In the first few hours of 2020, my cousin’s front door camera captured footage of some stranger attempting to infiltrate their home. They live on the first floor with a front door, a foyer, and the traditional steel door opening right out onto the street, so there is no security person or additional door to get past. Just the steel door and a regular door I’m not even sure they always lock.
Anyway, we’re all horrified, especially because they have young children. And it’s left me wondering just how common break-ins are here. They have a pretty nice car parked outside of the place, so an observant (or creepy) person can probably tell that they live comfortably. It makes me wonder if they were specifically targeted or if this person was just going around trying every door in the neighborhood. It’s also possible that he was drunk from NYE festivities and mistook it for his own home, but that seems unlikely.
The whole thing gives me the heebie jeebies, and my cousin is pretty traumatized. Does anyone know what the statistics are for break-ins in Taiwan? Have you or someone you know had this experience?
I am sorry to hear this. I take safety and low crime rates for granted in Taipei. I’m visiting Manila now and the topic came up just this week. Another visiting family here (based in Korea) asked me how comfortable I would be walking from a mall in Makati to an apartment building nearby, and I had to think about it, which prompted me to point out that I would not hesitate to answer if we were talking about Taipei instead.
Obviously, crime happens in Taipei, but my strong impression has always been that it is very rare by comparison. I have had my bike stolen not because it was parked unlocked on the street but because I carelessly kept it there unlocked every day for 3 weeks.
I hope your cousin can somehow make adjustments and feel secure again
This is definitely the most jolting thing about the whole situation. I’ve never felt unsafe in Taipei, so it’s a rude wake up call that things of this nature can and do still occur here.
It’s outside but it’s placed pretty discreetly under an awning. Maybe they should put a “smile you’re on camera” sign on the door…
I too had someone tried to break in when I was home, but it was in Italy where it’s common. Almost everyone I talked to seem to have it happen to them or know someone it happened to. My girls grandma was robbed 2 times and had all her silver and gold stolen. Her parents house also have had people tried to break in because they live in the country side in a small village. So they hire their own security.
It’s not a nice feeling for sure. I miss living in Texas. Never even bothered to lock the door.
It’s best to have the camera where it is obvious to see, houses without cameras are the first targets here. I doubt he knew they were comfortable probably just random opportunity from the thief’s point of view. However it’s possible he is familiar ,so perhaps now make the camera more obvious. House invasions do happen here some are violent. I presume you have the burglar bars on the windows. My mother in law got burgled, by two buglars going up to the roof then coming down through a top floor window. Luckily they got caught.
I’m thinking maybe they should print out the clearest shots of the guy and post it beside their door. That’s what I would do, as a sort of “I saw you try that shit” message. But I doubt my cousin will want the constant reminder of the event’s occurrence…
Back in the states my dad kept a handgun under the recliner by his side of the bed within arms reach. When he went out of town he had my mom and I use this bar thing that you jam under the front doorknob that prevents someone from opening the door even if they manage to unlock it. But he worked peripheral to law enforcement and knew too much about local crime, so I think he was a little paranoid.
Maybe my cousin can get one of the bar things for their door. That always made me feel safer when my dad was gone.
when i first came to Taiwan i often wondered if the fact there are so many barred windows is because there are many thieves trying to break in, or that actually it is a safe place because of the bars.
I don’t have any statistics, but break-ins are pretty common in Taiwan. Lots of people I know have been burgled, and so was I back when I was living in a rooftop apartment. Luckily, they just stole a half full bottle of whiskey and my passport but missed the money. I guess it was just an opportunistic crime, but there are also professional burglars who are very good at what they do.
