Urban/House Security

[juskom95]

I have not seen a post like this, but recently my neighbor had their truck broken into, and I got into the discussion of security. For them, they had not security beyond a single broken security light.

Some things to consider:

-Motion lights over dusk-to-dawn lights; while any light is good, motion lights are avoided because they draw attention.
-Security systems; this is very dependent on area, but even then, they are a deterrent if someone else nearby does not have one
-Security system signs; whether you have the system or now, having the signs can act as a deterrent.
-Visible Valuables; this comes into play for those who leave expensive things in view of their cars, or can be viewed through windows. It is like advertising what you have to steal.
-Dogs, any dog; while a chihuahua might not seem like a guard dog, they do alert (if trained) when someone is at the door.
-Security cameras; these are not always good for after the fact, but just like motion lights they can deter someone or make them pick a different target
-Door Reinforcement; many do not understand the weak/short screws which are holding your door in place are (1/4 inch I believe?) and that typically the frame is what cracks and not your door. 3 inch screws, into your frame are a very cheap solution
-Situational Awareness; this is the big one, over all others. So many out there will answer the door as if the person on the other side is their best friend, but the reality is that if you do not know them, they could be a threat.


So what do you think? Quick and dirty, but let me know what I missed/wrong about, I'm a little 'rusty' on the whole physical security aspect.

[Arklatex]

Nice write up! I'll add a couple tips I've learned over the years. If you're planning to be out of town for awhile try not to leave any of the tell-tale signs that home burglars look for. Have your mail service stopped for the expected duration. Newspapers too. Thieves look for things like that when they're casing neighborhoods. You can also put a few indoor lights on timers to make it seem like there is someone around while you're gone. Having a neighbor willing to keep an eye out for unusual activity is also a good plan. Yall can watch each other's backs that way. Also be careful about throwing away packaging from expensive purchases. It might paint a bullseye on your house for thieves to remember.

[juskom95]

I got another one, Arklatex reminded me:

-Get to know your neighbors and vice versa; know who your neighbors are and know their cars. Stopping a crime next door will deter someone in the future and your neighbor may be willing to watch your back as well.

[Deebo]

And by all means, don't post on Facebook that your going on a family vacation to aruba for seven days.
Friends aren't always friends.
And, yes, my Chihuahua is a trained alert dog...
You cant get your car door open, and she is alerting everyone, someone is here.

[Deebo]

2833
she might look nice and quiet, but she will hide under the TV and bark her ass off.
Were still working on the "OK that's enough" part.

[A Watchman]

And of course .... the obligatory 12 gauge pump shotgun, always located in close proximity.

[Sparkyprep]

When you are away, leave the TV on. It implies that there is someone home.

[Slippy]

Great pic of the dog, Deebs!

My damn one and only TV has a Sleep Mode and automatically goes into Sleep Mode if left on for 4 hours. I've tried to change it and it does not have an option to do so.

Being 1 mile down a gated dirt road, then 900 feet up a winding driveway through the woods past another locked gate is my strategy. We've never had any trick or treaters (HA) and once I found two 13 year old boys wandering through my property lost and scared. They went looking for their lost dog and 3 miles later stumbled upon my back gate. No other trespassers

[juskom95]

Were still working on the "OK that's enough" part.

Yeah,that is always the hard part with the 'excitable' breeds. They are great little biological door alarms, but there isn't a way to shut them up!

[Baglady]

2833
she might look nice and quiet, but she will hide under the TV and bark her ass off.
Were still working on the "OK that's enough" part.

That is one CUTE ankle biter!!

[Sasquatch]

Great pic of the dog, Deebs!

My damn one and only TV has a Sleep Mode and automatically goes into Sleep Mode if left on for 4 hours. I've tried to change it and it does not have an option to do so.

Being 1 mile down a gated dirt road, then 900 feet up a winding driveway through the woods past another locked gate is my strategy. We've never had any trick or treaters (HA) and once I found two 13 year old boys wandering through my property lost and scared. They went looking for their lost dog and 3 miles later stumbled upon my back gate. No other trespassers
You left the part out about the boys were never heard from again.

Sent from a Galaxy S5 far far away.

[franklin]

Lot's of good ideas in this thread. Those who know me on another site probably heard this story but:

Several years ago we (SEPA) had the remnants of a hurricane turn in across Nj and into our area. It spawned some tornadoes which took out our power. As this happened in the evening and my area is prone to power outages (it was a mild temp outside) we just went to bed and waited till morning to see what the situation was. Well I get up early (light outside) and decide to go check on the outage. Get in the truck and drive out of the development. At the entrance there was a police car with an officer stand by. As I started to roll down the window to ask about the outage I noticed he had on a "flack vest" and was carrying a shotgun. Brain is starting to figure out something more is amiss. Well the cops says a gunman is on the loose and ran that way, pointing towards my house.

So I go back home, wake the dog, lock the doors, pull the first floor shades, and get out the short barrelled AR. Tell the wife not to get around windows, etc. All the time the power is off. I have two gennies in the garage but the garage is on a blind side of the house so I'd be at risk going out that end of the house. No way to see if the guy would be hiding in the bushes on that end of the house. I also figure out that the opposite end of the house is also relatively blind. So I sit tight working out plans for the coming night. Do I go out armed and set up the gennies? Would the noise attract the guy? About 3:00 I decide to go out and ask the cop for advice. When I get out there the cops starts taking his vest off. I knew that meant the situation was over. I asked him what was up and he said they found the guy dead in the woods near my house. He offed himself at some point. Likely during the storm as we didn't hear it. About 150 yards from the house. Once the situation was under control the crews came in and restored power in a couple hours.

Anyway this prompted me to reassess my security situation and I made a lot of changes around the house. It also made me appreciate a good dog as the dog would always let me know when someone entered the property. Even on the blind sides.

Here is a link to the story. https://patch.com/pennsylvania/doylestown/police-warn-shooting-suspect-armed-and-dangerous

I have always reassessed after each emergency (had a number of big outages from hurricanes and snow). This incident convinced me even more of the value of doing that.

[Dwight55]

I virtually never go to the door for "strangers" unarmed.

Sometimes it is only the little 9mm, . . . but it is "something", . . . and I am very careful about who knows what about our house and our plans.

Been here since Nov of '94, . . . trick or treat folks just bypass my 600 ft driveway to a semi-dark house. Very little light escapes our house, . . . just enough to suggest someone is most likely home.

Would love to have a dog, . . . but the wife is terrified of them, . . . and one in the house with her, . . . ain't gonna happen.

So we use motion detectors and motion lights.

May God bless,
Dwight