Watch Out Burglars About!

[lanky]

Yet again we are experiancing another spate of burglaries, and no doubt once again nothing will be done about it. What chance have we when the mayor was heard to say he does not like the English, what chance have we when despite the amount of burglaries, no one has seen or heard anything.I know of someone who has two dogs and full security bars all round, and still got burgled. The scum doing this know their chances of getting caught are remote, as we dont have a police force here. The comment about us all being responsible for our own security is a little insulting as we are spending a lot of money trying to protect ourselves. We get nothing from the Belediye, ie decent roads, street lighting etc, despite ploughing a lot of money into the comunity. I am not the first to say that most of the time, proper roads finish at the last Tukish house. I would be more inclined to attend fund raising events, if the money was used to supply street lighting for us, or perhaps to help fund security patrols. It seems, the only way to be sure you dont get burgled is never go out, because if you do, you cannot be sure when you get home that you havent been burgled. This is not what we came out here for. Perhaps a meeting would be a good idea, we need to find ways of protecting ourselves, because we dont seem to be getting any from the locals.

[KKOB]

lanky,it's very unlikely that you'll ever have a Police force in the village. Like most of the rest of Turkey, the Police are only responsible for law and order within town boundaries.

The Jandarma have jurisdiction over most rural areas in Turkey, including Uzumlu, and in many areas where there are both Jandarma and Polis, the Jandarma have seniority. It's the local Jandarma that you've got to engage with and get them motivated to help you.

[clairelynne]

I wasnt having a dig at anyone. The last meeting that was organised was a total waste of time, The organisers did everything to try to make inroads, my husband & our neighbours went to the meeting & it was a very poor turn out only a few people there. We have heard nothing since, If people cant be bothered to go to meetings then what can be done!!!! you do a great job in Uzumlu fund raising etc but I agree with Lanky on that subject.
Firo As for your dig about being a hermit you dont know us & our life we have a fantastic circle of friends our life is just fine as it is thankyou.
I have spoken to a friend who got burgaled & told them what our friends surgested.

[lanky]

KKOB, i fully understand the role of the Jandarma, my point was that they are not career policeman, but in the main conscripts, so possibly lack the dedication of those that want a job for life in this area. After being burgled, i spoke many times to the jandarma patrols, and almost without exception, they said they looked forward to doing their time and going home. A lot i became friends with, but they are not policeman, which at the moment is what we need.

[Firo]

The suggestions that the monies raised from fund raising are not viable because:

1: Not everyone attends the events.
2: Why should those that do attend pay for street lighting and security patrols, as you suggest, for those who do not attend?
3: The people who attend, our events, where asked if they wanted the fund raising to continue when we had paid the cement factory lawyers bill. They suggested and decided to continue the fund raising to help the children in the community.
5: The fund raising that takes place at both quizzes is recognised under official charity banners.Fund raising for street lights etc does not class as a charity therefore the legality would be questionable.

Both of our Turkish neighbours had a street light fitted at a cost of 50tl each so that is an option if you want more lighting.

Another point I'd like to make is, yes some may decide to stay in but a lot of the breakins have been done at the time the residents were in bed or out shopping during the day and this has been the first time, that we know off, it has happened to people who were at a quiz night. So staying in is no guarantee to stop your home being burgled.

Lanky I'm sorry that you think my statement that that we are responsible for our own home security is insulting, but that is a fact whether you live here or the UK.

In no way are any of our comments meant to offend or insult we are just trying to be factual and adding our tuppence worth in  

If anyone calls a meeting we will be happy to attend as long as it doesn't class with either quiz night  

Fi & Eric

[corbindallas]

I think a lot of valid points have been made here, I and a lot of others I know in Uzumlu are very frustrated and even angry by the lack of concern shown by the mayor and jandarma in trying to sort this problem.

The mayor clearly is not interested in this problem and by various feed back from some Turkish villagers I will go as far as to say he is negative about the British. At the last meeting he suggested that residents should hire security staff to patrol, that says it all to me in other words(it's your problem not ours).

I would question why we should pay extra for security patrols, street lights and roads when it should already be covered by the taxes we pay (wonder what the cost would be for a British request for a street light?!) I notice the football pitch has lots of lighting at night all night perhaps the mayor is afraid someone will steal the grass!

At the end of the day unless you vote which the majority of us don't he and others in positions cannot give a stuff about us!

Therefore it is no surprise to see the majority of dirt roads where ex pats villas are and to see street lights stop before these same villas and that when problems are reported you just get the shrugged shoulders or asked for charity donations to try and sort it.

A lot reading this will think well you choose to live here put up with it, which has its merits but the point is we are not here demanding extras we are here asking for a basic equal right as residents, land owners, contributors of taxes,contributors to the community, neighbours and ultimatley fellow humans.

I also hear a lot of time in response it is not only the ex pats getting broken into but that quite frankly is crap in comparision to the frequency and dare I say almost common occurence of ex pats getting targeted, in this small village of ours, what was the last count over 40 properties broken into in Uzumlu the past year alone, at this rate we will be classed a top crime hotspot in the UK???!!

I would suggest a caring mayor would have got of his back side to arrange such meetings himself especially as this is occuring in his village regularly also the Jandarma are conscripts who really do not have the training or skills to deal with this, but can be pro active to the issue by answering concerns and at least taking some action on suggestions. I have not seen a patrol on my road since September,why?

[Eric]

Good points, well argued.

[Firo]

Another thing I have noticed is that since the new chief of the Jandarma has taken over he has stopped the road blocks at the Hunters Lodge and in this time the numbers of burgularies has increased. It was a deterrant. Prehaps if this meeting happens that point could be raised.
Fi

[clairelynne]

We have not seen jandarma patroling where we are since, well I cant remember the last time it must be 4/5 months. We still see them patroling in the valley every night, some of the village seems to be totaly forgotten & unimportant to the mayor. luckaly we have great neighbours & we look afer each others property when we go out day or night.

[jackie.bond]

hello all.
i think its time for all the english in the area to get together and form a neighbourhood watch. if we show we are standing together and fighting back, they will realise we are not an easy touch.
thieves always looks for the easiest, most valiable places to break into. we as english are far too trusting.
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