Winkled??? I sense my vocabulary being expanded.idcook wrote:::::: the newbie lurks in the bushes feigning disinterest but actually waiting for the discussion to attain a fevered uproar. At which point he’ll seek a fissure through which a 10ER might be winkled from the melee::::
Merriam Webster was a bit more obtuse this time ... it seems to be a British thing. 
Back to the subject at hand, I long ago concluded that home security measures have almost nothing to do with physical security. In my case, the doors are locked, but smashing a window to obtain physical entry would be child's play. Even a concrete block wall can easily be defeated by a lowly sledge hammer in a just minute or two. Which is exactly what happened to a convenience store owned by my Dad many moons ago.
I believe that the value of home security measures is based almost entirely upon the fear of our law enforcement system. In other words, if a security measure makes a crook believe that he is more likely to be caught by the cops and go to jail, it is effective. No more, no less.
Forty-plus years ago, I recall that the police in Nashville TN went on strike. The news media played it up big time, predicting massive crime and anarchy, and undoubtedly selling many commercials in the process. They also interviewed many shop owners, who very understandably had begun packing iron, and were not a bit shy about saying so.
The crooks must have been watching those interviews. Crime rates dropped precipitiously.
Take all of that with a small grain of salt .. I was pretty young. But I do believe that my memories are accurate.
