go off when the furnace in your house starts up and blows hot air across the room. A pet can set off a motion sensor as well.