We’ve a neighbour that moved in two houes up from us about 2 and a half years ago. They’re a lovely very laid back couple and we get on very well with them.

When they bought the house and moved in they did a ton of work to the house, well over 12 months of refurbishment and updating. They also had a ton of different trades people sourced from gumtree and some recommendations from friends to do the work for them.

Towards the end of last year the last big job they had done was a large glass double back door and large sliding glass door to the side of the house. I think there was some “to-do” with this last fitter/trades person and he left before finishing the job completely. Someone else came and completed the job.

A few weeks later when it was all done they were away for a weekend and their direct neighbour (4 doors up from us) noticed someone at this side window trying to get in. They scared them off. The back door, window and side door had all been attempted with what looks like a crowbar from the marks on the aluminium framework.

This weekend (they were away again) someone broke into their shed and stole his two bikes!

I haven’t checked with all the other neighbours since yesterday, but I don’t think they’ve had any trouble for many years. We certainly haven’t in the 5.5 years we’ve lived here.

Targeted or just really, really unlucky?

Hard to tell really. I’m always very wary and keep our bikes and bike paraphernalia hidden if our landlord has tradespeople round though. Loose lips in the pub and all that.

I’m not sure why you think it could be the tradespeople….maybe they just tell everyone on FB that they’re off for the weekend, and the info ends up in the wrong hands?

If it was the tradesfolk you’d assume they’d be a bit better at getting into the house….. unless they really were shit

Maybe all the work they’ve had done gives the impression to the casual miscreant that they have loads of money and, as a consequence, loads of expensive stuff to nick?

If it was the tradesfolk you’d assume they’d be a bit better at getting into the house….. unless they really were shit

That was my first thought too.

Unless the householders had a big wall planner in the house with all their hols marked on it I’m not sure how any trades-folks would be able to know when to expect the house to be empty.

If the break-ins were ‘targeted’ they would have been targeted by someone who saw them leaving. To an opportunist its not much use knowing a house is empty as you don’t know how long it will be empty for – the owner might be back in two weeks or two minutes. But if you see them leaving thats a different matter.

If it was the tradesfolk you’d assume they’d be a bit better at getting into the house….. unless they really were shit

Yep, pretty easy to open (force) patio doors etc if you know how they work….

When my bikes went missing, the house was most probably targeted as they also did 2 other garages with bikes in, in our road, the same night.Pretty unsettling business .