Skinny Robbers Sneaking Through Cat Flaps

[Tilly]

Skinny robbers sneaking through cat flaps

From: AAP June 01, 2010 3:46PM

SKINNY young burglars are breaking into Tasmanian homes through cat and dog flaps.

Glenorchy CIB inspector David Plumpton said criminals as young as 13 were getting into houses through open windows and doors and through dog and cat flaps, The Mercury reports.

"There has been a run of opportunistic theft where offenders will try to get into locked houses and then move on to places with easier access," he said.

"The smaller offenders are even managing to get in through cat and dog flaps.

"We have charged a number of juvenile offenders in recent weeks and we reiterate calls for residents to ensure doors and windows and other access points are secured when they go out or to bed."

The spate in the South follows a similar run of break-ins involving young offenders in Devonport in April.

Tasmania Police said 19 homes had been burgled in the Devonport area in a four-week period and the thieves, aged between 14 and 17, were after electronic games, wallets, cash and alcohol.

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[cannibalgoldfish]

If I was a thief, I certainly wouldn't be sticking my face through a dog door. What if the critter was on the other side waiting? Nice way to get a bite to the face

[Boronia]

If I was a thief, I certainly wouldn't be sticking my face through a dog door. What if the critter was on the other side waiting? Nice way to get a bite to the face

hahaha cannibalgoldfish, my lot would think someone was probably coming in to give them food and show them where the fridge is

[~Harminee~]

I can say without a doubt that if robbers broke in here that Lilly would ensure all her balls were safe.. she constantly has one close at hand...

And IF we had a catflap,, the cats are more likely to attack than the dogs

[WoofnHoof]

I reckon anyone sneaking through my dog door would get a fright because my sibe just lays on the ground watching he doesn't bark or carry on he just watches if you didn't know him it would be pretty scary being faced with such an intense wolfy stare

[GeckoTree]

Squeezing though a cat flap!?

LOL.

[koalathebear]

Eeek! We're just about to get dog door for Elbie - I wonder if we should reconsider

[Zerofallen]

Pretty big cat doors then, or very small people... The one we're getting is considered standard size and is 159x159mm and I have trouble imagining anyone over the age of 2 fitting through it.

[megan_]

I had a dog door for small dogs and was broken into twice. The police said that they can get through tiny ones. My dogs are good watch dogs too. I'll never have one again :-(

[Ons]

very very sadly it's young kids who are sent through the cat flaps to open doors for older brothers/sisters/friends

used to happen alot when I lived in Moree, NSW

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

One of my friends sent a freaked out email to his mum, who freaked out and called the police - who couldn't get him to answer the door, so the police woman went through his dog door. Friend spent three weeks in hospital.

So you never know who, besides the dogs, will use those things.

[sandgrubber]

Easy problem to prevent. Just put a short spike securely in the middle of the dog/cat door . . .on the bottom. It will go between the animal's legs, but make the entry intolerable to human intruders trying to slide through.

[GoldenGirl85]

Eeek! We're just about to get dog door for Elbie - I wonder if we should reconsider

My parents had one for their Cavs and my JRT, but I wont be getting a Lexi sized one, my parents used to have a locksmith and my dad would often have to change locks on breakins, the main form of entry was

a) cat flap or doggy door

b) people leaving their doors unlocked while they are home (which is why I always lock my doors regardless of whether or not Im home

c) kids were throwing a ball into a backyard and asking the owners to get it, they used this technique to see if the owners were home...because who can resist some little 8yo who wants his ball back. If this ever happens to me I get it the first time, but tell them if it comes over the fence again it will belong to the dogs

Doggy doors are ok if you will be home while its unlocked, but dont leave one that size unlocked while you arent home, he is better off staying in the yard

[Ravyk]

We have a dog door and it never really occurred to me someone could/would break into the house by going through it...until the day we locked the house and car keys inside and I had to squeeze through the dog door to retrieve the keys