One home safety rule is to never clip your car door opener inside your car (on the visor). I kept mine in the car for many years but I smartened up; it made sense to carry it in my purse. Until I smartened up again.
The problem lies with my purse. One in particular, a soft shelled one, is a problem because at any time it can be bumped (with books, grocery bags, my coffee mug), and the garage door becomes activated after I’m inside the house and I’m none-the-wiser for what just happened. Danger.
Last night, our garage was pilfered. It’s my fault. I’d been out and had returned home around 10:30 PM with no idea I’d opened up the floodgates of temptation to any passerby.
The next morning, my daughter advised me the garage door was wide open when my son-in-law left for work. She also thought she heard something but figured it was one of the girls moving around (in bed). Thank goodness she didn’t investigate. The laundry-room door, which opens to the garage, had been tampered with.
A case of beer went missing as well as some restaurant equipment (my son-on-law works for the restaurant supply business).
I felt exposed, afraid and creeped me out.
This is not my house
In addition, I had an appointment in that afternoon. I couldn’t get my car out of the garage. It was locked somehow, even my remote didn’t work. I tried to contact my son-in-law on his cell phone and ordinarily I would have been able to get through. Just my luck he was off-line, busy training new employees.
I was stuck at home and forced to cancel my appointment. ‘ve never felt so helpless. I apologized for the accidental door opening. It’s unfortunate I was locked in but who thinks of everything when you’re worried about your family? I do not carry my remote in my purse anymore.
If you park your car outside your house, never leave the remote inside. If your car gets broken into, your house is an oyster ready for plucking. Think about it.
Summer weather is coming. While entertaining in the backyard, make sure your front door and your garage doors are locked.
How the Cookie Crumbles 
May 1, 2012 at 11:44 pm
Oh heck . . . now I will be awake all night worried about you!
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May 1, 2012 at 11:47 pm
Oh, I’m fine now that my remote is no longer in A purse. I’m not taking that chance again. I only check that the garage door is locked before I go to bed. I know you’re kidding. Night, night, Robin. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 12:06 am
Kidding? No! I am not kidding about being worried.
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May 2, 2012 at 12:28 am
It constantly disappoints me that human beings behave so badly against each other. Good advice about the door opener but these devices are not so common in the UK and not many people put their cars in the garage anyway!
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May 2, 2012 at 11:46 pm
That’s interesting about the UK and cars not in garages. Yes, indeed, people are always ready to take what isn’t theirs. Thank goodness it was just STUFF. Thanks for coming by, Andrew. Appreciate your thoughts. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 1:33 am
I have been known to be several blocks away from home, and suddenly the question pops into my head “did I remember to push the button to close the garage door?” … can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to turn around and go check, just to be sure.
Sorry some good-for-nothing took advantage of your fumble, and even sorrier for how it makes you feel exposed and vulnerable. It is never a pleasant thing when our safety or personal space feels violated. It didn’t help to add insult to injury that you were unable to get the door open the next day and had to cancel your appointment.
I don’t know about your garage door opener, but mine has a big red handle that hangs down close to the ceiling right next to the door. It is there in case the electricity ever goes out and I need to get the car out of the garage anyway. If I pull down on the red handle, it disengages the locking mechanism that connects it to the track, which means I can raise or lower the garage door manually (without using the clicker).
I’ve only had to use it once, but sure enough, when I pulled the red handle, I heard a big clicking sound, and then I was able to push the door up by hand. The next person reading this will probably get a good laugh out of this, but once I manually raised the garage door, and then pulled my car out, of course I automatically reached for the clicker and pushed the button several times, and sat there staring at the door, wondering why it wouldn’t close. Yep. Finally it dawned on me that I had just disengaged the automatic opener, and I was going to have to get out of the car and manually shut the door.
Then, of course, it dawned on me that I didn’t know how to lock the garage door from the outside. I ended up turning my car off, unlocking the front door, walking through the house to the garage, locking the garage door from inside the garage, and then going back out the front door so I could get in my car and finally drive away. Who knew getting your vehicle out of the garage could be so complicated? I have to laugh at how we’ve become so reliant on our electronic devices. As electronic devices go, I’d have to say my garage door opener is one of my favorites. Absolutely.
