burglary

fernhill Image
03/23/2010 - 13:36

Can anyone advise me on whether it is saver to buy house at the end of a long track or very near a road, and security measures to take whilst property is empty. in Puglia please

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Personally I would go for close to the road, as all of the houses that have been broken into around us, the thieves have got in though an unoberserved window. I have always thought that if you make your house less attractive to break into than your neighbours, you are less lightly to have trouble. At the end of the day, if someone wants to break into your house they will, you have just got to point them somewhere else. I have bars on the windows that are the least safe, security lights and an alarm( A lot cheaper in UK). I have toyed with the idea of a big arrow saying "Try these ones instead", but I thought it may cause a little friction with my neighbours.   Mark

We are in a quiet street in a small village, with neighbours all in view. Last week 4 houses down our road were all burgaled in the early hours. We were all sleeping and they even came in our bedrooms and took stuff. Luckily nobody was hurt. All 4 houses had strong shutters and windows closed. In our house they unscrewed all the main door locks to enter. In the other 3 they used a hand drill to lever the shutters,drilled a hole in the window frame and undid the window from outside. We all lost jewellery and cash and stuff they didnt want was strewn in the garden. This is a quiet village with no crime at all for over 10 years. So really it doesnt seem to matter if you are secluded or in a street,if they decide to choose your house. People in the village are now getting alarms and bars. But to be honest,if an alarm went off at 3am woud you go to investigate it to help? I think the idea of having an alarm and bars and good locks is sensible,so that the would be burglars choose somebody else. But dont rely on neighbours running to help at 3am!! Just try to deter the burglars somehow.  

I'd choose a place that is not on a main/busy road, that has neighbours nearby, preferably in sight of the house.  Put bars on windows [ground floor at least] and fit a burglar alarm [from UK] - and a good set of doors and locks.  

The law here regarding firearms is that you must have a license for them. Join a gun club and it will all be explained to you. If you are just thinking of shooting any burglar that comes to your house, remember that they and their families have a great deal more firepower available than you could ever imagine - so don't think it. Seriously, you need a vigilanza service local to where you live - a good Italian one with local recommendations. You can usually rent a complete burglar alarm system from them as well as having some local protection. Back that up with substantial bars or steel shutters on doors and windows and you will be fine.

With all due respect, as an American, I am able to keep an arsenal in my home in the US that would supply a small European country's army.  I'm sure I could not transport it to Italy, but I have no doubt that I wouldn't need to.  I was just inquiring whether a non-resident could legally possess a firearm in Italy.

With all due respect back atcha, rcorea, I simply told you how it is here. Perhaps you should reconsider your views of Europe as a small place in your gun-toting back yard? Putting it very simply for you again, guns are not allowed here without a license. Even as a yank, you have to have a license here. But, please, have a go at bringing your arsenal with you here. It would be interesting to read about your attempt in the newspapers of the world, assuming the Homeland Security people there don't use their even larger arsenal of weapons to terminate you first. :D