[Dottore]

Happened twice to us.

Here's what I've learned.

1. Light is the one thing these guys don't like. Install motion detectors with floodlights in places high enough that they cannot be reached.

2. Get serious steel doors in steel frames. The frames are important. A steel door in a wood frame is useless.

3. ADT is useless. If someone cuts your telephone line your alarm is useless. If you have a cellular backup, and someone gets to your main panel your alarm is useless. In any case the bad guys will get all they really want in less time than it takes for anyone to get there.

4. Surveillance cameras? These guys are all wearing hoodies etc - and even if you could recognize them it really doesn't help you to know what the perps look like. It is probably more frustrating than anything else.

5. If you have serious valuables and they're small - keep them at the bank. If they're big consider putting a secure room in your house.

6. Gates and a big spikey fence are a deterrent. These guys generally choose houses from which they can make a hasty exit with the loot. The harder it is for them to leave quickly the better.