Sorry for rambling. It’s funny … I’ve got tons of stuff to write about right now, but can’t seem to write a single word on my blog. It’s much easier visiting your neighborhood, than trying to be in mine. Just wish I could have been on neighborhood watch last night to catch that intruder in the act. Grrrphphph.
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May 3, 2012 at 3:11 pm
NICE to hear from you ’99’. I didn’t KNOW about the red handle till later that evening when my son-in-law got home. Still, I would have been worried about closing the door once the red handle did the job. I guess I could have tried, had I know I could, going back into the house like you did. Oh well, now I’ve learned something new after walking on eggs shells for a few days. Since taking the remote out of my purse, I’m feeling more secure again and the storm has blown over as far as my daughter and her hubby are concerned. Thanks for dropping by. Hope you’re having a GOOD day today. Tess
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May 3, 2012 at 3:27 pm
How sad that we (who have lived all these years) still have to walk on egg shells (which crunch under our feet). Mistakes happen, and obviously it was not intentional, and it made you every bit as uncomfortable as them. Then you get the added bonus of feeling like a black mark has appeared next to your name. Sorry for the egg shells. No fun.
Yes, I’m having a GOOD day, and I hope you are, too. I’m off to do errands that I don’t want to do, and throw in a fun trip to the Social Security office to do another round of paperwork, but hey, the sun is shining, and at least I’m not walking on egg shells. 🙂
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May 2, 2012 at 4:26 am
Make a point to check all doors and other openings before settling down. Will become habitual eventually
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May 6, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Thanks, Roly. I guess I’m getting on and should revert to checking all the doors and windows before turning in like when I was younger. Good habit anyway. Thanks for contributing that.
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May 2, 2012 at 6:05 am
Glad you’re okay. Yes, I had learned about not leaving the remote in the car from, of all things, a TV show! I’m usually of the mind, ‘it can’t happen to me’, but am very careful about where I keep it. We can all learn something. Go for you for alerting folks.
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May 2, 2012 at 11:45 pm
Thank, Laurie. Figure it doesn’t cost anything to share a good tip when any of us can. It was a rude awakening but we are smarter for it now. Thanks for commenting. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 6:44 am
So sorry this happened Tess. So glad you and the family were safely behind locked doors and it was only the garage exposed, all told a cheap lesson learned.
Right now my garage is so full my car is outside. We haven’t bothered to put garage door openers in, it is all manual for us still. Perhaps I should be happy for this.
My husband is completely safety conscious, he wanders the house before bed and checks all the doors and windows. I guess I should be glad for this.
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May 2, 2012 at 11:43 pm
I’m the only one in the house with a remote. I EARNED it because I don’t want to do all the heavy lifting (the garage door) anymore. It’s true I’m spoiled because when I’m inside, I click the garage door closed and go inside. Last house I had my garage didn’t have an entrance into the house although it was attached. Yes, I’m thankful everyboy was safe. We are all going to be on our toes more from now on. Thanks for coming by, Valentine. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 7:13 am
And here I thought such things only happen here in my neck of the woods!!
As for home security at my house, I don’t even have a full garage, let alone electric doors!
Sorry you had to deal with this Tess – it’s such an invasion of privicy, more than the stuff that was stolen. makes you feel kind of, well, invaded for lack of a better word.
Schoolmoney. Lessons learnt…
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May 2, 2012 at 7:58 am
Thanks, Ghia. Such an invasion sure makes you feel naked and exposed. Until the remote situation got straightened out, we were all nervous as cats on a hot tin roof (sorry for the cliche but it fits). Dumb luck but now I’m on my toes. Silly, but we all thing, oh no, not in my neighbourhood. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 7:47 am
Being robbed is such a feeling of being violated. I’m glad your family is safe. Luckily ours is behind the house so I look at the garage doors often. Once in Charleston when our garage door was left open a policeman knocked on the door to tell us. I was so thankful he did.
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May 2, 2012 at 11:38 pm
I applaud that lovely policeman for knocking on your door. There ARE lovely people out there even if they are not policemen.
Thanks for sharing, Mary Louise.
Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 8:30 am
How awful! I’m glad they didn’t get into the house. It’s still a violation, and a really sad statement that leaving a garage door open results in theft. I can still remember back when people didn’t bother to lock the doors to their homes.
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May 2, 2012 at 11:34 pm
Yes, we were somewhat tramatized for days afterward until we made some new rules. I remember when I was a kid. Nobody locked their doors. Hmm. I just thought about a good post so I won’t spill it here. I hope I don’t forget about writing this one up. Thanks for stopping by. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 8:36 am
Good point, I always keep mine on my visor. Wow lots going on in the world these days – yes, it does make you feel violated.
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May 2, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Awful violated. Friends of mine got robbed while they were entertaining in the backyard. The garage door was open as was the front door. Pretty cheeky, I’d say. Thanks for commenting, Susan. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 10:53 am
that is awful, but i love the good advice you gave. i have been guilty of leaving keys, purses, and even groceries in the car
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May 2, 2012 at 11:25 pm
I’ve heard of people walking into front doors and open garages while the owners are entertaining in the backyard. That too bold! Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 11:30 am
Oh, Tess, I’m sorry that happened to you. It really shakes your sense of security. But it sounds like you really ha e the situation under control.
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May 2, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Glad no one was hurt. The thieves in my neck of the woods are disinterested in anything without a motor. In all my years here, the only thing ever stolen was a lawnmower…along with 18 other lawnmowers in the neighborhood over the course of three days.
The valuables are locked up, but I rarely, if ever, lock my truck. I have had cars stolen before. If they are locked, the cost to fix them is abominable. I learned after the third theft, (yes, sometimes it takes me a while) better to leave them easy access and have a mechanism which shuts down the car (rendering it useless) once they are away from me. It really helps when I travel. My keys are so far from my vehicle, it will not start even when hot wired. That damage is cheap and easy to fix.
{HUGZ} and stay safe.
Red.
xxx
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May 2, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Oh no, sorry to hear that. it is horrible to think of someone rummaging through your stuff like that. When teaching my children about security issues, I always think it’s a tricky balance between making them aware of the risks, but not frightening them too much. I realised I hadn’t quite got the balance right a few months ago when I got home from work and found my front door wide open, and a note on the front door step from my daughter (13yrs old) saying “I have gone to the park with Lucy – the iPhone and money on the dining table are Lucy’s”. I did have to laugh though because I’m pretty sure that any passing burglar would have assumed it was a set-up and run a mile!
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May 2, 2012 at 10:46 pm
I’m with you about your 13-year-old’s note. Maybe police and security could use this as a trap for would be burglars. OMG, kids are so innocent. You can’t help laughing with them. Thanks Vanessa. Appreciate your sharing. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Sound reminders. It’s so disconcerting to know that someone has been through one’s things or uninvited on one’s property. I’m gladd you’re ok.
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May 2, 2012 at 10:44 pm
Thank YOU! Yes, it turned out OK but made for several rather unsteady days. That’s what mistakes for for, aren’t they, to live and LEARN! Thanks for your kind support. Tess
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May 2, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Great advice!
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May 2, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Once burned; twice shy. Might as well share. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Tess
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May 3, 2012 at 7:21 am
So sorry, Tess! I have had my car broken into and I felt completely violated. This post is a good reminder for me to get that opener out of there (but my purse is a nightmare, so I may have to put it by my phone charger or something).
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May 3, 2012 at 1:55 pm
This was a abrupt and rude awakening for ME. There’s no getting away from “it won’t happen to me” thoughts. Good it got you thinking. Nice hearing from you. Tess
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May 3, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Excellent advice.
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May 3, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Hi Tess, I have really enjoyed following your blog. I just wanted you to know that I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award.
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May 3, 2012 at 8:42 pm
You may just have to disinstall the automatic gadget and open the door the old fashioned way.
Damn technology!
(p.s. maybe replace the garage door opener for a camera and catch those buggers)
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May 3, 2012 at 10:07 pm
Thanks, Karen. I always wanted one of those web cameras. I wonder if we can all agree to one (I live with my daughter and her family—as a majority shareholder. Only have 1 daughter. Should be a win-win situation eh?) What a novel idea. Now I’m going to have to look into this. Sounds like fun. Why didn’t I think of this? I wonder how expensive it will be? Just saying. I LOVE technology WHEN I understand it. Tess
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May 3, 2012 at 10:56 pm
I can’t imagine it would be hugely expensive. Be worth it to catch the buggers red-handed. Those motion sensor lights are good too.
