I live in the typical 75' x 130' lot middle class suburbia neighborhood, 12 years old. Some retirees, some parents raising families (like us), some newlyweds. Houses set 25-30 ft in between. 1800-4000 sq ft houses (most in the 2200 sq ft range). Alley down the middle behind all the houses. Rear garage, short rear entrance garage/driveway. Fence covers all the backyard, but doesn't cover the driveway (meaning we park next to the fence). One neighbor driveway directly behind mine, one next to mine (same distance as between houses). We all have motion detector flood lights aimed so that when someone comes in our driveways, lights come on, but not necessarily as someone drives down the alley.
My pickup has been broken into 4 times in the last year, and, I'm tired of replacing the door locks. Twice they've also gotten into another vehicle (wife's). They've never gotten anything, save for a pair of sunglasses and an air mattress (!). We don't leave anything of value in the vehicles, in fact about the only thing you'll see when looking in is a stock vehicle with maybe a couple of empty water bottles (there's not even paperwork with our name/address in the vehicles).
Every time it happens, it's like they break in just cause they can, and just to look. We find the glove box open, the door is usually still open, and the light on. It's getting to feel like we're on their quarterly route or something.....and they're letting us know they were back.
Every time, I call the police. But they don't visit, as nothing is stolen. I see patrol cars for a few days. Lather, rinse, repeat 2-3 months later.
Short of either changing vehicles, moving, adding to the fence and gating in the rear (none of which I can afford), what would you do in this situation? I've read the Texas laws with regards to home 'castle' doctrine. I'm not opposed to force (and we will use it if they come in the house), but I have close proximity houses with kids (including my own) if I'm protecting property in my driveway.
Ideas?
My pickup has been broken into 4 times in the last year, and, I'm tired of replacing the door locks. Twice they've also gotten into another vehicle (wife's). They've never gotten anything, save for a pair of sunglasses and an air mattress (!). We don't leave anything of value in the vehicles, in fact about the only thing you'll see when looking in is a stock vehicle with maybe a couple of empty water bottles (there's not even paperwork with our name/address in the vehicles).
Every time it happens, it's like they break in just cause they can, and just to look. We find the glove box open, the door is usually still open, and the light on. It's getting to feel like we're on their quarterly route or something.....and they're letting us know they were back.
Every time, I call the police. But they don't visit, as nothing is stolen. I see patrol cars for a few days. Lather, rinse, repeat 2-3 months later.
Short of either changing vehicles, moving, adding to the fence and gating in the rear (none of which I can afford), what would you do in this situation? I've read the Texas laws with regards to home 'castle' doctrine. I'm not opposed to force (and we will use it if they come in the house), but I have close proximity houses with kids (including my own) if I'm protecting property in my driveway.
Ideas?