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May 3, 2012 at 10:59 pm
Goodness, I am glad you are ok. That is just where I keep mine. I shall have to move it.
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May 3, 2012 at 11:04 pm
I always figured: Not in my yard / backyard / ME. Ha. I guess I was wrong. Hope you rethink your situation. Can only be a GOOD thing, right?
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May 4, 2012 at 12:29 am
Absolutely. I can think of so many more places to keep it. It’s just habit.
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May 4, 2012 at 12:48 am
Or get 3 dogs. I’ve got a tiny one that barks its head off (and nips ankles), a middle sized one that also barks, snarls and bites (only burglars though) and a bigger one who snarls magnificently but has never bit anyone (yet). We’ve never been burgled, even though we often leave the doors open.
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May 4, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Thanks for coming by. We DO have a dog but she’s an OLD poodle and she was asleep at the time. Usually, she barks her head off when a leaf in the neighbours yard sways in the wind. Go figure. Time to send her to the gypsies; she’s just not doing her job when she needs to (insert giggles).
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May 4, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Poor puppy!
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May 4, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Good to know you’re doing better now. LEA the house pic and caption – not my house – nice disclamer….
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May 4, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Have to see the lighter side one way or another. Have been too serious and walking on eggs over the garage fiasco. Nice to hear to you, Tricia. Tess
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May 5, 2012 at 3:20 am
Gone are the days when we could safely leave doors open!
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May 5, 2012 at 9:36 pm
Those days are gone, alright, as well of lots of other things. All I can do is shake my head. Thanks for stopping by Gilly.
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May 7, 2012 at 2:08 am
Wow, OMG Tess how horrible! I’ve never thought of bringing in the garage door opener, as I don’t have one – it’s pre-programmed into the visor of my car. That is so scary. And good advice too, about making sure the front is locked when you’re out in back. You never know huh?
Glad you’re okay though, and that you’re able to have a few giggles now. 🙂
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May 7, 2012 at 12:16 pm
Thanks, Pamela. we were all walking on eggs for a few days but are back to normal. I don’t keep my remote door opener in my purse anymore. If yours is pre-programmed into the visor and someone broke into your car, wouldn’t they be able to open your garage door? I’m not saying someone would but wouldn’t it be the same thing as if I had my portable one in my car? Some years ago friends were planning on going to Europe (in a couple of days) so had extra money in the house. They were partying in the backyard. The front door was open (screen door shut but not locked). Someone came inside, riffled the house and into the bedroom. Took cash and jewellry, valuables they could carry. In broad daylight. Cheeky, wouldn’t you say? Tess
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May 9, 2012 at 3:09 am
People are so wonderful sometimes (insert sarcasm here). Why people need to steal… I guess the need it more than whomever they stole it from. 😦
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May 7, 2012 at 11:14 pm
Good advice. Sorry this happened to you. I have left my garage open before too, but nothing happened.
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May 11, 2012 at 11:52 am
I’ve left the garage open before but I suppose it was the right time or the wrong time for someone to be tempted. Once burned, twice shy. Now I’m REALLY careful.
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May 10, 2012 at 9:45 am
I’m so sorry you were robbed. I’ve never been, but the thought makes my skin crawl. I kept my garage door opener clipped to the window visor for years, which probably wasn’t wise. Glad everyone’s ok!
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May 10, 2012 at 9:56 am
Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. Yes, we’re all fine. Walked on eggs for a few days: nervous and feeling exposed. Have a NICE day.!
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May 10, 2012 at 1:31 pm
What a nasty experience! I suppose there are thieves about, wherever one lives. We can’t be too careful. Living in SA, I’ve learned to take no chances. 😉
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May 11, 2012 at 10:03 am
That was a first for me. Scary but OVER. You hear about something like this happening to people all over but you always think: Never in my backyard. I’ve put it behind me but am much more careful now. Thanks for commenting. Tess
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